Good afternoon,
I am new to the hobby and have a 75-gallon tank with 2 clownfish, 2 gobies (added two days ago after quarantining), 6 coral frags, a skunk shrimp, a porcelain crab (that's been hiding a couple of weeks), and some snails.
I noticed some things growing around the coral fragments that were semi-clear/white and I was thinking they may have been part of the coral growing as it was only on a couple of frags at first, and only on the zoas. However, now they are a lot more of them and they are growing on the live rock as well in both shaded and lighted areas. I've attached a picture of one of the original zoa's that started getting them. It looks like some of the white is growing on the net of the zoa.
I'm hoping it's something like a sponge but I really don't know and I'm worried that it may be from something I'm doing wrong.
Water Parameters:
Temp: 80 Degrees
PH: 7.8
Nitrates
Phosphates: 0.06 (I'm thinking it's a bit high cause I just added a couple of fish)
Alkalinity: 7 (It's normally closer to 8 so going to bring it up a bit over the next week)
Calcium: around 500 which I believe is high
Magnesium: also high around 1500
Salt: 1.027 (Currently in the middle of bringing it down)
There are a couple of high parameters which I'm already trying to get in a better spot but these things were around even when the parameters were in a good range.
Any insights would help! I've attached photos. not sure if I can get better quality with what I have available but I can try if they are not good enough. I tried one photo with less blue light but it makes it even harder to see them in the photo.
I am new to the hobby and have a 75-gallon tank with 2 clownfish, 2 gobies (added two days ago after quarantining), 6 coral frags, a skunk shrimp, a porcelain crab (that's been hiding a couple of weeks), and some snails.
I noticed some things growing around the coral fragments that were semi-clear/white and I was thinking they may have been part of the coral growing as it was only on a couple of frags at first, and only on the zoas. However, now they are a lot more of them and they are growing on the live rock as well in both shaded and lighted areas. I've attached a picture of one of the original zoa's that started getting them. It looks like some of the white is growing on the net of the zoa.
I'm hoping it's something like a sponge but I really don't know and I'm worried that it may be from something I'm doing wrong.
Water Parameters:
Temp: 80 Degrees
PH: 7.8
Nitrates
Phosphates: 0.06 (I'm thinking it's a bit high cause I just added a couple of fish)
Alkalinity: 7 (It's normally closer to 8 so going to bring it up a bit over the next week)
Calcium: around 500 which I believe is high
Magnesium: also high around 1500
Salt: 1.027 (Currently in the middle of bringing it down)
There are a couple of high parameters which I'm already trying to get in a better spot but these things were around even when the parameters were in a good range.
Any insights would help! I've attached photos. not sure if I can get better quality with what I have available but I can try if they are not good enough. I tried one photo with less blue light but it makes it even harder to see them in the photo.