What the heck is going on with my tank? What type of algae is this?

joem1cha3l · 07/15/2012, 09:52 AM

My tank is just about 2 weeks into the initial cycle and this is growing all over my rocks and glass....its about 1/8-1/4" long everywhere. Rocks, sand, glass, etc.....LED lights are on about 8 hours a day

Toxic45 · 07/15/2012, 10:09 AM

It looks like some kind of brown hair algae. Since your tank is newer you can expect to see some algal blooms like this. It's probable that the cause was excess nutrients. These can be in the form of over feeding or too high phosphates and nitrates. It should start to subside on its own, but you could always take measures to remove it. If you want to take it out on your own you can, but that can be a pain in the butt. Blue leg hermits, red leg hermits, turbo snails (Florida and Mexican), and some crabs are good critters to take care of it.

ajcanale · 07/15/2012, 10:36 AM

Dinoflagellates maybe, very difficult to tell from that picture...

sammy77 · 07/15/2012, 11:21 AM

Are you using RO/DI water?

sczlars · 07/15/2012, 03:20 PM

Looks pretty normal to me

. If your water parameters are good enough, add some snails, and perhaps hermit crabs. What kind of rock do you have? Depending on where it came from, you may not have much of a 'cycle'.

07/15/2012, 09:52 AM	#1
joem1cha3l Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,158	What the heck is going on with my tank? What type of algae is this? My tank is just about 2 weeks into the initial cycle and this is growing all over my rocks and glass....its about 1/8-1/4" long everywhere. Rocks, sand, glass, etc.....LED lights are on about 8 hours a day __________________ IM10G Nano - MP10, AI Nano, RKL

07/15/2012, 10:36 AM	#3
ajcanale Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Memphis 10 Posts: 1,098	Dinoflagellates maybe, very difficult to tell from that picture... __________________ If the spirit moves ya, let me groove ya Current Tank Info: 150g Starphire Pensinula SPS

07/15/2012, 11:21 AM	#4
sammy77 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: IL Posts: 373	Are you using RO/DI water? __________________ 220gal FOWLR When you're down....look up....get up....and don't ever give up! Current Tank Info: 220gal FOWLR

07/15/2012, 10:09 AM	#2
Toxic45 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 73	It looks like some kind of brown hair algae. Since your tank is newer you can expect to see some algal blooms like this. It's probable that the cause was excess nutrients. These can be in the form of over feeding or too high phosphates and nitrates. It should start to subside on its own, but you could always take measures to remove it. If you want to take it out on your own you can, but that can be a pain in the butt. Blue leg hermits, red leg hermits, turbo snails (Florida and Mexican), and some crabs are good critters to take care of it.

07/15/2012, 03:20 PM	#5
sczlars Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Santa Cruz, California Posts: 206	Looks pretty normal to me . If your water parameters are good enough, add some snails, and perhaps hermit crabs. What kind of rock do you have? Depending on where it came from, you may not have much of a 'cycle'.