Huh…what’s this?

[aztoza]

Could this be cyano? Just appeared today, it’s bright bright purple (the dark purple is epoxy). Tank is 2 months old, lights have only been on a few weeks. The green is, I believe, phytoplankton growth—been dosing those aggressively for the pods. Had diatoms and they started dying off a few days ago, leaving black hairy stuff. This purple stuff is making bubbles just like the diatoms, unless it’s really coming from the phyto. Have not introduced coral yet so don’t think it’s coralline, unless it could hitchhike on this macroalgae…Could it be diatoms in a different stage of life?

The weird thing is that it’s not on the sand at all, though I do have great sand cleaners. It’s also not on the lowest-flow rocks in the tank, but the rocks highest up. It is not on the high flow areas either though. Been running the skimmer on and off. Parameters before water change 2 days ago:

Salinity: 1.027 (got it back to 1.025 now but it was too high for a week)
Nitrate: 15-20
Phosphate: .03
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: .05
pH: 8.2

 

[Dan_P]

Could this be cyano? Just appeared today, it’s bright bright purple (the dark purple is epoxy). Tank is 2 months old, lights have only been on a few weeks. The green is, I believe, phytoplankton growth—been dosing those aggressively for the pods. Had diatoms and they started dying off a few days ago, leaving black hairy stuff. This purple stuff is making bubbles just like the diatoms, unless it’s really coming from the phyto. Have not introduced coral yet so don’t think it’s coralline, unless it could hitchhike on this macroalgae…Could it be diatoms in a different stage of life?

The weird thing is that it’s not on the sand at all, though I do have great sand cleaners. It’s also not on the lowest-flow rocks in the tank, but the rocks highest up. It is not on the high flow areas either though. Been running the skimmer on and off. Parameters before water change 2 days ago:

Salinity: 1.027 (got it back to 1.025 now but it was too high for a week)
Nitrate: 15-20
Phosphate: .03
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: .05
pH: 8.2

Always difficult to tell what your looking at under colored lights. Would you post a photo under white light?

 

[Formulator]

LOL! That is coralline algae! Congratulations! You are officially a real reefer!

Edit: maybe I was looking at the wrong thing. It does look like a bit of cyano at the top of the rock.

 

[aztoza]

LOL! That is coralline algae! Congratulations! You are officially a real reefer!

Edit: maybe I was looking at the wrong thing. It does look like a bit of cyano at the top of the rock.

Haha yeah the slab of dark purple is epoxy, we’re looking at the bit of neon purple on top. It would be pretty crazy if it was coralline since I haven’t seeded any.

 

[aztoza]

Woah there is so much more phyto than I thought there was!! UGLIES is right! You can see the black/brown from the diatoms too. Again it’s the neon purple spots, not the dark purple slabs.

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

I swear we have the same tank.
I also dosed phyto pretty heavily, and got the bright green film on the rocks and glass, and the red cyano on the tips of my rocks, which I ALSO thought was corraline.

BTW, they are still pretty small, but there are three spots on my rock now that 100% for sure are corraline—took about two months from the first introduction of corraline-covered frag. Get something in there!!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Could this be cyano? Just appeared today, it’s bright bright purple (the dark purple is epoxy). Tank is 2 months old, lights have only been on a few weeks. The green is, I believe, phytoplankton growth—been dosing those aggressively for the pods. Had diatoms and they started dying off a few days ago, leaving black hairy stuff. This purple stuff is making bubbles just like the diatoms, unless it’s really coming from the phyto. Have not introduced coral yet so don’t think it’s coralline, unless it could hitchhike on this macroalgae…Could it be diatoms in a different stage of life?

The weird thing is that it’s not on the sand at all, though I do have great sand cleaners. It’s also not on the lowest-flow rocks in the tank, but the rocks highest up. It is not on the high flow areas either though. Been running the skimmer on and off. Parameters before water change 2 days ago:

Salinity: 1.027 (got it back to 1.025 now but it was too high for a week)
Nitrate: 15-20
Phosphate: .03
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: .05
pH: 8.2

I see development of cyano bacteria and often begins with slow running water and establishes where there are areas with little water flow, detritus builds up and becomes a base for cyano. Water changes are important unlike what the perception of not doing one which reduces the organic content that feeds cyano.
Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the 5 days, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

 

[Dan_P]

Woah there is so much more phyto than I thought there was!! UGLIES is right! You can see the black/brown from the diatoms too. Again it’s the neon purple spots, not the dark purple slabs.

Purple areas could be cyanobacteria. This organism tends to form a film on surfaces, ranging in thickness from gossamer thin sheets to thick mats.

 

[steveschuerger]

Also if it blows off easy with a baster or similar it’s probably cyano. Coralline is hard and encrusting

 

[buttonreefer]

Yeah, I’d go with cyanobacteria. I’d blow it off with a power head or turkey baster, because they tend to carpet over rock loosely, and not root themselves. It should come off quickly and easily. There are lots of threads about getting rid of it if you need. You can keep blowing it off but if it keeps coming back, I personally used Dr. Tim’s Waste-Away because it was a natural solution. Got rid of any muck in low flow areas or around powerheads/pumps too. Cyano and muck was completely gone with 3 doses (half dose the first week, and 2 full doses for the next two weeks). There are lots of methods. This was slow, but i’d prefer that over another algae breakout or a chemical treatment risk.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Could this be cyano? Just appeared today, it’s bright bright purple (the dark purple is epoxy). Tank is 2 months old, lights have only been on a few weeks. The green is, I believe, phytoplankton growth—been dosing those aggressively for the pods. Had diatoms and they started dying off a few days ago, leaving black hairy stuff. This purple stuff is making bubbles just like the diatoms, unless it’s really coming from the phyto. Have not introduced coral yet so don’t think it’s coralline, unless it could hitchhike on this macroalgae…Could it be diatoms in a different stage of life?

The weird thing is that it’s not on the sand at all, though I do have great sand cleaners. It’s also not on the lowest-flow rocks in the tank, but the rocks highest up. It is not on the high flow areas either though. Been running the skimmer on and off. Parameters before water change 2 days ago:

Salinity: 1.027 (got it back to 1.025 now but it was too high for a week)
Nitrate: 15-20
Phosphate: .03
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: .05
pH: 8.2

This is what a typical tank started with dry rock looks like at 2 months. No need for any chemical intervention (DEFINITELY don't use chemi-clean right now).
Go to the New to Saltwater forum and look at the stickies... your tank will get a lot "uglier" before ot gets better, but you're building the biome and will appreciate the stability down the road. Allowing the different algaes and bacteria to come and go now will help the tank mature. Adding antibiotics or other similar chemicals will only disrupt the process.

 

[aztoza]

I swear we have the same tank.
I also dosed phyto pretty heavily, and got the bright green film on the rocks and glass, and the red cyano on the tips of my rocks, which I ALSO thought was corraline.

BTW, they are still pretty small, but there are three spots on my rock now that 100% for sure are corraline—took about two months from the first introduction of corraline-covered frag. Get something in there!!

Man I thought the phyto, pods and macro was supposed to crowd out this stuff =/ I’ll be encouraged though because yours is looking quite good! I do have plans for a leather or Xenia this week if any is in stock. More competition.

 

[aztoza]

I

This is what a typical tank started with dry rock looks like at 2 months. No need for any chemical intervention (DEFINITELY don't use chemi-clean right now).
Go to the New to Saltwater forum and look at the stickies... your tank will get a lot "uglier" before ot gets better, but you're building the biome and will appreciate the stability down the road. Allowing the different algaes and bacteria to come and go now will help the tank mature. Adding antibiotics or other similar chemicals will only disrupt the process.

I will check out the threads, I’m sure there’s a lot of good info I haven’t seen! Thanks.

 

[aztoza]

I see development of cyano bacteria and often begins with slow running water and establishes where there are areas with little water flow, detritus builds up and becomes a base for cyano. Water changes are important unlike what the perception of not doing one which reduces the organic content that feeds cyano.
Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the 5 days, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

Thanks for the info! Is the liquid bacteria a nitrifying bacteria, or a waste breakdown bacteria?

I change 10% water weekly, is that enough? Also have 2 nassie snails, 2 trochus that are champs and a skunk cleaner. Will read more about the hermits.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the info! Is the liquid bacteria a nitrifying bacteria, or a waste breakdown bacteria?

I change 10% water weekly, is that enough? Also have 2 nassie snails, 2 trochus that are champs and a skunk cleaner. Will read more about the hermits.

Denitrifying and establishes the bacteria needed to break down waste. While 10% can be effective, let your test kits determine needs. I would for next 10 days do a 3 gallon water change which reduce the numbers you have in concern also reduce salt content to 1.025-1.026

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

Man I thought the phyto, pods and macro was supposed to crowd out this stuff =/ I’ll be encouraged though because yours is looking quite good! I do have plans for a leather or Xenia this week if any is in stock. More competition.

I don’t think there’s *any* getting around the nuisance algae, but providing competition keeps them from getting out of hand and moves you through the phases faster. My red cyano came and went so fast I don’t think I even mentioned it in my tank thread.

One thing for me is every time I noticed my CUC wasn’t keeping up, I’d add a snail of the type that I needed. When the back wall and glass was getting buildup, I added astraea. When the rocks started getting furry, more cerith (probably Trochus would have been better but I don’t like how big they are for a nano).

I just got an emerald crab that is literally scraping my rocks clean right now—actually back to white. I got it for a tiny amount of bubble algae, but it’s getting *everything*. I actually don’t think I’ll need any more CUC until my fish grow a bit and increase the nutrient load again.

Thanks for the tank compliment! I think I’m getting away with murder, adding so much livestock so quickly. Try to enjoy the uglies, it’s so satisfying seeing the different phases come and go.