strange orange stuff growing?

mortis13 · 01/04/2010, 06:00 PM

howdy all,
i have had my tank going now for 18 days now and am starting to grow some bright (im talking safety vest) orange 'stuff' and have no idea what it is, not surprising as im new to this

i have tried to take pictures of it but at this stage its just too small for my average camera, the best is below. it seems to be a little collection of sticks? but they are krazy orange. any ideas?

Chiefsurfer · 01/04/2010, 06:40 PM

kinda hard to tell, looks like encrusting sponges starting to grow. IME, anything that grows that brightly, is most-likely not too bangerous. Nuisance stuff like aptaisia and algae are fairly drab in color, or poisonous things like some fish and sea apples would not make it very long, not nearly enough, even as spores, to make it to your tank.

mortis13 · 01/04/2010, 06:50 PM

thanks man, sponges sound nice i didnt think sponges liked anything but the best quality water and being a newfish i doubt mine is

Sk8r · 01/04/2010, 06:52 PM

Probably sponges. Keep your water changes going and you can maintain that nice water.

Chiefsurfer · 01/04/2010, 07:07 PM

from what I can tell(have TONS of sponges) encrusting sponges are MUCH more forgiving than the type that grow out as structure.

mortis13 · 01/04/2010, 07:42 PM

thats good news i love the color and if i can keep them going it would rock. as i write this 10kg more liverock was delivered!!! this stuff is awesome and it comes overnight from north queensland and it blows the bleached out white crap from the LFS out of the water.

reefscape15 · 01/04/2010, 09:24 PM

sounds like your having some good luck! Keep your maintenance going and things should be fine

bassking16 · 01/05/2010, 01:57 AM

I just got a live rock shipment in a couple days ago, and I am pretty sure we have the same thing. Mine is bright orange, patchy, and glows super bright orange with just my actinic lights on. I was thinking it was some kind of coraline algae, but a sponge would be cool too. My rock was really cold when it was delivered, so I hope this stuff makes it through the cycle. It's been three days, and it is still glowing as bright as when I first got the rocks. I will try to get some pictures posted so we can compare, but I will warn you that my camera is a piece of junk, so the pics might not be the greatest.

terri_ann · 01/05/2010, 03:15 AM

I would think that you have encrusting sponges as well. Good luck and Happy Reefing!

terri_ann · 01/05/2010, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassking16

I just got a live rock shipment in a couple days ago, and I am pretty sure we have the same thing. Mine is bright orange, patchy, and glows super bright orange with just my actinic lights on. I was thinking it was some kind of coraline algae, but a sponge would be cool too. My rock was really cold when it was delivered, so I hope this stuff makes it through the cycle. It's been three days, and it is still glowing as bright as when I first got the rocks. I will try to get some pictures posted so we can compare, but I will warn you that my camera is a piece of junk, so the pics might not be the greatest.

Good for you...will look for a picture or two

bassking16 · 01/05/2010, 09:01 AM

As promised, here is a picture of my 25g in which the rock has what I believe to be the same thing. I had a hard time capturing the brightness of the orange, but you can see a little bit of it on the top right rock, and a little more on the bottom left rock as well. There is actually quite a bit more on the rocks that what shows up in the picture.

Vin7250 · 01/05/2010, 09:40 AM

sponges for sure

Chiefsurfer · 01/05/2010, 01:22 PM

well I am not sure if Bassking has sponges or not. The glowing in actinics is what makes me doubt it. I have many sponges, and none of them glow in actinic lighting. They actually all just about look black in actinic lighting.

ALSO, when I got my rock, I had a few spots(although in regular light could not see any "body" to this, just more of a piece of rock) that glowed red orange and even green. In about 2 weeks time they faded out. It almost looked like that "glow in the dark" paint on the rocks. Like I said, I could not see any growth, but rather like the rock was just painted. Keep us up to date on that.

reefscape15 · 01/05/2010, 03:40 PM

I do have a bunch of very small patches of encrusting orange stuff like what's in the first pic. There was a discussion a while back about orange coralline algae in some thread, and that's what everybody came to an agreement on at that time. I don't know if it's the same as what you have or not, but it is VERY glowing bright orange and not fleshy like a sponge at all. It's hard like purple coralline, so I assumed that's what it was.........I forgot about that until just now!

mortis13 · 01/05/2010, 05:18 PM

i also have that fluro paint spots, orange with dots of lavander. it has just shown up now with the sponge (maybe sponge) on day 18. i have a dark green ball about 1/2 inch diam that looks like a soft jelly lolly as well that trips me out.

bassking16 · 01/10/2010, 09:30 AM

Well, unfortunately, all my bright orange stuff has died off during the cycling process. I can't see anymore of it on my rocks. Hopefully it will regrow once the water parameters settle down, but I'm not holding my breath. I hope you have better luck with yours.

Chiefsurfer · 01/10/2010, 10:05 AM

though it might. Mine did, and i never allowed ammonia above 2.0

01/04/2010, 06:50 PM	#3
mortis13 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: melbourne australia Posts: 205	thanks man, sponges sound nice i didnt think sponges liked anything but the best quality water and being a newfish i doubt mine is __________________ that was then, this is now. Current Tank Info: 180 gal

01/04/2010, 06:52 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Probably sponges. Keep your water changes going and you can maintain that nice water. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/04/2010, 07:42 PM	#6
mortis13 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: melbourne australia Posts: 205	thats good news i love the color and if i can keep them going it would rock. as i write this 10kg more liverock was delivered!!! this stuff is awesome and it comes overnight from north queensland and it blows the bleached out white crap from the LFS out of the water. __________________ that was then, this is now. Current Tank Info: 180 gal

01/04/2010, 09:24 PM	#7
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	sounds like your having some good luck! Keep your maintenance going and things should be fine __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

01/05/2010, 01:57 AM	#8
bassking16 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 336	In the same boat I just got a live rock shipment in a couple days ago, and I am pretty sure we have the same thing. Mine is bright orange, patchy, and glows super bright orange with just my actinic lights on. I was thinking it was some kind of coraline algae, but a sponge would be cool too. My rock was really cold when it was delivered, so I hope this stuff makes it through the cycle. It's been three days, and it is still glowing as bright as when I first got the rocks. I will try to get some pictures posted so we can compare, but I will warn you that my camera is a piece of junk, so the pics might not be the greatest. __________________ If you don't want to stand behind our troops, then feel free to stand in front of them! Current Tank Info: 150g SPS 55g Sump/Fuge/Frag Tank

01/04/2010, 06:40 PM	#2
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	kinda hard to tell, looks like encrusting sponges starting to grow. IME, anything that grows that brightly, is most-likely not too bangerous. Nuisance stuff like aptaisia and algae are fairly drab in color, or poisonous things like some fish and sea apples would not make it very long, not nearly enough, even as spores, to make it to your tank.

01/04/2010, 07:07 PM	#5
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	from what I can tell(have TONS of sponges) encrusting sponges are MUCH more forgiving than the type that grow out as structure.

01/05/2010, 03:15 AM	#9
terri_ann Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Marshalltown, IA Posts: 841	I would think that you have encrusting sponges as well. Good luck and Happy Reefing! __________________ Happy Reefing!! :) Current Tank Info: 180g mixed 40B Anemone 5' raceway frag tank

01/05/2010, 09:01 AM	#11
bassking16 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 336	As promised As promised, here is a picture of my 25g in which the rock has what I believe to be the same thing. I had a hard time capturing the brightness of the orange, but you can see a little bit of it on the top right rock, and a little more on the bottom left rock as well. There is actually quite a bit more on the rocks that what shows up in the picture. __________________ If you don't want to stand behind our troops, then feel free to stand in front of them! Current Tank Info: 150g SPS 55g Sump/Fuge/Frag Tank

01/05/2010, 09:40 AM	#12
Vin7250 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Connecticut "The Big East" Posts: 1,144	sponges for sure

01/05/2010, 01:22 PM	#13
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	well I am not sure if Bassking has sponges or not. The glowing in actinics is what makes me doubt it. I have many sponges, and none of them glow in actinic lighting. They actually all just about look black in actinic lighting. ALSO, when I got my rock, I had a few spots(although in regular light could not see any "body" to this, just more of a piece of rock) that glowed red orange and even green. In about 2 weeks time they faded out. It almost looked like that "glow in the dark" paint on the rocks. Like I said, I could not see any growth, but rather like the rock was just painted. Keep us up to date on that.

01/05/2010, 03:40 PM	#14
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	I do have a bunch of very small patches of encrusting orange stuff like what's in the first pic. There was a discussion a while back about orange coralline algae in some thread, and that's what everybody came to an agreement on at that time. I don't know if it's the same as what you have or not, but it is VERY glowing bright orange and not fleshy like a sponge at all. It's hard like purple coralline, so I assumed that's what it was.........I forgot about that until just now! __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

01/05/2010, 05:18 PM	#15
mortis13 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: melbourne australia Posts: 205	i also have that fluro paint spots, orange with dots of lavander. it has just shown up now with the sponge (maybe sponge) on day 18. i have a dark green ball about 1/2 inch diam that looks like a soft jelly lolly as well that trips me out. __________________ that was then, this is now. Current Tank Info: 180 gal

01/10/2010, 09:30 AM	#16
bassking16 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 336	Update Well, unfortunately, all my bright orange stuff has died off during the cycling process. I can't see anymore of it on my rocks. Hopefully it will regrow once the water parameters settle down, but I'm not holding my breath. I hope you have better luck with yours. __________________ If you don't want to stand behind our troops, then feel free to stand in front of them! Current Tank Info: 150g SPS 55g Sump/Fuge/Frag Tank

01/10/2010, 10:05 AM	#17
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	though it might. Mine did, and i never allowed ammonia above 2.0