The Uglies? Is this Diatoms?

[Brit’s Fish]

I’ve had this tank running for about 4 months and the lights have only been on for about 5-6 weeks. I used mostly CaribSea Life Rock and a couple pieces of live rock & CaribSea live sand, which is the same thing I’ve done in my other 5 tanks. Never had the uglies like this. I think I have at least 3 kinds of algae going right now… Diatoms, GHA and Red Cyano (I know it’s not really algae, but still…). I’ve had some diatoms during the early stages in my other tanks before but this is getting long and stringy, so now I’m not sure what I’m dealing with.
The display is 120g with a 25g sump, I have a Maxspect Jump SK400 skimmer & some rubble and bioblocks in the sump. I have two AI Hydra 32HDs placed 13” above the water line - my schedule is below also. If anyone has any thoughts on that, please chime in there too!
My corals look fine (mostly zoas, mushrooms and a couple hammers & frogspawn) and I even have two Monti frags that are doing well.
I started the tank with Reef Crystals salt & have done 3 25-30g water changes using Tropic Marin since then. I’m not planning to continue using TM as I’ve realized it probably killed most of the corals in my other 120g but that’s another story for another day.
I just need opinions on whether this is all normal algaes for the Uglies and if I should just ride it out. I hate looking at it but I can be patient.

Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 76.6
Nitrates: 17
PO4: 0.03ish on the salifert kit. (Barely a bluish tint at all)
I’m happy to list the rest of my test results but I don’t know how important they are when it comes to algae?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I’ve had this tank running for about 4 months and the lights have only been on for about 5-6 weeks. I used mostly CaribSea Life Rock and a couple pieces of live rock & CaribSea live sand, which is the same thing I’ve done in my other 5 tanks. Never had the uglies like this. I think I have at least 3 kinds of algae going right now… Diatoms, GHA and Red Cyano (I know it’s not really algae, but still…). I’ve had some diatoms during the early stages in my other tanks before but this is getting long and stringy, so now I’m not sure what I’m dealing with.
The display is 120g with a 25g sump, I have a Maxspect Jump SK400 skimmer & some rubble and bioblocks in the sump. I have two AI Hydra 32HDs placed 13” above the water line - my schedule is below also. If anyone has any thoughts on that, please chime in there too!
My corals look fine (mostly zoas, mushrooms and a couple hammers & frogspawn) and I even have two Monti frags that are doing well.
I started the tank with Reef Crystals salt & have done 3 25-30g water changes using Tropic Marin since then. I’m not planning to continue using TM as I’ve realized it probably killed most of the corals in my other 120g but that’s another story for another day.
I just need opinions on whether this is all normal algaes for the Uglies and if I should just ride it out. I hate looking at it but I can be patient.

Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 76.6
Nitrates: 17
PO4: 0.03ish on the salifert kit. (Barely a bluish tint at all)
I’m happy to list the rest of my test results but I don’t know how important they are when it comes to algae?

For what it’s worth at 4 months old this is mostly normal stage. Since your nitrates and phophates seem good you could up your cuc. In a 120 like 50 blue leg crabs and 2-3 turbo snails would help along with few other algae eating snails

 

[Sean Clark]

Let it ride.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

You could also blow or scrub off some of the patches with old tooth brush or something and let if get caught in a filter sock

 

[Brit’s Fish]

You could also blow or scrub off some of the patches with old tooth brush or something and let if get caught in a filter sock

Yeah, I keep blowing the long stringy stuff away but it’s resilient! I’m going to keep scrubbing it, blowing it away and sucking it out during WCs. My tangs aren’t too interested in any of it & my new Lawnmower Blenny is just finally venturing out today. I’m going to add more Blue Legs… my LFS has been out of them so I’ve been stealing from my other tanks lol

thanks for the advice & encouragement all!!

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Yeah, I keep blowing the long stringy stuff away but it’s resilient! I’m going to keep scrubbing it, blowing it away and sucking it out during WCs. My tangs aren’t too interested in any of it & my new Lawnmower Blenny is just finally venturing out today. I’m going to add more Blue Legs… my LFS has been out of them so I’ve been stealing from my other tanks lol

thanks for the advice & encouragement all!!

I’ve never had a lawnmower blenny even slightly interested with algae. And your tangs I’m sure more interested in the food you put in tank just like mine lol

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Honestly the Mexican turbo snails do the most work in all my tanks then next comes tuxedo urchin

 

[Brit’s Fish]

So the algae is persisting & I’m having a few more weird issues with my anemones. I’m not sure if it’s related or not but everything looks incredibly unhappy. I’m beginning to be very concerned that I’m dealing with Dinos. I also had a wrasse die this week but again, I’m not sure if that’s related. Attached are a few more pictures of all the things going on, along with my parameters from this morning. I also shortened my lighting schedule and cut out white, green and red completely today. White was at 25% at the high point of the day and red and green topped out at 5%.
I have not done a water change in 3 1/2 weeks but am ready to do one if necessary. I just don’t want to make anything worse.
Please let me know if you have any insight on what could be going on here. I’m pretty concerned about my RBTA and rock flower nems as they’re all looking awful today. My RBTA has been doing great for well over a year and just in the last 3 days has not been coming out. Today, I’m seeing a lot of mesenterial filaments. Not good.

Temp: 76.1. Hanna checker
Salinity 1.025. Hanna checker
Nitrate 18. Hanna checker
Phosphate 0.03. Hanna ULR checker
Magnesium 1380. Salifert
Alk/dkh. 7.0. Salifert
Calcium 480. Salifert
PH. 8.0. Red Sea

 

[DiLos Reef]

Along with all those algae eating guys, you might try this. Take the tip off of a gravel vac, put the tube in and start siphon, and pull the hair algae with your thumb so it goes into the tube. I usually drain it into my sump into a filter sock (so I don't waste saltwater). Keep them lights down a bit, possibly reduce feeding (I have no idea how much you feed), and let it ride

 

[Brit’s Fish]

Along with all those algae eating guys, you might try this. Take the tip off of a gravel vac, put the tube in and start siphon, and pull the hair algae with your thumb so it goes into the tube. I usually drain it into my sump into a filter sock (so I don't waste saltwater). Keep them lights down a bit, possibly reduce feeding (I have no idea how much you feed), and let it ride

Thank you! Any thoughts on whether the issues with the anemones could be related?

 

[DiLos Reef]

Sometimes the hair algae can "eat up" the trace elements before it gets to the Anemones and corals...hair algae loves to eat phosphates(the good ones your tissues are made of), iodine, and other trace elements. I'd focus on getting that under control slowly. might stay on that 10-20% water change bi weekly until it's straight. like my PH a bit higher but us aquarists have been arguing that for 25 years. Hope this helps.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks like calothrix which is holding trapped bubbles trying to escape. Its often confused with Dino but actually related to cyano and like anemone and others pouting because Phos and nitrate likely elevated.
You will unfortunately need to remove rock and scrub this off in a bucket of tank water with a little perxide and return to tank when done.
Clean up crew such as ninja star snails, Chiton snails, Nerite- astrea-trochus and margarita snails and pin cushion urchin will help maintain control
Also lower white light intensity a little

 

[Brit’s Fish]

Looks like calothrix which is holding trapped bubbles trying to escape. Its often confused with Dino but actually related to cyano and like anemone and others pouting because Phos and nitrate likely elevated.
You will unfortunately need to remove rock and scrub this off in a bucket of tank water with a little perxide and return to tank when done.
Clean up crew such as ninja star snails, Chiton snails, Nerite- astrea-trochus and margarita snails and pin cushion urchin will help maintain control
Also lower white light intensity a little

What would you recommend as far as white intensity? I literally just changed my light schedule this evening but it has been at the levels in my original post for a couple months.
I have a fair bit of CUC in this tank… 3 small pincushions, nerites, red banded trochus, two large zebra turbos, 2 extra large (3” shells) turban snails. I also have some ninja stars that I can move over to this tank.
I’m going to scrub the rocks I can get to tonight and then manually remove the algae from the ones I can’t take out of the tank.
Since my Nitrates are 18 and Phos is only 0.03, do you think there’s anything being caused by that imbalance? Or is it even an imbalance (thinking of the Redfield ratio)?

 

[vetteguy53081]

What would you recommend as far as white intensity? I literally just changed my light schedule this evening but it has been at the levels in my original post for a couple months.
I have a fair bit of CUC in this tank… 3 small pincushions, nerites, red banded trochus, two large zebra turbos, 2 extra large (3” shells) turban snails. I also have some ninja stars that I can move over to this tank.
I’m going to scrub the rocks I can get to tonight and then manually remove the algae from the ones I can’t take out of the tank.
Since my Nitrates are 18 and Phos is only 0.03, do you think there’s anything being caused by that imbalance? Or is it even an imbalance (thinking of the Redfield ratio)?

low white and normal blue.
An example would be 15-20% white and 75% blue

 

[((FORDTECH))]

What would you recommend as far as white intensity? I literally just changed my light schedule this evening but it has been at the levels in my original post for a couple months.
I have a fair bit of CUC in this tank… 3 small pincushions, nerites, red banded trochus, two large zebra turbos, 2 extra large (3” shells) turban snails. I also have some ninja stars that I can move over to this tank.
I’m going to scrub the rocks I can get to tonight and then manually remove the algae from the ones I can’t take out of the tank.
Since my Nitrates are 18 and Phos is only 0.03, do you think there’s anything being caused by that imbalance? Or is it even an imbalance (thinking of the Redfield ratio)?

Maybe it would be good idea to send in icp test for the hell of it to rule out few things and get an idea of where things are at that you can’t or don’t test for.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Obviously the sooner the better

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I’m in Chicago I could sell you an ATI I CP test for $50 today if you’d like to pick it up at my house. They are $45 in the store plus shipping on BRS

 

[Brit’s Fish]

I’m in Chicago I could sell you an ATI I CP test for $50 today if you’d like to pick it up at my house. They are $45 in the store plus shipping on BRS

Oh wow! Thank you! I actually happen to have one as I just got through the Tropic Marin struggle on another tank but I seriously appreciate that!!

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Oh wow! Thank you! I actually happen to have one as I just got through the Tropic Marin struggle on another tank but I seriously appreciate that!!

Haha yes just went thru same thing so have extra left over

 

[((FORDTECH))]

And I’m still sitting in 3,000 gallons plus of the crap salt