Florescent illuminous green rock

[H-C6179]

Morning, all

So, I missed it but my wife informed me this morning that parts of the rock in the MDT were glowing luminescent green, i quote "like Moana". Is this some sort of Coraline algae? Also, there are a coupl of dark purple hair patches? Guessing a gently brush will get them off?

 

[Fishy888]

Morning, all

So, I missed it but my wife informed me this morning that parts of the rock in the MDT were glowing illuminous green, i quote "like Moana". Is this some sort of Coraline algae? Also, there are a coupl of dark purple hair patches? Guessing a gently brush will get them off?

The dark purple hair patches are Cyanobacteria. You can blow it off the rocks with a turkey baster. As far as the green glowing we’d need a picture under white light to ID it.

I assume your system is fairly new. If so it’ll be a few months before coralline gets a good foothold. You have to introduce coralline into your system if you want it.

Unlike nuisance algae coralline doesn’t have spores that travel through the air. Many times hermit crabs and snails have some coralline on their shells. IME Mexican turbo snails are the most likely to have coralline on them.

 

[H-C6179]

Thanks @Fishy888. Im not overly worried from what I've read, yes tank started in January. I thinks its coraline. the purply bit is the dark bit in the middle of the picture

 

[Fishy888]

The rocks appear to have cyano and green hair algae. Maybe @vetteguy53081 can weigh in on this also.

You want to keep nitrates between 5 ppm and 10 ppm. You also want phosphates between 0.05 ppm and 0.1 ppm.

Do you use RO/DI or tap water? If you’re using tap water you’re adding sediments, phosphates, nitrates, and potentially heavy metals like zinc, copper, lead, etc to your system. Plus the chemicals the water treatment plants add to the water depends on the time of year, the water level in the reservoir, etc.

The best thing you can do is to invest in a RO/DI system. Your water chemistry will be far more stable, something that will bring coralline about. That and getting your phosphates and nitrates down.

 

[Enderg60]

Just looks like coraline and mowed down hair algae to me, AKA exactly what you want.

 

[vetteguy53081]

May be either surface film algae or start of coralline. Film algae will blow off or brush off, coaraline will adhere more and not brush off with toothbrush as easily
Cyano also has tis appearance but I dont believe it may be

 

[H-C6179]

The rocks appear to have cyano and green hair algae. Maybe @vetteguy53081 can weigh in on this also.

You want to keep nitrates between 5 ppm and 10 ppm. You also want phosphates between 0.05 ppm and 0.1 ppm.

Do you use RO/DI or tap water? If you’re using tap water you’re adding sediments, phosphates, nitrates, and potentially heavy metals like zinc, copper, lead, etc to your system. Plus the chemicals the water treatment plants add to the water depends on the time of year, the water level in the reservoir, etc.

The best thing you can do is to invest in a RO/DI system. Your water chemistry will be far more stable, something that will bring coralline about. That and getting your phosphates and nitrates down.

The picture doesnt do it just but I dont think its Cyano. RO/DI water, no tap.

 

[H-C6179]

Just looks like coraline and mowed down hair algae to me, AKA exactly what you want.

I brushed off the darker bits..... thats ok right lol

 

[H-C6179]

May be either surface film algae or start of coralline. Film algae will blow off or brush off, coaraline will adhere more and not brush off with toothbrush as easily
Cyano also has tis appearance but I dont believe it may be

Yes it brushed off very easily. Not slimy

 

[Fishy888]

Just looks like coraline and mowed down hair algae to me, AKA exactly what you want.

I’m glad, at least in this instance, that I was wrong.

 

[Enderg60]

I brushed off the darker bits..... thats ok right lol

If it wipes off easy then yes brush it off and dont worry about it.

If its comes off in sheets, thats cyano and easy to treat.