Guess my algea!!!

Saltydrip · 01/12/2012, 07:19 PM

I have what looks like 4 different algaes growing in my tank.

1. green grassy/hairy algea everywhere!!

2. Light purple crusty looking stuff on rocks and shells

3. Red/ brown blotchy patches on the live rock and shells

4.bright green moss or felt like algea growing on smooth surfaces like shells.

Sugar Magnolia · 01/13/2012, 08:53 AM

Pictures will be a tremendous help.

Danzig · 01/13/2012, 10:25 AM

Pictures are the only way anyone is going to be able to help you. Example: #2 just sounds like coralline, but a picture could show something very different.

Saltydrip · 01/13/2012, 10:40 AM

I cant figure out how to load pics from my iPhone. My pc crashed a phew years ago and get by fine with my iPhone and ps3

sslak · 01/13/2012, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saltydrip

I cant figure out how to load pics from my iPhone. My pc crashed a phew years ago and get by fine with my iPhone and ps3

Apparently not if you can't post pictures...

Saltydrip · 01/13/2012, 11:00 AM

I'm know #1 is hair algea and #2 is coraline.

I'm curious of the red brown stuff. It's not ugly and I have had it since my first setup about 2 years ago.

The green stuff is neat looking and my lawnmower loves it

Raggamuffin · 01/13/2012, 12:33 PM

guess for 3 is cyano!

seapug · 01/13/2012, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saltydrip

I cant figure out how to load pics from my iPhone. My pc crashed a phew years ago and get by fine with my iPhone and ps3

Open up an account on photobucket.com then download the photobucket iphone app. Take a photo, upload it to your photobucket account. Resize if needed, then copy and paste the IMG embed code provided into the RC post window.

Saltydrip · 01/13/2012, 04:07 PM

Sweet, thanks seapug! I'll do that tonight.

Is cyano a bad thing??

Zappo · 01/13/2012, 04:33 PM

1 and 4 are probably the same thing. Algae that stays that short is probably just being mowed down by something. 2 and 3 are also probably the same thing - coralline algae. The easy way to test #3 is to see if it's easily scraped/blown off of the rocks. Cyano comes off, while coralline does not.

And yes, if it's cyano, that has the potential to become a bad thing. It isn't inherently bad (it's good in fact) but it does tend to cover things and look rather bad.

Saltydrip · 01/13/2012, 08:46 PM

Lol. Nothing comes off!!!

I just got home from the LFS with another albs of live rock with the same purple blotchy and red brown stuff on all of it and he said they are both coraline algea.

rolodex1 · 01/13/2012, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugar magnolia

pictures will be a tremendous help.

+1

Saltydrip · 01/14/2012, 06:52 AM

Turbo snails made a huge dent in the hair algae last night!! I'll pick up a phew more today. I baught ten last night and had a hard time droping tons of money on snails whith my girlfriend there!! Lol. They had dwarf seahorses there that she wants BAD and I told her I don't have the money for them right now. They were asking $50 for them and I found the for $11 online!! I'll surprise her with a phew later.

I was a good boy and held off on fish until my algae is under control. I don't have plans for any more real algae eaters so I'll wait to add more bio load to the tank.

lgray13 · 01/14/2012, 06:57 AM

research the seahorses before you get them. They have special requirements and tank parameters that are not met in our fish/coral systems.

Saltydrip · 01/14/2012, 09:11 AM

Ill do a small setup just for them. I have been doing a lot of reading in the seahorse/pipefish forum.

01/13/2012, 10:40 AM	#4
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	I cant figure out how to load pics from my iPhone. My pc crashed a phew years ago and get by fine with my iPhone and ps3 __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/13/2012, 11:00 AM	#6
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	I'm know #1 is hair algea and #2 is coraline. I'm curious of the red brown stuff. It's not ugly and I have had it since my first setup about 2 years ago. The green stuff is neat looking and my lawnmower loves it __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/13/2012, 04:07 PM	#9
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Sweet, thanks seapug! I'll do that tonight. Is cyano a bad thing?? __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/13/2012, 08:46 PM	#11
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Lol. Nothing comes off!!! I just got home from the LFS with another albs of live rock with the same purple blotchy and red brown stuff on all of it and he said they are both coraline algea. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/14/2012, 06:52 AM	#13
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Turbo snails made a huge dent in the hair algae last night!! I'll pick up a phew more today. I baught ten last night and had a hard time droping tons of money on snails whith my girlfriend there!! Lol. They had dwarf seahorses there that she wants BAD and I told her I don't have the money for them right now. They were asking $50 for them and I found the for $11 online!! I'll surprise her with a phew later. I was a good boy and held off on fish until my algae is under control. I don't have plans for any more real algae eaters so I'll wait to add more bio load to the tank. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/12/2012, 07:19 PM	#1
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Guess my algea!!! I have what looks like 4 different algaes growing in my tank. 1. green grassy/hairy algea everywhere!! 2. Light purple crusty looking stuff on rocks and shells 3. Red/ brown blotchy patches on the live rock and shells 4.bright green moss or felt like algea growing on smooth surfaces like shells. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/13/2012, 08:53 AM	#2
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Pictures will be a tremendous help. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

01/13/2012, 10:25 AM	#3
Danzig Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 694	Pictures are the only way anyone is going to be able to help you. Example: #2 just sounds like coralline, but a picture could show something very different. __________________ Keep our planet clean "PH s/b 7.9-8.3, salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp abt 80. Alk and cal will not rise if mg is low."

01/13/2012, 12:33 PM	#7
Raggamuffin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brandon SD. Posts: 541	guess for 3 is cyano!

01/13/2012, 04:33 PM	#10
Zappo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Minnetonka, MN Posts: 582	1 and 4 are probably the same thing. Algae that stays that short is probably just being mowed down by something. 2 and 3 are also probably the same thing - coralline algae. The easy way to test #3 is to see if it's easily scraped/blown off of the rocks. Cyano comes off, while coralline does not. And yes, if it's cyano, that has the potential to become a bad thing. It isn't inherently bad (it's good in fact) but it does tend to cover things and look rather bad.

01/14/2012, 06:57 AM	#14
lgray13 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 51	research the seahorses before you get them. They have special requirements and tank parameters that are not met in our fish/coral systems.

01/14/2012, 09:11 AM	#15
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Ill do a small setup just for them. I have been doing a lot of reading in the seahorse/pipefish forum. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

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