Help ID Algae

[rgodoy22]

Hello everyone I need help dealing with a white film type of algae that’s growing on my rock and sand bed. I’ve had it for about 3 to 4 months now, the tanks been running for a bit over a year now. My phosphate reads .03 ppm on a Hanna checker and nitrate pretty much zero using an api test kit. I have been using nopox for the last month or so and I can see other algae on my back glass dying but not on rock or sand. I’m not sure what kind of algae it is or how to deal with it. Any help would be appreciated and I will get some pictures posted thanks everyone

 

[rgodoy22]

Here are some pictures it’s difficult to capture on the sand bed due to its color

 

[Geebs19]

Looks more like a bacterial growth or fungus then algae.

#reefsquad

 

[mta_morrow]

Eeewwwww! I’m sorry I can’t help on this one as I have never seen it myself.

But I am following along to learn something!

 

[Brew12]

It does look bacterial to me, too. Do you have anything scented in the room with your aquarium like candles or air freshener? Do you vape near the tank? Brew wine/beer in your house?

 

[Dual40IM]

I had a similar problem when dosing NoPoX. I was told that it is called Mulm, a byproduct of bateria. I cut down on the NoPoX and it subsided.

 

[Brew12]

I had a similar problem when dosing NoPoX. I was told that it is called Mulm, a byproduct of bateria. I cut down on the NoPoX and it subsided.

I do agree that the Nopox is likely making it worse in this case.

 

[declanisadog]

Looks bacterial, but I'm no expert. Is it bothering anything?

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Lygbya sp, a genus of cyano. I was losing the fight against it when I inadvertently killed it while dosing Tech-M for Bryopsis sp. Not sure if it was the elevated mag or the Tech-M mystery ingredient that works on Bryopsis killed it, but it wiped it out quick.

 

[rgodoy22]

It does look bacterial to me, too. Do you have anything scented in the room with your aquarium like candles or air freshener? Do you vape near the tank? Brew wine/beer in your house?

No none of that, I have read that air fresheners can cause a white slime so I keep all aerosol products away from the room

 

[rgodoy22]

I had a similar problem when dosing NoPoX. I was told that it is called Mulm, a byproduct of bateria. I cut down on the NoPoX and it subsided.

The nopox is definitely not making it better but it has been there before I started the nopox

 

[rgodoy22]

Wouldn’t bacteria cause cloudy water? My water is really clear

 

[Brew12]

Do you run filter socks? If so, I would take a small pump and blow it off the rocks. Change the filter socks regularly. It may take some doing, but you should be able to get it under control fairly easily and it only takes a few minutes a day.

 

[Brew12]

Wouldn’t bacteria cause cloudy water? My water is really clear

It's dependent on the strain of bacteria. Many of them will only cling to surfaces.

 

[rgodoy22]

I was thinking it’s algae because it seems to only be growing on the surfaces that have direct light, under the rock work where there is no direct light contact there is no growth

 

[Brew12]

I was thinking it’s algae because it seems to only be growing on the surfaces that have direct light, under the rock work where there is no direct light contact there is no growth

Some cyanobacteria are photosynthetic.

 

[rgodoy22]

Do you run filter socks? If so, I would take a small pump and blow it off the rocks. Change the filter socks regularly. It may take some doing, but you should be able to get it under control fairly easily and it only takes a few minutes a day.

It’s actually really stuck to the rocks, I have to scrub the rocks hard. It comes back with in a week. As far a filter socks go I change them out about every 3 days. I don’t know if it’s related but I also noticed my skimmer stopped producing dark skim mate

 

[rgodoy22]

I also have 2 other small tanks in the same room that I use to quarantine coral and fish but only the main tank is showing the growth

 

[rgodoy22]

Some cyanobacteria are photosynthetic.

What would be the best approach to dealing with that?

 

[rgodoy22]

Looks bacterial, but I'm no expert. Is it bothering anything?

Not that I’ve seen all coral seem to be doing good and growing