Couple of Algae Related Questions

[Nigel35]

1. I have been watching a red encrusting type algae growing in and around rocks. Definitely not cyano due to the fact that it doesn't come off with blasts of water.

2. Can snails become lazy over time? I have a few turbo snails in my tank and they seemed to have handed the foreman their employment agreements... There is plenty of algae film, and encrusting for them to eat and I do supplement Nori on rare occasions. Any Idea why they don't seem to be doing their job?

3.It so happens that I am having diatoms on my sand bed. Tank has been established for over 4 years. Not sure what the cause is here. Nutrients are in excellent shape No3: 9.7 and Po4: .11 both tested with Hannas. Not sure what the cause is here...

Nigel

 

[Dkmoo]

1) that still looks like red slime algae, a type of bacteria. Not all cyano are easily blown off

2) they dont get lazy, whats actually happening is that over time, your snail's graze rate reaches equilibrium with new algae growth rate so it appears that there is no change, but in reality its doing its job, and its actually a good sign. It means you've reached a long term sustainable level of grazers vs algae growth.

3) they happen from time to time. In mature takes it happen when there's something that changed the equilibrium.

The 3 above viewed wholistically seem to indicate that your available nutrient has increased faster than your intended consumers can uptake (fish and coral). Did yiu increase feeding or added new coral food or something recently?

 

[PokeFish]

could be a darker colored corroline algae?

 

[Dkmoo]

could be a darker colored corroline algae?

Thats a good point

@Nigel35 does it feel like "felt" or "crusty" when you touch it. Felt would suggest bacteria, crusty suggest a dark red coraline

 

[X-37B]

Looks like red coralline.
Also could be the start of a red turf algae.
I have the red coralline in my 120 and 45 frag systems.
The 45 frag has red coralline and red turf algae and several turbo snails keep it short.

 

[Nigel35]

1) that still looks like red slime algae, a type of bacteria. Not all cyano are easily blown off

2) they dont get lazy, whats actually happening is that over time, your snail's graze rate reaches equilibrium with new algae growth rate so it appears that there is no change, but in reality its doing its job, and its actually a good sign. It means you've reached a long term sustainable level of grazers vs algae growth.

3) they happen from time to time. In mature takes it happen when there's something that changed the equilibrium.

The 3 above viewed wholistically seem to indicate that your available nutrient has increased faster than your intended consumers can uptake (fish and coral). Did yiu increase feeding or added new coral food or something recently?

I have recently been able to feed more as I installed a phosphate reactor. Probably the reason why then...