Hair like white growth in reef tank - HELP!!

[AuggieReefer]

Hi All,

I set up my first reef tank over a month ago and Red Sea’s Reef Mature stater kit to help cycle my tank. My tank was doing great (no amonia and low nutrients) until this morning where I woke up to a bloom of white hair/spider web like growth in my tank and sump.

I have been doing some research online and I’m finding very mixed information as to what this could be. Some people suggest it is a bacterial bloom, others suggest it is some form of nuisance algae and I’ve even seen some suggestions that it could be goo from some sort if pest snail or slug. I really need help as I am stuck as to what it is and how to rectify the matter.

Again, it just bloomed overnight. Was nothing there yesterday whatsoever. Tank has been stable according to all my testing.

Would really love some suggestions. Photos attached.

 

[Euphyllia97]

Don’t worry! It’s the uglies stage your tank is going through. I had the same but just do some manual removing and it will not come back after a while. A lot of stuff going on in your tank at the moment.

 

[AuggieReefer]

Don’t worry! It’s the uglies stage your tank is going through. I had the same but just do some manual removing and it will not come back after a while. A lot of stuff going on in your tank at the moment.

Thanks! I will attempt to do some manual removing of it and see how we go.

 

[Euphyllia97]

Thanks! I will attempt to do some manual removing of it and see how we go.

The snails they were probably taking about were “vermetid snails”. It’s definitely not that imo. It looks too big and different and doesn’t just bloom overnight. Pretty sure this is just some type of hair algae. I remember I had the same type of algae on week 3 and it didn’t come back after 3 times manual removal (less every time). It started to bloom when I turned on my lights. It’s some type of algae.

 

[AuggieReefer]

The snails they were probably taking about were “vermetid snails”. It’s definitely not that imo. It looks too big and different and doesn’t just bloom overnight. Pretty sure this is just some type of hair algae. I remember I had the same type of algae on week 3 and it didn’t come back after 3 times manual removal (less every time). It started to bloom when I turned on my lights. It’s some type of algae.

Ah yes, those are the snails I read about. I sent the owner of my LFS a photo this morning and he finally got back to me advising that is a bacterial bloom from carbon dosing. Told me to lay off RedSea’s NoPox (which I have been using as part of their reef mature program) for a week and it should resolve the issue. I have also manually removed them per your earlier suggestion. Really appreciate your help!

 

[Euphyllia97]

Ah yes, those are the snails I read about. I sent the owner of my LFS a photo this morning and he finally got back to me advising that is a bacterial bloom from carbon dosing. Told me to lay off RedSea’s NoPox (which I have been using as part of their reef mature program) for a week and it should resolve the issue. I have also manually removed them per your earlier suggestion. Really appreciate your help!

Could be a bacterial bloom aswel indeed. I would not dose any carbon source as long as your tank is not asking for it. (Elevated nutrients and algae problems when it is mature)