Possible green coraline algae

[ying yang]

Hi all hope all is well

Tank little over 3 months old since wet.
Ph measuring 7.8 for first 2 months so stopped testing with api.
About 1 week ago added 2 plastic holders for old filters from freshwater tank with crushed coral inbetween baffles in high flow area of tank and also finally installed protein skimmer,so im taking it crushed coral will only act as a buffer and stop ph getting low if drops but the extra aeration from skimmer promoting alot more gas exchange and expelling c02 and introducing more dissolved oxygen so higher ph in tank.
So just few hours ago i noticed quite a few of same colour/consistency of the light green coraline algae that was on back of one the hermits i introduced just over 1 month ago so im guessing its coraline starting to grow as i just added one of the essential things it needs whoch is ph above 8 ?
Current params
Ph 8.2
Amnonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 15- 20
300 litre dt with 65 litres actual water in sump.
4 x t5 tubes ,2 white and 2 blue on from 10 am ,9pm daily.
Calcium/ alk/ magnesium i not bought test kits yet as wasnt planning to add corals till least 6 month stage once get water more stable and go through some of the nuisance diatoms/ algae stages etc but will buy these test kits shortly as ovbiously to give more informed answer knowing these params is just better but think in such a young tank green coraline algae could be starting to grow already ?

First i cycled tank dry rock,dry sand,bottle bacteria and first livestock was few red legged scarlet hermits with green,red coraline algae on shells etc.
Then ive went through cyano bacteria and about 3 weeks ago diatoms/ possible red slime algae on glass,rocks,sand and now noticed these green specs.

Also just noticed just inside one of entrance to tunnels of goby/ pistol shrimp what looked like shrimp struggling but then pretty sure noticed 3 claws so thinking its going through its first molt since i had it ( which is about 2 weeks) goby usually very protective over shrimp when i go near tank especially when shine torch as lights just went out but shrimp i could just see but no goby about and usually he manhandles the shrimp back to more safety lol but then seen him come out another entrance then go through a cave and rest on rocks just above where shrimp was,like it knew shrimp needed little space to do its thing but still be close to help if needed.am i right in thinking because i added skimmer this aids in raising the ph then
Its easier for the shrimp to use the calcium/ alk/ magnesium in the water to go through a malt ? And also same for the coraline algae to use them to grow?
Where i see the green specs on the rocks ( more seems to be where the mortar is holding rocks together but still some on the rocks and read long time ago that coraline algae grows easier on mortar but also where green specs is the red slime algae or diatoms are not growing over it.

Edit: the 3rd to last picture is one the hermits with the green coraline growing on it and had it since bought it.
Also used hard plastic tube from coral feeder and tried to scrape green specs off rocks but couldnt scrape it off so seems all the signs point to coraline agae correct ?

 

[Jekyl]

Just looks like a bunch of algae to me. Coraline will be purple, and it will start growing on glass and powerheads at the same time as the rock. Feels like you're chiseling plaster when removing it.

 

[Jekyl]

Here's a good pic of it. Can see it all over the glass, powerhead, rocks and spare heater

 

[Jekyl]

Looks like your CuC could use an upgrade. During water changes use a turkey baister to blow off the rocks and a toothbrush to scrub them. Then suck everything out with your siphon. Coraline would require putting your back into a steel brush to remove it.

 

[ying yang]

Just looks like a bunch of algae to me. Coraline will be purple, and it will start growing on glass and powerheads at the same time as the rock. Feels like you're chiseling plaster when removing it.

Ok fair enough just thought as read coraline algae can come in multiply colours like green,red,purple ,pink etc and is light brighish green colour same as what came on hermit shell maybe was same,in pictures above looks more whiter but with naked eye more brighter green but ok thanks for reply ^_^

 

[ying yang]

Looks like your CuC could use an upgrade. During water changes use a turkey baister to blow off the rocks and a toothbrush to scrub them. Then suck everything out with your siphon. Coraline would require putting your back into a steel brush to remove it.

By cuc ugrade you mean clean the hermits shells ? Which that one hermits shell relatively clean just some coraline algae and few tube worms on it or you mean add more cuc ?
Im guessing you mean add more cuc?
If so yeah in next few days i will be going upto lfs to buy few snails each of different kind and couple more red scarlet hermits and about 6 blue legged and mrs wants a cleaner shrimp as thinks they cool ^_^

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is not a standard algae especially in a tank only a few months old. Its looks like what is called dictyota which is a green to iridescent blue hue. There are tons of species of Dictyota and without a microscope the best you can get it down to is a handful of different species. Nuisance species of Dictyota which are pretty much all the iridescent species stay shorter and creep along the rocks. With this, you can use either a dental pick and scrape off every inch of it as best as you can and try to get it all the first time and be done with it. Try to get it down to its minimum presence then allow CUC to finish it off.
Some effective cleaners are : Decorator crabs, Emerald Crabs, Turbo snails, Chitons, Limpets, and Urchins.
Also remove light or nutrients and it will diminish also

 

[Jekyl]

What he said ^^

 

[ying yang]

This is not a standard algae especially in a tank only a few months old. Its looks like what is called dictyota which is a green to iridescent blue hue. There are tons of species of Dictyota and without a microscope the best you can get it down to is a handful of different species. Nuisance species of Dictyota which are pretty much all the iridescent species stay shorter and creep along the rocks. With this, you can use either a dental pick and scrape off every inch of it as best as you can and try to get it all the first time and be done with it. Try to get it down to its minimum presence then allow CUC to finish it off.
Some effective cleaners are : Decorator crabs, Emerald Crabs, Turbo snails, Chitons, Limpets, and Urchins.
Also remove light or nutrients and it will diminish also

These are the 3 hermits i added the other month so this nuisance dictyota algae what you say on rocks,this what you think is on the 2 hermits shells to the right as looks exactly same

 

[Jekyl]

These are the 3 hermits i added the other month so this nuisance dictyota algae what you say on rocks,this what you think is on the 2 hermits shells to the right as looks exactly same

For a reference on what clean up crew you should have check out reefcleaners.org and look at the package for half your tank size.

 

[vetteguy53081]

These are the 3 hermits i added the other month so this nuisance dictyota algae what you say on rocks,this what you think is on the 2 hermits shells to the right as looks exactly same

Looks like the same stuff. Looks like coraline but comes off easier. If you scrape with your fingernail, should flake right off.

 

[ying yang]

For a reference on what clean up crew you should have check out reefcleaners.org and look at the package for half your tank size.

Thanks,already got good idea of whats needed and suggested which seems rather alot but alot saying like you saying just go for 50%
My plan just to add few at a time when needed like ending up with hermits,snails of different varieties for sand bed,rocks,glass,uneaten food,detritus etc few brittle stars maybe and later further down line as sand bed more established possible some sand sifting star fish and few cleaner shrimp plus whatever else comes when add coral frags etc etc
But just handfull at time as and when needed

 

[ying yang]

Looks like the same stuff. Looks like coraline but comes off easier. If you scrape with your fingernail, should flake right off.

Umm will pick up one the hermits again tommorrow and see if scrapes off this time but as first got the hermits i did scrape back ( with toothbrush and im sure give little scrape with finger nail but didnt scrape off) but will try again tommorrow to see.and only livestock i got is.
3 hermits.
2 clowns
Gold streaked blennie
Pistol shrimp/ goby
Silver belly wrasse.
No corals.
No live rock
No live sand.
So im guessing would of had to have been introduced by me to the tank and ovbious way would been back of the hermits shells and took its time to show in tank either coincedence or because ph been raised from skimmer.
Anyway will put hermit in a jug tommorrow and try scrape some off it tommorrow.
Thanks for replys ^_^

 

[ying yang]

So if its this dictyota algae,i guess will grow like this in time ?
Only noticed it today so definately to early to see anything that even resembles this stuff.
Seen some bad reviews on emerald crabs but just had quick read on it and says emeralds and urchins one of best at eating it so maybe i try get myself i think people say a female emerald crab is best as doesnt grow as big as males and doesnt cause as many issues so maybe get couple these on thursday will try get to the lfs along with some snails

 

[ying yang]

Ok just to follow up.
Grabbed-dropped-prodded-poked-scraped 2 of the hermits and doesnt flake off at all.
Then used some stainless steel planting tweezers from my freshwater tank to try scrape off the greenish algae in question,and didnt scrape off so thought ok must be coraline but .....
Turns out there was another option and that is............
Blennie in action grabbing the diatoms/red slime algae on the mortar between the rocks left the mortar partially exposed so preceded to rub some the red slimy goop off the rocks and left just the mortar ha ha