Brown/white fuzzy Algae ID help

zpete3323 · Nov 3, 2023

Kind of at a loss as to what this could be. Nutrients bottomed out while away on a work trip a couple weeks ago and came home to this scene. Have since replaced carbon, gfo, added more blue leg hermits and turbos, as well as getting nutrients back up. Trident noted no changes in alkalinity, calcium, nor magnesium.

I have had several of the new turbos die so I assume this algae/cyano is toxic to the snails. Manual removal in the tank seems to help it spread...

Most is around 1/2" tall while some spots grew to 3-4". Looks and feels almost like furr and does not hold its shape out of the water.

Any suggestions?

therootcause · Nov 4, 2023

Are you/were you carbon dosing? It looks like some type of fungus. Silicates may be to blame.

zpete3323 · Nov 4, 2023

therootcause said:
Are you/were you carbon dosing? It looks like some type of fungus. Silicates may be to blame.

Correct, I am running carbon and gfo in this system. Do you have any recommendations on a reliable test kit for silicates? Should I continue the carbon and gfo?

I never finish anythi · Nov 4, 2023

If you have very low po4 I wouldn't use gfo

therootcause · Nov 4, 2023

zpete3323 said:
Correct, I am running carbon and gfo in this system. Do you have any recommendations on a reliable test kit for silicates? Should I continue the carbon and gfo?

Carbon dosing is not the same as having carbon in a media reactor or bag. It doesn’t sound like you are carbon dosing. I think Salifert makes a kit, I have not used it before, but that’s what I would buy.