Help! Algae ID

Discussion in 'ID This!' started by catchprj, Jan 5, 2012.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

Page 1 of 3
  1. catchprj

    catchprj Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2011
    Messages:
    65
    This algae (?) has taken over my tank. I'm not sure what it is and would like some help with ID and treatment.

    Looking at forums, it looks similar to hair algae, dinoflagellates (note the bubbles), blue-green algae and others! I have attached some pics to help.

    I can't find any algae that form the weird gelatinous blobs seen beside the green soft coral (red arrow points to blob - around 1cm in diameter). The blobs wobble in the flow, and there are quite a few in my tank.

    The fuzz on the rocks is slimy and hard to remove even with a toothbrush. When I scrub it, the top layer breaks up easily but there is a slimy fuzz left on the rocks that doesn't come off without hard scrubbing.

    Please help me clean up my tank!

    Tank parameters:
    350L Tank started 11 months ago using rock and water smaller 12 month old tank.
    Nitrate = 0
    Phosphate - test kit is empty but am running PO4x4 GFO
    Alkalinity = 7-8 dkH
    Calcium = 340ppm - slowly raising this
    Magnesium = 1400ppm
    Salinity = 1.024 (hydrometer reading... yes I need a refractometer)
    All water used is RO/DI with TDS = 0ppm
    Lighting is 40x 3W LEDs

    Livestock:
    1x Emperor angel
    Many SPS frags
    A few soft coral frags

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    catchprj, Jan 5, 2012
    catchprj, Jan 5, 2012
    #1

    2. Click Here!

  2. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Corailline, Jan 5, 2012
    Corailline, Jan 5, 2012
    #2
  3. catchprj

    catchprj Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2011
    Messages:
    65
    It certainly does look like the picture for chrysophytes. Has anyone had any experience in dealing with this algae, or can offer any tips? The info on marine chrysophytes seems slim...
     
    catchprj, Jan 5, 2012
    catchprj, Jan 5, 2012
    #3
  4. FaceOfDeceit

    FaceOfDeceit Hockey Beard

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2010
    Messages:
    2,076
    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    FaceOfDeceit, Jan 5, 2012
    FaceOfDeceit, Jan 5, 2012
    #4
  5. FaceOfDeceit

    FaceOfDeceit Hockey Beard

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2010
    Messages:
    2,076
    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    Lucky duck! Someone give her a tough one next time! ;D
     
    FaceOfDeceit, Jan 5, 2012
    FaceOfDeceit, Jan 5, 2012
    #5
  6. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    LOL.....

    Forgot about that one this am.

    Now you will never forget it.:p
     
    Corailline, Jan 5, 2012
    Corailline, Jan 5, 2012
    #6

    7. Click Here!

  7. catchprj

    catchprj Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2011
    Messages:
    65
    So does everyone still agree it looks like Chrysophytes?

    It is growing like crazy now! These pictures are 4 days growth and you can see it is smothering the coral frags. The algae is fuzzy 1 day after scrubbing the rocks (photo 1), and long strands form after 2 days. Things just get worse from there....

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Anyone have any advice for me?
     
    catchprj, Feb 27, 2012
    catchprj, Feb 27, 2012
    #7
  8. catchprj

    catchprj Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2011
    Messages:
    65
    Any advice now that the US is awake?!

    I always forget that the world is asleep when I post things!
     
    catchprj, Feb 28, 2012
    catchprj, Feb 28, 2012
    #8
  9. whippy

    whippy Sailfin Tang

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2009
    Messages:
    1,724
    Location:
    Etown, KY
    Kind of looks like sponge. With the air bubbles though I'd guess dinoflaggelates except for the color....
     
    whippy, Feb 28, 2012
    whippy, Feb 28, 2012
    #9
  10. catchprj

    catchprj Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2011
    Messages:
    65
    Pretty sure it's not a sponge - I've never heard of a sponge that can grow as fast as this. It is also very slimy and easily sucked through a siphoning airline hose, so I am pretty sure it's an algae. It still looks similar to the chrysophytes mentioned earlier, however the information on chrysophytes is pretty slim so I'm not too sure what to do about it!
    At the moment I am just hoping it will use up whatever nutrients it is using to grow...
     
    catchprj, Feb 28, 2012
    catchprj, Feb 28, 2012
    #10
Page 1 of 3