Bubbles on LR

[Ktran350]

Hello. For the past few weeks I’ve had issues with bubbles on my live rock. No microbubbles from my return or skimmer. Everyday I have to blow these bubbles off the rock which floats to the surface and breaks. It’s not algae or stringy. More like slimy? For a lack of words. It gets on the base of corals too. Any clues? I will try to get better pictures tomorrow.

 

[Brew12]

Hello. For the past few weeks I’ve had issues with bubbles on my live rock. No microbubbles from my return or skimmer. Everyday I have to blow these bubbles off the rock which floats to the surface and breaks. It’s not algae or stringy. More like slimy? For a lack of words. It gets on the base of corals too. Any clues? I will try to get better pictures tomorrow.

It looks like some minor cyanobacteria to me.

 

[Ktran350]

It looks like some minor cyanobacteria to me.

Really? I thought the same thing but when I blow the bubbles off I don’t The the typical “red mat”. I do have areas with very little cyano that I clean and suck out. Is cyano only red or is it clear color as well?

 

[Brew12]

Really? I thought the same thing but when I blow the bubbles off I don’t The the typical “red mat”. I do have areas with very little cyano that I clean and suck out. Is cyano only red or is it clear color as well?

Normally it is red or greenish blue (cyano colored ;))

If the bubbles are clear it could be something letting off gas or it could be a more typical marine bacteria.

 

[Ktran350]

Ok, I just used a toothbrush to see if it is cyano and nothing came off the rocks. Any idea on course of action?

 

[Brew12]

Ok, I just used a toothbrush to see if it is cyano and nothing came off the rocks. Any idea on course of action?

If your tank is still fairly new, I'd let it do its thing. Unless it is causing damage doing nothing is often the best course of action. The tank maturing can help fix lots of issues.
If you are carbon dosing, you may want to rethink that.

 

[ZoWhat]

Algae Bloom = bacteria cycling. If it continues then your good bacteria is ying yang. Youll need to start researching "carbon dosing" like 80proof vodka to supercharge your good bacteria. you'll go thru a couple of hsrd cycles but carbon dosing does stabilize the tank in about 2-3mos..i swear by it...

Solves a host of problems if done religiously



.

 

[Ktran350]

If your tank is still fairly new, I'd let it do its thing. Unless it is causing damage doing nothing is often the best course of action. The tank maturing can help fix lots of issues.
If you are carbon dosing, you may want to rethink that.

Tank has been set up since last July. I’ll just leave it alone for now. I’m not carbon dosing. Besides a skimmer I have a pouch of clear fx I just switched out yesterday in one of my overflows.

Algae Bloom = bacteria cycling. If it continues then your good bacteria isnt keeping up. Youll need to start researching "carbon dosing" like 80proof vodka to supercharge your good bacteria.

I tried carbon dosing but my nitrates are sitting at about 2.5-5 ppm and Phosphate is sitting at .02. I don’t want to run the risk of bottoming them out. I do have some macrobactor7.

 

[Brew12]

Tank has been set up since last July. I’ll just leave it alone for now. I’m not carbon dosing. Besides a skimmer I have a pouch of clear fx I just switched out yesterday in one of my overflows.




I tried carbon dosing but my nitrates are sitting at about 2.5-5 ppm and Phosphate is sitting at .02. I don’t want to run the risk of bottoming them out. I do have some macrobactor7.

I'd just monitor it for now. My current tank was set up in Dec of 2017 and it still is finding it's happy place. With a limited ability to add biodiversity it can take awhile for everything to get balanced. For instance, lots of stuff will eat cyanobacteria but in order for that stuff to reach a large enough population it needs to have cyano available for quite awhile. Meanwhile, other stuff is growing in your tank that will outcompete the cyano. When we interfere we can disrupt these natural cycles and can delay our tanks maturing. Some times we have to take action to save livestock or because things are horribly out of wack. This seems minor enough that I would just watch it for now.

Of course, this is just my opinion and I'm sure there are many others out there that are different than mine.

 

[Ktran350]

I'd just monitor it for now. My current tank was set up in Dec of 2017 and it still is finding it's happy place. With a limited ability to add biodiversity it can take awhile for everything to get balanced. For instance, lots of stuff will eat cyanobacteria but in order for that stuff to reach a large enough population it needs to have cyano available for quite awhile. Meanwhile, other stuff is growing in your tank that will outcompete the cyano. When we interfere we can disrupt these natural cycles and can delay our tanks maturing. Some times we have to take action to save livestock or because things are horribly out of wack. This seems minor enough that I would just watch it for now.

Of course, this is just my opinion and I'm sure there are many others out there that are different than mine.

Thanks it makes sense. Will leave it alone for now unless I need to intervene to save livestock.