REEF2REEF Saltwater and Reef Aquarium Forum

Maybe cyano along with something else, maybe #chrysophytes....the texture is weird for cyano. (Weird for chrysophytes too though.)

@Got to love that reef: If green algae feels "hairy" and cyano feels "slimy" and chrysophytes feel "gloppy", which term would you say your algae most feels like?

maybe #chrysophytes but need a better closeup to be sure.

#chrysophytes

Harder to see in other photos, but if it's the same algae, then #chrysophytes too.

Keep it off your corals with a baby toothbrush as well as regular scrubbing and siphoning.

Get your nutrients in order, as suggested.

Here's one place for instructions on nitrates and a calculator:
A Nitrate Dosing Calculator For Better Tank Health (And Better Coral Color!)

If nitrates and phosphates are both zero or near-zero then make sure that you dose phosphates into the system before you raise nitrates. Raising nitrates without phosphates being available seems to cause a lot of stress for things like corals.

(Look around the Coral, Algae and Nutrients sections on the same site as the link above for relevant research on the topics if you're interested. )

No dino's there that I see. Some nematodes (wormy/snakey) and some diatoms (dagger shapes).

The larger mass on the right is curious....is that a blob of #chrysophytes?

Can you post a non-micro shot of the bloom as well as a full tank shot? Posting your test results and commenting on how typical/atypical the latest results are would help too.

If you're still suspicious, check in over here...

Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

...and run the dino tests linked in the first post.

Read the rest of the first post too to see if you match the dino's cases we deal with there. (mostly new tanks w/dead rock and no nutrients present as per NO3 and PO4 tests)

#chrysophytes maybe. Try the tests listed in the Dino sticky at the top of the forum, or get some out and look under a microscope.

#chrysophytes I think.....or that plus dino's.

Nutrient levels don't suggest dino's tho.

Guessing this is mostly just a lack of CUC since the tank is only 2 months old yet somehow has had an algae problem for a month already.

What do you have in terms of livestock? (CUC, fish and corals....everything)

Did you start with live rock or dead rock?

Doesn't look like dino's but it sure is bubbly! Do you have a microscope to check? (even a toy)

Click the #chrysophytes tag or check out @reeferfoxx's thread on the topic.

Check out the accuracy/error rate of your test kits. Considering that, your readings may be close to actual zero. If I'm right, you might want to keep levels just a little higher. Having the macro algae's demand for nutrients on the system might be the problem. Such a new tank really shouldn't need it anyway.

Why so much light/Why not just LED or just T5? Start with a free lux meter app, get some resdings, and we'll go from there.

What are your tank's dimensions?

So all of your CUC are helping with this algae? Seems like a small crew, but not sure of the tank size.

Dose No3 and PO4 into your water change water up to your minimum levels so neither one bottoms out during siphoning.

Hopefully you're describing something like #chrysophytes+cyano or better. Could be dino's though.

Pics will help. Even better, get a sample under a microscope (even a toy) and take some pics.

I'd bet on "And" not "or". Siphon and remove.

Y'all are just the best. awesome!

You didn't kill em. These are what we are pretty confident are #chrysophytes and they always appear motionless.

check this thread for them

Is there movement?
If there is no movement, then this tiny circles embedded in mucus looks like probably #chrysophytes