Is this cyano, diatoms, or other?

BizMike · 01/30/2010, 08:51 PM

I've recently noticed this fuzzy brownish reddish stuff growing on some of my rocks. Any ideas what it is and how to manage it?

I've been overfeeding, trying to help out a sick hippo tang - I'm sure that's not helping whatever this is.

DC_40gallon · 01/30/2010, 10:15 PM

hair algae, due to increased phosphates? What are you feeding your tank? If frozen food get a brine shrimp net (petco, petsmart, etc) and rinse your frozen food in ro/di water to dissolve the frozen food. All that liquid that frozen foods are well, froze in lol, is 100% phosphate contributing junk. If you are using flake food, same thing, soaked in phosphate contributing junk.

How old are your bulbs? If T5's and they are older than 9 months, replace them. The spectrum starts breaking down around 9 months and will contribute to algae.

Are you using ro/di water? If not, start. Anything other than ro/di water will have algae growing nutrients.

How much are you doing water changes? You need to do 10% weekly to stay on top of algae blooms.

How long are your lights on per day? 8-10 hours is ideal. If you can't do this, go to walmart and get a $10 brinks timer to keep things on track so you don't have to worry about it anymore.

Annnnnd last question I have - ever heard of phosphate remover media? go to drsfostersmith.com or marinedepot.com and look up phosguard and phosban.

This will rip your phosphates out of your tank and get that algae out.

the good thing is from the pic I believe whatever is causing your algae to bloom is doing it weakly. Hair algae is usually thick green, yours appears fighting for life (good news!).

BizMike · 01/30/2010, 10:55 PM

I've been using ro/di water and my phosphates and nitrates have always been at zero (I guess because this hair algae is consuming them).

I've been using frozen food soaked in garlic juice (for the hippo). Thanks for the tip on rinsing it first - I hadn't heard that before.

I'm using t5s, 3 month old bulbs, with the day lights (6500K) on for 12 hours and the actinics on for another hour and a half after that. Is that too long?

I've heard of phosban reactors, but anything with the word reactor sounds too complicated for me

Can I just dose phosban straight to my tank? To be honest, I haven't done a lot of research on this one.

DC_40gallon · 01/30/2010, 11:26 PM

lol I hear ya with the reactor. All sounds good so far. I'm sure it's phosphates.

YouTube phosban reactor to get a few ideas. It's super easy, cheap to own and works great! In a nutshell a powerhead pushes water into a 12 inch tall cylinder that has your media (phosphate remover) and forces water through it. Then it exits out back into the tank.

Check bulkreefsupply.com for them as well.

How big is the tank? A mesh bag of phosguard runs about $10 and would be a good idea to try to see how the results turn out. It will need to be in a powerfilter or something that will push water through it.

mann1139 · 01/31/2010, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DC_40gallon

How big is the tank? A mesh bag of phosguard runs about $10 and would be a good idea to try to see how the results turn out. It will need to be in a powerfilter or something that will push water through it.

Assuming this is a short-term problem, this is your optimal solution, since it's cheap and doesn't require a lot of work.

Chiefsurfer · 01/31/2010, 07:40 AM

I think it's just due to overfeeding. If there any way you can set-up a qt for the hippo? I think that would help prevent any other fish, if you have any, from getting sick. It will also give you a lot of open space to care for, watch, and treat accordingly the hippo. This will also limit your algae problem in the DT. How big is the hippo?

DC_40gallon · 01/31/2010, 10:00 AM

Rinsing your food and doing a weekly water change while your nursing the tang will eliminate the phosphates going forward but to get out the algae, use a phosguard or phosban type of media.

01/31/2010, 07:40 AM	#6
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	I think it's just due to overfeeding. If there any way you can set-up a qt for the hippo? I think that would help prevent any other fish, if you have any, from getting sick. It will also give you a lot of open space to care for, watch, and treat accordingly the hippo. This will also limit your algae problem in the DT. How big is the hippo? __________________ Chief Current Tank: 20 Gallon tall, 4-bulb t5 HO, Eshopps psk75H, ac-70 fuge. So far, green clown goby, striped goby, more gorillas than I wish I had, 5 SPS frags, 3 LPS Frags, 1 Softee, Turkey Wing Clam. Plan for the future: 120 gallon 4ft glass tank. Current Tank Info: 20 gallon tall Reef Tank

01/30/2010, 10:15 PM	#2
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	hair algae, due to increased phosphates? What are you feeding your tank? If frozen food get a brine shrimp net (petco, petsmart, etc) and rinse your frozen food in ro/di water to dissolve the frozen food. All that liquid that frozen foods are well, froze in lol, is 100% phosphate contributing junk. If you are using flake food, same thing, soaked in phosphate contributing junk. How old are your bulbs? If T5's and they are older than 9 months, replace them. The spectrum starts breaking down around 9 months and will contribute to algae. Are you using ro/di water? If not, start. Anything other than ro/di water will have algae growing nutrients. How much are you doing water changes? You need to do 10% weekly to stay on top of algae blooms. How long are your lights on per day? 8-10 hours is ideal. If you can't do this, go to walmart and get a $10 brinks timer to keep things on track so you don't have to worry about it anymore. Annnnnd last question I have - ever heard of phosphate remover media? go to drsfostersmith.com or marinedepot.com and look up phosguard and phosban. This will rip your phosphates out of your tank and get that algae out. the good thing is from the pic I believe whatever is causing your algae to bloom is doing it weakly. Hair algae is usually thick green, yours appears fighting for life (good news!).

01/30/2010, 10:55 PM	#3
BizMike Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Dumfries, VA Posts: 46	I've been using ro/di water and my phosphates and nitrates have always been at zero (I guess because this hair algae is consuming them). I've been using frozen food soaked in garlic juice (for the hippo). Thanks for the tip on rinsing it first - I hadn't heard that before. I'm using t5s, 3 month old bulbs, with the day lights (6500K) on for 12 hours and the actinics on for another hour and a half after that. Is that too long? I've heard of phosban reactors, but anything with the word reactor sounds too complicated for me Can I just dose phosban straight to my tank? To be honest, I haven't done a lot of research on this one.

01/30/2010, 11:26 PM	#4
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	lol I hear ya with the reactor. All sounds good so far. I'm sure it's phosphates. YouTube phosban reactor to get a few ideas. It's super easy, cheap to own and works great! In a nutshell a powerhead pushes water into a 12 inch tall cylinder that has your media (phosphate remover) and forces water through it. Then it exits out back into the tank. Check bulkreefsupply.com for them as well. How big is the tank? A mesh bag of phosguard runs about $10 and would be a good idea to try to see how the results turn out. It will need to be in a powerfilter or something that will push water through it.

01/31/2010, 10:00 AM	#7
DC_40gallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1,474	Rinsing your food and doing a weekly water change while your nursing the tang will eliminate the phosphates going forward but to get out the algae, use a phosguard or phosban type of media.