FAQs on Marine Algae Identification
15
Related Articles: Avoiding Algae Problems in Marine System,
Algae
Control, Marine Maintenance,
Nutrient Control and Export,
Marine Scavengers, Snails, Hermit
Crabs, Mithrax/Emerald
Green Crabs, Sea Urchins, Blennies, Algae
Filters, Ctenochaetus/Bristle Mouth
Tangs, Zebrasoma/Sailfin Tangs,
Skimmers, Skimmer Selection, Marine Algae, Coralline Algae, Green Algae, Brown
Algae, Blue-Green
"Algae"/(Cyanobacteria), Diatoms, Brown
Algae,
Related FAQs: FAQ ID Visual
Guide, Marine
Algae ID 1, Marine Algae ID 2,
Marine Algae ID 3, Marine Algae ID 4, Marine Algae ID 5, Marine Algae ID 6, Marine Algae ID 7, Marine Algae ID 8, Marine Algae ID 9, Marine Algae ID 10, Marine Algae ID 11, Marine Algae ID 12, Marine Algae ID 13, Marine Algae ID 14, Marine Algae ID 16, Marine Algae ID 17, Marine Algae ID 18, Marine Algae ID 19, Marine Algae ID 20, Marine Algae ID 21, Marine Algae ID 22, Marine Algae ID 23, Marine Algae ID 24, Marine Algae ID, 25, SW Algae ID 26, SW Algae ID 27, SW Algae ID 29, SW Algae ID 30, SW Algae ID 31, SW Algae ID 32, SW Algae ID 33, SW Algae ID 34, SW Algae ID 35, SW
Algae ID 36, SW Algae ID 37, SW
Algae ID 38, SW Algae ID 39, & Marine Algae Control FAQs 2, Marine Algaecide Use, Nutrient Limitation, Marine Algae Eaters, Culturing Macro-Algae; Controlling: BGA/Cyano, Red/Encrusting Algae, Green Algae, Brown/Diatom
Algae,
|
You got the "Bots" man.
|
|
New Print and
eBook on Amazon
Marine Aquarium Algae Control
by Robert (Bob) Fenner
|
Spreading red bubble algae! At my wits
end! 4/15/07 I am currently struggling with red
bubble algae in my 14 gallon BioCube. My tank is 6 1/2 months old.
I have been battling this red bubble algae for the last two months.
It is spreading and getting worse, as you will see in the attached
photos. <Can see this... does look like a Botryocladia
infestation... of epic proportions> It started off with what
looked like red/burgundy or even blood spattered looking stuff over
the top of one of my rocks. Then it turned into red bubbles. Hard,
solid bubbles. Now it has spread to the next rock. I was told not
to pop any of the bubbles because it will release spores into my
tank and cause it to spread more. I was told not to remove the
rocks and scrub it off and then rinse and return the rock to my
tank because it will continue to come back. I was told that putting
a small Foxface in my tank will take care of the problem, <Mmm,
not likely> but as soon as I took the Foxface out after it ate
all the bubble algae, it would come right back. I cannot even think
about this option because my tank is too small for a Foxface, and I
already have 3 small fish in my tank that I am quite attached to. I
was then told that my only option would be to totally tear my tank
down; siphon all water, remove the sand, rocks, etc... and start
all over again with everything new, after scrubbing my tank and
equipment clean. Is this the only way to get rid of the red bubble
algae? <Mmm, no... there are a few other approaches worth
considering> I am very frustrated with it at this point and it
breaks my heart if I have to start all over again. What do I do
with my current tank inhabitants and corals? <Mmm,
depends...> My tank inhabitants are a percula, sixline wrasse,
midas blenny, fire shrimp, 10 tiny blue legged hermits, pom pom
crab, 4 Astrea snails, 2 Nassarius snails, and electric blue legged
hermit crab. Coral-wise, I have a pagoda cup, star polyps, button
polyps/zoos, mushrooms, finger leather, xenia and Octobubble coral.
What causes this bubble algae <Like crimes... access,
motive...> and if I have to break everything down and start all
over again, how do I make sure that it doesn't come back? Also,
how harmful is it if "nothing" is done? <Might cause a
collapse... cascade event if something becomes rate limiting...>
I do 20% water changes every other Saturday using Nutri-Seawater, I
top off using RO/DI water. My parameters have all been consistent
for the last 4 months. Temp: 80.9, Ammonia: 0, PH: 8.2, Nitrite: 0,
Nitrate: 0, Calcium: 450, Salinity: 0.126. I feed my
fish twice a day during the week with frozen brine, mysis, emerald
entree, marine cuisine, (mixing it up from day to day) and on the
weekends, I just feed once a day. I have my lights on a timer;
actinics on from 7am-6pm, regular lights on from 8am-5pm, and then
the moonlights on from 6pm-7am. Is there anything that I can do/try
before having to tear down my whole tank? <All sorts...> I
was told to send you an e-mail because if anyone would be able to
properly advise me and help, it would be you. I am looking forward
to your response. Thanks, Kim P.S. The first pic shows
what the bubble algae looked like 2 months ago, the second and
third, from 1 month ago, and then the rest are from today. <Mmm,
there are a few places I would read before settling on a course of
trials, changes here... http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/hcj/feature/index.php
and: http://wetwebmedia.com/redalgcompfaqs.htm and the linked
files above, where you lead yourself... A multiple
"front" approach is advised... nutrient limitation,
macrophyte competition... perhaps adding a purposeful refugium,
DSB... Bob Fenner> |
|
Macroalgae? Looks to
be. -- 4/10/07 Anyone know what the heck this
is? It's in our 30 gallon QT (currently propagating
hair algae) ;-) <Heeeeheee!!! I guess so!!! There are
two colonies, this one is the size of a nickel and rubbery to
touch. <I suspect it is an alga of some sort. I'm
not sure too much beyond that. It is very pretty and the
color is striking. Keep growing it and share
it! There are types of Coralline algae that grow in this
petal like formation, some even look like flowers! http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corallinealg.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/redalgae.htm You've got
quite a beauty! Any comment from RMF?> Thanks
Again,
<Welcome! -Mich>
Jim |
|
Worm Identification Algae ID:
Neomeris, Red Slime and NNR 4/10/07 Hi,
again!~ <Hi Vicki, Mich with you again!> I have a
new one for you! <Alrighty!> This time I have a
picture~ <YAY!!!!> I am sorely disappointed in my
|Nano Cube.... <Quite small.> We have been in ALGAE BLOOM
since setting it up in January....Will it ever end? <A challenge
with such a small system. More info below.> I am
attaching two photos of our tank...one with a close up of the
"finger" I am trying to identify, <Your
"finger" is an alga, commonly called a Fuzzy Tip Algae
(Neomeris sp.) If you like it, keep it. Nothing to be
concerned about. Enjoy it! More
here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/greenalg.htm > and the other
is one of what I have been told is red slime....It is UGLY...
<Yes it is ugly and it can be a big headache!> what are these
things and what can we do to get our tank in good condition?
<Something in the way of NNR (Natural Nitrate Reduction) would
help. More here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nutrientcontrol.htm and related
links in blue.> Vicki
<Cheers! -Mich> |
|
Cyano or Algae? 4/8/07 Hi Crew,
<Tom> Our 135G reef has some sort of pink algae bloom going
on for the past 2-3 weeks, and after reading through the FAQs and
pictures I'm still not sure what it is. Does this
look like Cyano? <Likely so... or a filamentous Red...>
It's not slimy, it's sort of like cotton and holds together
well. This bloom first started about a week after removing all the
fish from this tank due to a Crypt outbreak. <Mmm, more evidence
that this is likely BGA> May have had some overfeeding going on
for a couple of weeks prior to the bloom due to repeatedly baiting
the fish traps, but nothing the shrimp and snails didn't clean
up. The inverts seem healthy and the corals, including
several Acropora colonies, are still in fine health with normal
polyp extension. We have a 1" aragonite sand
bed. Also a 35G sump with a 15G Chaeto fuge section,
EV-180 skimmer, Phosban reactor. Good water circulation in the
display using three Mak4 pumps (two 1" SeaSwirls and a chiller
return), actual flow in the display through these three outputs is
a good 3000 GPH. Water: Temperature 81-82F; SpGr 1.026; pH 8.3; dKH
9.9; Ca 355; NH3/4, NO2, NO3 all 0; Mg 1260; PO4 0. This tank is
fairly new but the contents of this tank (live rock, water,
livestock) were moved from a 3 year old, 110G reef about 4 months
ago. I did add about 30lbs new live rock about 6-7 weeks
ago...it seemed to be well cured/aged at the LFS, but now I'm
not so sure. <Could be...> That's all the relevant
information I can think of. Would appreciate any
thoughts on what this stuff is, and what else I can do to get rid
of it. I'd like to avoid disturbing the corals by removing
rocks for scrubbing, unless it's necessary. Attachments are
sized to 253K and 276K, hope that's not too big. Thanks, Tom
<Well... likely will just "go" with time, your listed
gear, maintenance... I might try the "Kalk" trick,
elevating pH with same for a short while... but otherwise would
take a/the long-haul view here in terms of control. Much re this
posted... on WWM. Bob Fenner> |
|
Invader - 4/7/07 <Hi Bob, Mich
here.> My reef tank, already overrun by Aiptasia I have been
ineffective at combating, is now invaded by this aggressive
purple-pink fuzzy (I guess) algae. <You guessed
correctly.> Can you ID it for me, <Does look like Red Hair
algae (Asparagopsis) in the sporophyte stage.> and hopefully
give me a clue as to how to fight it? <ID the source
of your excess nutrients to treat the cause. Band-Aids
might include a Diadema urchin, sea slugs such as
Aplysia and Hermaea, and manual removal...oh, so much
fun!> As annoying as it is, I thought it would be
the oft mentioned "hair algae", but it doesn't look
like the pictures of that I found. <Exactly the same, but
different.> All water parameters I can measure are pristine,
<Mmm, doubtful, as you described you tank. Specific
are helpful, generalities not so much.> the animal load is low
and all healthy (1 yellow tang, 1 mandarin, 2 clowns, 1 small
chromis,1 cleaner shrimp) in a 90 DSB show with 55-gallon
downstream DSB refugium, and I feed sparsely in an attempt to
combat the Aiptasia. <You are light on
livestock. Something is amiss. Are you using
RO/DI water?> 432W of T-5 lighting 12 hours a day (actinic only
for 2 of those hours). Downstream fuge is lit 20 hours
and has Chaeto in it but that is reducing rapidly, possibly due to
low nutrient load. <Your lighting period on the
refugium is too long, 12 hours would be better.> I can give you
more specs if it helps. <Nitrates? Phosphates?>
Your help, as always, is deeply appreciated by me and all those you
provide guidance to. <Thank you for the kind words.> Picture
attached. <Got it!> Thanks again!
Bob Lee |
Re: Invader - 04/07/07 I certainly
understand your skepticism; I have to believe there is a nutrient
based cause too. But, here are readings from today:
Salifert PH: 8.3-8.4 Salifert Ammonia: <0.025 <Is this the
lowest possible reading?> Salifert Nitrite: 0 Salifert Nitrate:
0 Red Sea Alk: Normal Nutrafin (Hagen) PO4 Mixed Water: 0 Nutrafin
(Hagen) PO4 Tank Water: 0 Salinity 1.022 Temp 79.8 <Thank you
for the data. It is helpful. It is possible
that the algae may be using all the available nutrients and may
account for the zero readings. I still suspect some kind
of excess nutrient is at work here.> I have a 90G
show tank spilling over through a custom acrylic top to a full-flow
55G refugium with a DSB in the center section. There is
a DSB in the show too, with around 50 LB of live rock (last LR
added around a 10 months ago). I have a Red Sea Prizm
Pro skimmer (yeah I know it isn't the best but it is removing
gunk as long as I stay on top of it). <Stay on top
of it!> Water change and top off water is filtered with a GE
Merlin RO system and put through a DI cartridge too. TDS
meter on the DI cartridge is happy so far. I would be
happy to check ANYTHING else I can to resolve this issue! <More
info here and related links in blue: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nutrientcontrol.htm >
<Welcome... -Mich>
Bob Lee |
Mmm, looks like a BGA to RMF
|
Unidentified Algae/Sponge on Live Rock
3/31/07 First, let me say thank you to the team for
making this a wonderful resource for people interested in this
hobby. <Thank you. Brandon here
tonight.> It has helped me (and stopped the panic) many times of
the last 4-5 years and I recommend it to all I know interested in
this hobby. <Good to know, and again thank you.> Now to the
question, I have a marine tank which I started about 3 years ago,
FOWLR, 110gal, marine tank. About 9 months ago I noticed that some
of the rocks appeared fuzzy and upon intense gazing noticed this
stringy growth, (same color as the actual rock) on some of the
rockwork. After researching on the web for hours and
hours I could not find a picture that helped to identify it and
clear up the mystery. It has spread over much of the
rockwork now, and is somewhat unsightly. <I am seeing what looks
to be Coralline algae, and Green Algae, and A LOT of
detritus. You should consider increasing the flow in
your tank. I am willing to bet that if you just wave
your hand over the rock work this 'algae' will come
off.> During this time, I did have a nitrate surge, which has
since been rectified, but even though the growth has slowed, I
cannot seem to eradicate it. <If this was algae, I
would say that the NO3 surge fed it, but I think that it is just
detritus.> I have tried brushing it off, which has resulted in
additional spreading over time. <Looks like wasted
food, and well waste..> I also use RO, water and change
regularly. I can attest water parameters are all within
range <This tells us nothing. You need to send
numbers with your queries.> and have been for at least 6 months
(since the nitrate issue). Salinity .20, <This is kind of low,
but with fish only, semi-acceptable.> temp 76
degrees. The residents don't eat it and are
otherwise unaffected by it, which has lead me to believe this is
not a filamentous algae. Residents include a Sailfin
Tang, Dusty Wrasse, Clownfish, Damsel and a Niger
Trigger. Any assistance in identification or eradication
would be wonderful. Pic attached, notice the edges of the rock, I
tried to do my best with the camera work. <See above Re:
detritus. Consider increasing your flow rate, and this
should help keep these particles suspended long enough for the
filter that you have to suck them up.> Thanks again,
<You are Mike |
|
Black Slime/Cyano 3/19/07 Hey Crew,
<Hello> Hope you all are doing great. <Good as possible on
a Monday.> I am requesting your help with an issue I know very
little about. I actually have never seen this before.
<Let's see if I can help.> I provide maintenance for a
fish only system that I am migrating to a reef. However,
before doing this I would like to figure out how to remove this
black slime that keeps growing all over the rocks and sand.
I've attached pics of it. The tank is a 55 Gal FOWLR. It has a
working CoraLife skimmer, and plain fluorescent
lighting. Parameters are all good. I've
tried siphoning out the black sludge but it just keeps coming
back. I don't know how to get rid of
it. Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely yours, David <Looks like Cyano to
me. Fueled by high nutrients and phosphate
mostly. Best bet is to try to eliminate the fuel by
frequent water changes and manual removal
(siphoning). Increasing water movement will help some
too. Please see here for more details. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm .>
<Chris> |
|
|
New Print and
eBook on Amazon
Marine Aquarium Algae Control
by Robert (Bob) Fenner
|
|
|