Unknown orange substance on glass

Reef.Blue

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2022
Messages
416
Reaction score
136
Location
NJ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’ve been having a problem lately with an orange-like substance on my glass that has been near impossible to scrape off. I’ve tried my magnetic algae glass scraper and also my other algae scraper with a razor, but to no avail. I tried researching what this was, but most of the people that had an unidentified orange substance in their tank was on their sand bed. Is this some type of algae? Diatoms? If anyone has a way to scrape this off please let me know. The pictures attached make it look more greenish, but it’s more orange in person. Thanks.

7D10DF83-B23F-4E4B-941B-E0E9DEEF9D8B.jpeg 962DB3F7-C20A-45B2-B76B-24C521F7A279.jpeg 37134508-7244-412F-B220-44FD79D723E6.jpeg
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
96,707
Reaction score
215,505
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
15   0   0
I’ve been having a problem lately with an orange-like substance on my glass that has been near impossible to scrape off. I’ve tried my magnetic algae glass scraper and also my other algae scraper with a razor, but to no avail. I tried researching what this was, but most of the people that had an unidentified orange substance in their tank was on their sand bed. Is this some type of algae? Diatoms? If anyone has a way to scrape this off please let me know. The pictures attached make it look more greenish, but it’s more orange in person. Thanks.

7D10DF83-B23F-4E4B-941B-E0E9DEEF9D8B.jpeg 962DB3F7-C20A-45B2-B76B-24C521F7A279.jpeg 37134508-7244-412F-B220-44FD79D723E6.jpeg
Looks like cyano and should be Easy to scrape off and sponge off. Reduce white light intensity a little and add some snails such as
Astrea
Trochus
Nerite
Nassarius

a few Caribbean blue leg hermits
 
OP
OP
Reef.Blue

Reef.Blue

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2022
Messages
416
Reaction score
136
Location
NJ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a wide variety of snails but none of them seem like they make an effect.
 
OP
OP
Reef.Blue

Reef.Blue

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2022
Messages
416
Reaction score
136
Location
NJ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Looks like cyano and should be Easy to scrape off and sponge off. Reduce white light intensity a little and add some snails such as
Astrea
Trochus
Nerite
Nassarius

a few Caribbean blue leg hermits
Isn’t cyano usually more green? And thank you for the suggestions. It is also very hard to get off the glass
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
96,707
Reaction score
215,505
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
15   0   0
Isn’t cyano usually more green? And thank you for the suggestions. It is also very hard to get off the glass
Hard to confirm on phone but cyano can be red-purple-orange- yelliw
If it’s calcareous, can then be either calcium precipitation or coralline
You can remove with edge of credit card or similar
 
OP
OP
Reef.Blue

Reef.Blue

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 21, 2022
Messages
416
Reaction score
136
Location
NJ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hard to confirm on phone but cyano can be red-purple-orange- yelliw
If it’s calcareous, can then be either calcium precipitation or coralline
You can remove with edge of credit card or similar
Thank you
 

WheatToast

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 18, 2021
Messages
3,885
Reaction score
4,665
Location
Bay Area
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Isn’t cyano usually more green? And thank you for the suggestions. It is also very hard to get off the glass
The marine cyanobacteria I've encountered has either been maroon or teal in coloration. I think green marine cyanobacteria exists though.
I’ve been having a problem lately with an orange-like substance on my glass that has been near impossible to scrape off. I’ve tried my magnetic algae glass scraper and also my other algae scraper with a razor, but to no avail. I tried researching what this was, but most of the people that had an unidentified orange substance in their tank was on their sand bed. Is this some type of algae? Diatoms? If anyone has a way to scrape this off please let me know. The pictures attached make it look more greenish, but it’s more orange in person. Thanks.

7D10DF83-B23F-4E4B-941B-E0E9DEEF9D8B.jpeg 962DB3F7-C20A-45B2-B76B-24C521F7A279.jpeg 37134508-7244-412F-B220-44FD79D723E6.jpeg
I've had these tough spots appear on my glass as well, though I never though to identify them and simply used a lot of elbow grease and an algae scraper (frustratingly, though it doesn't grow nearly as fast as film algae). They might be diatoms growing on some tougher, encrusting algae, perhaps what is referred to as "green coralline," which is usually overtaken by pink/purple coralline over time. I never had snails eat them, though an urchin might be more successful.
 
Back
Top