Mushroom?? What kind??

I got this rock months ago and I think this is a mushroom on it. It has went down in size since I have had it and I am not sure why. The guy at my lfs told me to buy Purple Up and use once a week. He said it had everything I would need in it for the mushroom and the corraline algae. I have moved it to a smaller thank like 5 gallons to see how it does with more light and warmer temp.

Temp is normally aroud 77 in the original tank. And all the water test are good.

If I knew what kind of mushroom I would research it.

And yes I am battling the brown algae.

 

Most likely a Discosoma species. What are your water parameters. I would like to see what the nitrate, phosophate, nitrite, ammonia, specific gravity or salinity, calcium, magnesium and alkalinity are? How long are the lights on? How often do you add the Purple Up and how much?

 

As a rule for SW tanks. Never dose anything you can't test for. The problem with products like Purple up is they have a variety of elements most of which cannot be tested. If you want corrailine algae to grow test Cal,Alk,and Mag. Keep them at the proper levels and do water changes to add trace elements and you will be fine.

 

Do you *know* there was a mushroom on it? Was it colored, etc? If you answered no to either of those questions, it may just be a sponge.

Purple up may work for coralline algae, but I don't think it will do anything for a mushroom. Mushrooms are very forgiving as a rule, although I've had a couple that for little or no reason would up and die on me while the others do file.

How's the rest of the coral doing?

 

Exactly how are you "battling" the algae?

Hint: LFS-recommended algaecides can be irritating/harmful to corals.

 

Yes I knew it was on there. I believe it is a mushroom just going by the pictures I have seen around.

PH- 7.8
Ammonia - 0ppm - .25ppm( hard to tell)
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 80ppm - 160ppm
Alkalinity - 40 - 80

Checked the water about a week and a half ago and all were good. Don't know if it was from adding more rock that made them spike. I added about 20lbs of rock and 2 anomones.

The anomones are fine doing very well MOVING all over the tank.
Peppermint shrimp is fine. He just molted for the secong time that I know of.. Pretty cool to see that empty "shell" in the tank.

The brown algae is gone now have the black junk with the strands flowing from it.

Did pick up 2 mexican turbos to see if they will help. (i know alot of people say these are not good. But I am gonna try them if they seen to be bad I can take them back.)

Gonna try doing a 10% water change twice a week unless yall suggest otherwise.

Lights it says are F 65/55/40 PL-L
Base 2G11 (4 pin Straight)

Not sure what all that means but I have 4 slots for lights I use the bulbs with one bulb daylight one bulb actinic blue in the same combo.

Lights are on from about 8am to 11pm.

 

That would be a power compact (PC) light. Do you know how old the bulbs are? They lose their color spectrum and need replaced every 6 months. FWIW, you're also running them way too long. That, too, can cause algae issues. Around 10 hours daily is plenty.

 

You know thats super High right? I'm not trying to be a dink but thats a scary high number for nitrates I freak if I see even 20ppm in my fresh or saltwater tanks

 

Bulbs are about 6 to 8 months old. Had I blue here Changed it and ordered more.

Hooked up old Lee's protein skimmer (crap) Until I get my new one (ordered last week).

Have got my Nitrate down to 10 ppm. Could be lower but its coming down slowly.