Re: Red Fuzzy Coralline? …Not likely, perhaps another Rhodophyta... BGA   8/28/07
Mich,
<Hi there Dave.>
Thank you, for your quick and very helpful response!
<Welcome!>
I have been researching your suggested algae species and I am continuing to have problems identifying which is growing in my tank.
<Yes, does not look like what I was picturing in my head with out the photos.>
I hope that they attached picture of the red substance growing on my glass magnet might help you take a better guess at what it is.
<Mmm, pics are helpful. Is not a red tree Foram and likely not many of the algae I suggested previously, is a nuisance alga, likely a Rhodophyte, but beyond that I can't tell. Perhaps RMF will comment on the dailies page.>
<<Is highly likely Cyanobacteria... a quick look under a few hundred power microscope would show the absence of nuclei, organelles, the distinctive circular DNA if higher powered... Please read on WWM re BGA... RMF>>
This is the way it appears everywhere in my tank, (rock, hermit shells, powerheads) short, red, and fuzzy.
<No fun. Perhaps some improvements in husbandry would help?
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nutrientcontrol.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/maintenance/marineMaint.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/avoidingalgaeproblesm.htm >
Thank you for your time,
<Welcome, wish I could be more helpful. Mich>
Dave
Mmm, think I forgot to move an image into the emails with images folder... re: fw: re: Red Fuzzy Coralline? atten: Mich
<No worries... was there somewhere. Found, posted>
Also He stated earlier: It is very difficult to scrub off, and grows in high flow areas unlike cyano.
<Is almost assuredly BGA... B>

Re: Red Fuzzy Coralline? …Not Likely, Perhaps Another Rhodophyta... Nah, Cyanobacteria – 08/31/07
Mich,
<Hi Dave.>
Thank you again, for the quick and helpful reply.
<You're welcome!>
I was however disappointed that I could have some yucky cyano in my tank.
<It happens to all of us. Glad you can't see my tank right now!>
Let me give you a little background on my tank and husbandry. It's a 90-gallon reef with a medium bio-load. There is no detectable nitrites, nitrates, or ammonia. However with the phosphate test kit that I have, (which is very hard to read, maybe time for a new one.) I think I may have a slight amount of phosphate in my water, less than 5ppm (however, with the color chart its very hard to determine if its actually 0) Calcium and alkalinity are within parameters, and my ph. stays pretty steady, and high, around 8.4. I have an all-glass model 3 wet dry.
<If you have a wet/dry, you most assuredly have nitrates, if your getting readings of zero it is because your algae, nuisance or macro is using it up.
Yes, I do keep a close eye on my nitrates. ANS G-3 protein skimmer, which works great, and I use RO water. I religiously change 4-5 gallons of water weekly.
<About twice that amount would be better.>
I don't have a lot of live rock, around 75lbs, and my sand bed falls into the poor thickness range, 1 1/2 to 2 inches.
<Nutrient sink and not deep enough to be very helpful with anaerobic metabolism.>
So I consider myself very conscientious about my husbandry (except if it really is cyano, it has to be from me being such a sucker to my Kole tang.... he likes to eat, and I'm easy).
<Heehee! Could be a contributing factor.>
So when I saw that yourself and Bob both think its cyano, it really made me think about my feeding habits.
<Nix the Wet/dry, deeper sandbed, add some macro, bigger or more frequent water changes...>
Nevertheless, I took your advice and took a sample of it to the local high school, where my mother teaches biology and put it under a microscope.
<Cool!>
It took a few adjustments, but I found that this substance definitely has a cell wall and what appear to be organelles, however I could not identify a nucleus. If so, does cyano bacteria have anything that appears to be cell walls, because this substance had a definite structure?
<Yes Cyanobacteria do have cell walls and although they are truly prokaryotic their internal membranes are elaborate and highly organized and may resemble organelles. The missing nucleus further suggests Cyanobacteria.>
I understand its very difficult to take stabs at the millions of possibilities it could be, but your advice has been so beneficial thus far, I thought I'd put the ball back in your court. Any more guesses would AGAIN be very helpful.
<As Bob suggested, is likely Cyanobacteria.>
Thanks yet again, for your time and dedication to your absolutely wonderful site.
<WetWebMedia is Bob's baby. I am but a minor contributor to his massive endeavor. But thank you for these kind words on behalf on Bob on the rest of the crew.><<Uh huh. RMF>>
Dave
<Mich>
Kansas City, MO.
<Gouldsboro, PA>