Please help me identify this algae

Thealchemist7 · 06/03/2015, 09:23 PM

Hello I've had this tank for about two years and never had a problem until recently. This brown algae has started to grow over my live rock and it doesn't come off even after 5 mins of of going at it with a toothbrush. What do you suppose it is? Sorry I can't provide any water chemistry numbers, but one of you is bound to be able to identify it and its cause. Thank you.

TheORKINMan · 06/03/2015, 09:24 PM

Looks like Diatom algae to me.

Biodork · 06/03/2015, 10:21 PM

I'm not sure what the algae is, but you might be able to remove it with some hydrogen peroxide. If you can pull the rocks temporarily, you can use a syringe or some other controlled method to squirt the peroxide onto the algae. This will kill it, but will also harm anything else it touches. Alternately, you can drain the tank low enough to access the rocks, but it makes not dripping onto corals more problematic.

06/03/2015, 09:24 PM	#2
TheORKINMan Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 423	Looks like Diatom algae to me.

06/03/2015, 10:21 PM	#3
Biodork Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Southern California Posts: 129	I'm not sure what the algae is, but you might be able to remove it with some hydrogen peroxide. If you can pull the rocks temporarily, you can use a syringe or some other controlled method to squirt the peroxide onto the algae. This will kill it, but will also harm anything else it touches. Alternately, you can drain the tank low enough to access the rocks, but it makes not dripping onto corals more problematic.