Too Much Coraline

[praba775]

Hey guys. I have my tank for about five months now. But suddenly there is too much coralline. EVERYWHERE!!!!! Anyway I can reduce it. I have a three inch sand sifting starfish and two electric blue hermit crabs. I do suck up some coralline but they do look beautiful. Is it ok to have too much coraline?

 

[praba775]

My water parameters.
Salinity:1.024
Nitrate: 5
Phosphate: 0.25

 

[BristleWormHater]

That's cyanobacteria or "red slime" not coralline. It's not good, sorry.

 

[BristleWormHater]

Just out of curiosity, what's the story of that rock that's covered in coral skeletons?

 

[NonstopSoda]

That looks Cyano not coralline.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey guys. I have my tank for about five months now. But suddenly there is too much coralline. EVERYWHERE!!!!! Anyway I can reduce it. I have a three inch sand sifting starfish and two electric blue hermit crabs. I do suck up some coralline but they do look beautiful. Is it ok to have too much coraline?

Agree on red slime and likely a nutrient imbalance. Cyano typically form when nutrient concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high where there are areas with little 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.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with air bubbles which form from the reaction chamber allow dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to the collection cup, where it settles as skim-mate. When a protein skimmer is ineffective or absent or cant keep up with the tank, the air bubbles created might be insufficient and can trigger this outbreak .
- Use of Aminos can actually feed them.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your tank with nutrients is often the cause of cyano
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured will act as a breeding ground for this red slime .
- If you don’t change your water regularly, you’ll soon have this red substance. Regular water changes dissolve nutrients which feed cyano
- Using water with nitrates or phosphates is a base for cyano. . . . . Tap water is an example of po4 and no3 introduction.
- Inadequate water flow is often a chief cause of cyano as slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients creates red slime algae development

I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 3-5 days. 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.

 

[theunderwaterarchives]

A lot of coralline algae in your tank is a sign of healthy water conditions, but it can block light and overgrow on equipment if too abundant. You can manage its growth by manually scraping excess algae and controlling nutrients and light.

 

[praba775]

Just out of curiosity, what's the story of that rock that's covered in coral skeletons?

i had a fireworm outbreak last month. management to control it but lost almost all my corals, one of my hermit crab and a sand sifting starfish.

 

[praba775]

That's cyanobacteria or "red slime" not coralline. It's not good, sorry.

you say its not good. google say only dangerous when on corals. so can I keep it as long as nowhere near corals?

 

[BristleWormHater]

you say its not good. google say only dangerous when on corals. so can I keep it as long as nowhere near corals?

You could, but you might end up turning your sandbed into a dead zone, some species of cyano are toxic to the whole tank, some are only toxic when consumed, most commonly they are not toxic, but I would get rid of it just to be safe. Keeping it away from corals will be easier said than done, algae like this spreads very fast.

 

[Tamberav]

Fire worms are not that common, I am concerned you may have nuked your tank over Bristle worms which are beneficial.

There is likely a nutrient or imbalance issue now as well as a lack of diversity from doing whatever you did that killed corals.

I would test all your levels, see what the nutrients are.

 

[VintageReefer]

What kind of coral was on that right side rock?

What did you do to kill the worms ?

They cyano you have is not good at all, and will spread. Long term is will cause multiple issues.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

Definitely cyano not coraline.

At the rate I'm scraping coraline, I'd think I'd rather have cyano

 

[praba775]

Fire worms are not that common, I am concerned you may have nuked your tank over Bristle worms which are beneficial.

There is likely a nutrient or imbalance issue now as well as a lack of diversity from doing whatever you did that killed corals.

I would test all your levels, see what the nutrients are.

HI, it was definitely a fireworm. I watched a 2 inch one devour my galaxia. I also saw the same one attack one of my hermit crabs. The crab lost a leg and one of his claw. I simply took out the rock and dried it up. I know what a good bristle worm looks like because I have one.

 

[BristleWormHater]

HI, it was definitely a fireworm. I watched a 2 inch one devour my galaxia. I also saw the same one attack one of my hermit crabs. The crab lost a leg and one of his claw. I simply took out the rock and dried it up. I know what a good bristle worm looks like because I have one.

What coral was on the rock?

 

[praba775]

What coral was on the rock?

Montiporas and a galaxia

 

[Formulator]

you say its not good. google say only dangerous when on corals. so can I keep it as long as nowhere near corals?

No. It is a pest and indicates a larger problem with your tanks nutrient levels and/or flow. Left unchecked it can wipe out your tank. Trust me, I know…

 

[Formulator]

Definitely cyano not coraline.

At the rate I'm scraping coraline, I'd think I'd rather have cyano

Lol, thats nothin bro

 

[praba775]

I will get rid of it today

 

[jabberwock]

I will get rid of it today

You will have to fix the nutrient imbalance. It will "reorganize" itself after you disrupt it unless you fix the underlying problem.