weird algae? i think this isn't good, help?

faded1004 · 03/30/2009, 01:40 PM

hey guys, i found this growing on my window and i am not sure what it is... i think it is a type of bad algae, but it looks weird... kinda like a cap coral but not? looks like it is growiing in little sheets...

let me know if anyone has an idea on what this is... and if bad, any suggestions on how to get rid of it? i took out a rock last night and i will see how it looks dried out. i don't think it is calcium based, but more flexible and slimy/slippery...

ReeferChick85 · 03/30/2009, 01:50 PM

i had something that looked like that in my tank and i just used an algae scraper and/or a credit card to scrape it off the glass and poof its gone!

faded1004 · 03/30/2009, 01:54 PM

yea, i got some on a few rocks... i pick up a rough plastic hand brush, and i am going to try to hose it off and scrub it... but i have a feeling it will take alot of elbow grease... i will try one rock tonight...

reeferchick, did you happen to notice where it came from? i really wanna know what it is as i am sure there has to be alot of people who shoudl have seen it around. it isn't like my tank is a special and i have rare rocks... just regular fiji live rock and bulk fine sand?

faded1004 · 03/31/2009, 12:49 AM

weird, when it dries out, it cracks like old paper? hard to explain it's acutally like dried nori... hahaha... i guess i am going to prepare to scrub down and dry all my rocks one at a time...

scrubbing is alittle hard, but it is coming off... i want to try vinigar bath, but i dont' think it will work as it isn't calcium based...

i will post my progress here if anyone has the same problem. thanks!

adtravels · 03/31/2009, 01:41 AM

brown wafer algae (Lobophora) virtually nothing eats it (urchins)and it will still grow in pristine sps tank water (rapidly).
Its aweful stuff I have had it for ages and it wont go, if you only have a small bit on the glas its very easy to remove with a razor blade, on the rocks and its a different matter, make sure you get it all.

ser_renely · 03/31/2009, 04:41 AM

hmmmm, I just always thought that was brown coralline algae ?

adtravels · 03/31/2009, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ser_renely
hmmmm, I just always thought that was brown coralline algae ?

we live and learn

faded1004 · 03/31/2009, 08:39 AM

yea, it has over taken some of my rocks... and i just noticed some on my over flow drain? but none on my rubble rocks in my sump which gets alot of 3.6k lighting. which i am glad, or i would have thrown all that out...

ReeferChick85 · 04/01/2009, 08:28 PM

faded, i honestly don't know where it came from. I thought it was from me feeding too much but i don't really know. I don't have a lot of it so everytime i see it i just scrape it off. I have never seen it on rocks before. I'd love to see your progress.

faded1004 · 04/01/2009, 08:41 PM

okay, i pulled out my return nozzles and a frag rock... both had this weird algae on it.

here is some pics of them dried out about 3 days. the seem to loose their grip on the surface, but still hang on. they are super fragile like fried nori and break apart as you touch it.

here i took the frag rock and dry brushed it. it took off about 90% of the weird algae.

i am going to try to not brush the nozzles and just dip in vinagar. give me 30 min and i will post results. i put in about 50-50 mix with a power head.

crvz · 04/02/2009, 06:51 AM

I've got plenty of it in my tank, and it doesnt seem to bother coral. I've just left it alone.

Tyrenlds · 04/02/2009, 08:31 AM

Naso Tangs will clear Lobophora right up... just bought a very small Naso last week to take care of this algae, 2 days in and there are little white spots on the rock where Lobo used to be.

Hammsreefbeer · 04/02/2009, 09:34 AM

you should let everyone know that bought frags from you about this algae,so they dont have any issues and can look out.JMO

faded1004 · 04/02/2009, 10:13 AM

it isn't going to be any problems. all frags were fresh cuts, and no rocks were given out at all...

chrissreef · 04/02/2009, 03:41 PM

check phosphates, i think this goes wild with it

faded1004 · 04/02/2009, 03:46 PM

mmm... i will check, but i think my water is still at 0ppm... i have a standard ro/di system with 3 extra carbon post and 4 DI canisters... so it shouldn't be a problem? i will post as soon as i check again...

faded1004 · 04/03/2009, 11:03 AM

just wanted to update... it cleans off easy with a dry brush and then a vinagar dunk... i will be posting the after photos after work today...

03/30/2009, 01:40 PM	#1
faded1004 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: cypress, ca Posts: 2,445	weird algae? i think this isn't good, help? hey guys, i found this growing on my window and i am not sure what it is... i think it is a type of bad algae, but it looks weird... kinda like a cap coral but not? looks like it is growiing in little sheets... let me know if anyone has an idea on what this is... and if bad, any suggestions on how to get rid of it? i took out a rock last night and i will see how it looks dried out. i don't think it is calcium based, but more flexible and slimy/slippery... Last edited by faded1004; 03/30/2009 at 01:53 PM.

03/31/2009, 04:41 AM	#6
ser_renely Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,820	hmmmm, I just always thought that was brown coralline algae ? __________________ RIP: Osc. Clown - Ammonia, YW GobY - overflow, YW Goby - Pistol shrimp, Firefish - acclimation. 5 Fire fish - pistol shrimp, Mandarin - Pistol shrimp!!!!! Current Tank Info: 60g Cube, 15g sump/fuge,Tunze 9010 skimmer, Reefbreeders Photon 16" - 2 Osc. Clowns,2 Lyretail Anthias, Blue Chromis, mp20, mp10....another DAMN pistol shrimp!

04/01/2009, 08:41 PM	#10
faded1004 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: cypress, ca Posts: 2,445	okay, i pulled out my return nozzles and a frag rock... both had this weird algae on it. here is some pics of them dried out about 3 days. the seem to loose their grip on the surface, but still hang on. they are super fragile like fried nori and break apart as you touch it. here i took the frag rock and dry brushed it. it took off about 90% of the weird algae. i am going to try to not brush the nozzles and just dip in vinagar. give me 30 min and i will post results. i put in about 50-50 mix with a power head. Last edited by faded1004; 04/01/2009 at 08:59 PM.

04/02/2009, 06:51 AM	#11
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	I've got plenty of it in my tank, and it doesnt seem to bother coral. I've just left it alone. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

04/02/2009, 09:34 AM	#13
Hammsreefbeer "CUBE-ALICIOUS" Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Long Beach, Ca. Posts: 2,065	you should let everyone know that bought frags from you about this algae,so they dont have any issues and can look out.JMO __________________ -DOUG SCRK member Current Tank Info: 60 CUBE(2X2X2) Acrylic cube sump w/fuge(20"x20"x16"),2' Outer Orbit Pro w/250W (M80 ballast) Pheonix14k & 3xATI Blue+&1 fuji purple,2xTunze 6055 w/ 7095,Tunze 9010 skimmer,1260 Eheim return,2 BRS dosing pumps(2 Part),BRS dual media reactor,RK2.

03/30/2009, 01:50 PM	#2
ReeferChick85 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 894	i had something that looked like that in my tank and i just used an algae scraper and/or a credit card to scrape it off the glass and poof its gone!

03/30/2009, 01:54 PM	#3
faded1004 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: cypress, ca Posts: 2,445	yea, i got some on a few rocks... i pick up a rough plastic hand brush, and i am going to try to hose it off and scrub it... but i have a feeling it will take alot of elbow grease... i will try one rock tonight... reeferchick, did you happen to notice where it came from? i really wanna know what it is as i am sure there has to be alot of people who shoudl have seen it around. it isn't like my tank is a special and i have rare rocks... just regular fiji live rock and bulk fine sand?

03/31/2009, 12:49 AM	#4
faded1004 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: cypress, ca Posts: 2,445	weird, when it dries out, it cracks like old paper? hard to explain it's acutally like dried nori... hahaha... i guess i am going to prepare to scrub down and dry all my rocks one at a time... scrubbing is alittle hard, but it is coming off... i want to try vinigar bath, but i dont' think it will work as it isn't calcium based... i will post my progress here if anyone has the same problem. thanks!

03/31/2009, 01:41 AM	#5
adtravels you cant buy blue fingers Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,542	brown wafer algae (Lobophora) virtually nothing eats it (urchins)and it will still grow in pristine sps tank water (rapidly). Its aweful stuff I have had it for ages and it wont go, if you only have a small bit on the glas its very easy to remove with a razor blade, on the rocks and its a different matter, make sure you get it all.

03/31/2009, 08:39 AM	#8
faded1004 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: cypress, ca Posts: 2,445	yea, it has over taken some of my rocks... and i just noticed some on my over flow drain? but none on my rubble rocks in my sump which gets alot of 3.6k lighting. which i am glad, or i would have thrown all that out...

04/01/2009, 08:28 PM	#9
ReeferChick85 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 894	faded, i honestly don't know where it came from. I thought it was from me feeding too much but i don't really know. I don't have a lot of it so everytime i see it i just scrape it off. I have never seen it on rocks before. I'd love to see your progress.

04/02/2009, 08:31 AM	#12
Tyrenlds Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: CA Posts: 332	Naso Tangs will clear Lobophora right up... just bought a very small Naso last week to take care of this algae, 2 days in and there are little white spots on the rock where Lobo used to be.

04/02/2009, 10:13 AM	#14
faded1004 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: cypress, ca Posts: 2,445	it isn't going to be any problems. all frags were fresh cuts, and no rocks were given out at all...

04/02/2009, 03:41 PM	#15
chrissreef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Dallas Posts: 1,252	check phosphates, i think this goes wild with it __________________ One's standard of living is determined by the size of their reef Learn and you continue to adapt, stop learning and you become obsolete We live with each other, not for ourselves, protect our planet Current Tank Info: 300g Starfire/Starboard A.G.E. mixed reef

04/02/2009, 03:46 PM	#16
faded1004 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: cypress, ca Posts: 2,445	mmm... i will check, but i think my water is still at 0ppm... i have a standard ro/di system with 3 extra carbon post and 4 DI canisters... so it shouldn't be a problem? i will post as soon as i check again...

04/03/2009, 11:03 AM	#17
faded1004 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: cypress, ca Posts: 2,445	just wanted to update... it cleans off easy with a dry brush and then a vinagar dunk... i will be posting the after photos after work today...