Weird Red Film on NEW START FRAG TANK (Is this Coraline or Thin Cyano)

[WallyB]

p.What is this film starting on new Frag Tank. (Coraline?? But Red....Red/Coralline?) (Cyano, but no bubbles or stringy?) (Something worse?)

I've been Aging a future Frag Tank. (Isolated, IE not hooked up into DT)

But I do water changes in DT and use that water for Frag tank.
Water changes on DT are twice a week (5% of 100 Gallon system) so 10 Gallons.
Every so often I use that 5Gallon to do water change in Frag tank which is 35 Gallons.

FRAG Tank and DT have almost same water parameter (Which is the goal)

Just a few Cheap Frags in there to see if it's ready.

I do have a large Cowrie Snail in there that has kept it clean from Green Algae that started.

But he ate it all, so I started feeding him NORI ( Julian Sprungs) Purple Seaweed.

I also spinkle a pinch of Reef Roids once a week or so for Frags.

IS that the Purple Seaweed that has spread and is growing?

IF THIS IS SOMETHING BAD, I can just CLEAN THE WHOLE THING OUT and STERILZE and start all over.

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

I'm tagging along too because I have exact same thing show up on my tank wall, it's also from a new Zoa frag, it's not just red but it's a super red color and not slimy, nice color too and multiply really fast

 

[WallyB]

I'm tagging along too because I have exact same thing show up on my tank wall, it's also from a new Zoa frag, it's not just red but it's a super red color and not slimy, nice color too and multiply really fast

Got a picture of your RED (Whatever it is)?
What do you mean from New Zoa Frag? Did the Plug have some and now spreading?

I am being careful (to not transfer to any of my other two MAIN TANKS) . I scraped it with a wooden dowel, and it's not like Cyano. Kind of tough to scape. (But a Razor blade cleans it no problem).

I plan on scaping some and having a peek under a USB MicroScope Camera.

I actually see tiny Tiny brine shrimps or pods running over the stuff, like it's food.
I did read that there is Spirolina Growth that can be red.
.....And I do feed my Fish Frozen Brine (with Spirolina in the mix).

 

[WallyB]

I needed to know.

I got out my Mini MicroScope (and maybe an Expert can answer our question)

I used a RAZOR BLADE to Scape off a FILM of the stuff (It peels off soft, in a Sheet). It's not Hard Like Coraline

The Arrow points to where I took the First Scope Photo (FIRST PHOTO WHITE WET)

Approx 100 Time Zoom (The GREY LINE is the Razor Blade Edge)

Good news, it's not moving, so not some kind of Living Bacteria.

APPEARS TO ME that it's SOME KIND OF ALAGE (But I'm not Expert on the Red Film type)

Here is a photo in Middle of stuff as it DRIED.

And NOW close to 500x Magnification. You can see the BLADE EDGE (Hard to Focus at this MAG)

I'd say it some kind of Harmless Red Film Algae (Similar to Green Film Algae you get on Display Tank Glass).

I'll throw the CORWIE snail back in. He may eat this stuff too.

BUT HOPING SOME EXPERT CHIMES IN.

 

[Wankell]

It's Red Slime Algae aka Cyanobacteria. Most people will tell you to leave it be, it will go away on its own, granted you have a tank capable of establishing a good bio filter. Chemiclean works too, I have used it back when I didn't know it was just part of the process of a reef. I have never setup a dedicated frag tank so im not sure how you would go about fixing the issue if you don't have a sump for it.

 

[WallyB]

It's Red Slime Algae aka Cyanobacteria. Most people will tell you to leave it be, it will go away on its own, granted you have a tank capable of establishing a good bio filter. Chemiclean works too, I have used it back when I didn't know it was just part of the process of a reef. I have never setup a dedicated frag tank so im not sure how you would go about fixing the issue if you don't have a sump for it.

I don't agree.
I know cyano.
NOT saying you are 100% wrong, but your statement was to quick to conclude at this point.

My gut feeling is this is just RED algae that has been triggered by the introduction of Red/purple Nori into this tank.

My scrape shows an Alage film just like substance as shown in this link to RED ALGAE which is one type of NORI.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/protista/rhodophyta.html

My fault for not showing more about this frag tank.
It does have a sump, a skimmer and a CO2 scrubber to raise PH.

I will provide more details shortly.

 

[WallyB]

I think I solved it.

99.9% sure it's RED or PURPLE (NORI) Growing on the Glass.

99.999% sure it's not CYANO.

This might HELP EXPLAIN THINGS

This is the FRAG TANK.

The Cowrie used to ROAM all over, and he kept it clean.

But he LOVES SPS Polyps, so when I threw in the SPS Frag a couple of weeks ago, I move the COWRIE into the BAFFLE BOX

He lives in the BAFFLE BOX, and I have been FEEDING HIM (Nori) Purple and Green (On a Feeder)

The FRAG tank is pristine. I mentioned I do water changes from DT into IT (Frequently) thus the Good Water Parameters (N&P)


I Even got the PH to ideal Conditions (just not to long ago)

PH is Stable using a CO2 Scrubber, in the SUMP on this FRAG TANK

And that RED film is EITHER RED Algae, or THIN Puple Algae (NORI)
WHICH I've Been FEED CORI (ANd it's has gotten into the SYSTEM and is Growing)

SO to to SOLVE THIS.
I need to make a EGG CRATE CAGE to COVER and Protect the SPS CORALS

Then Let the COWRIE Loose HUNGRY.
He can polish a Whole Tank in a couple of days.

And if that is NORI on the GLASS, he will devour it.

I'll post of Photo, if I confirm 100%

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

Got a picture of your RED (Whatever it is)?
What do you mean from New Zoa Frag? Did the Plug have some and now spreading?

Yeah, I notice a red firm (powder looking) patch on my Zoa frag, the zoa also in red color so I thought its part of the Zoa thingy. After I placed the piece in my tank that power red patch left the Zoa and MOVED to my side tank wall, first I was curious and used a feeding stick scrap it off and it came off easy and it's returned same spot next day, I was tried to take picture but it didn't show in picture because it on the side wall behind some rock + light reflection. I can tell the look it's red, easy scrap off like diatom algae but it's look prettier lol

 

[WallyB]

Sometime even Politicians can have good ideas.

I'll be Letting the COWRIE loose tonight (on the LEFT Side)

And no NORI Feeder. Just the NORI growing on the GLASS (If it's NORI)

THE WALL is better than a cage, or removing FRAGS.
Egg Crate allows flow thru from both sides.

 

[WallyB]

Here is all the proof you need. (IT's NOT " Cyano" ) It is the NORI that I've been feeding Cowrie that has seeded the Tank and it growing on glass

I put an TIMELAPSE Camera on the Area Overnight, and proof the COWRIE Gobbled it up.

https://www.youtube.com/

 

[Wankell]

Cowrie snails eat algae, cyano is an algae, regardless of what it is, congrats on getting a hold of the situation.

 

[WallyB]

Cowrie snails eat algae, cyano is an algae, regardless of what it is, congrats on getting a hold of the situation.

Cyano is not an Algae. It's bacteria. People make that mistake so much (I used to think the same).

It has been called Algae for various reasons and properties similar to Algae.

http://greenwaterlab.com/algae-cyanobacteria.html

And I've had this Cowrie in Cyano.

This was my DT during a Massive Cyano Outbreak (3 years ago)

Cowrie DIT NOT eat the Cyano during that outbreak, NOTHING WOULD.

So if he ate this stuff, it's NOT Cyano. (He loved it, and will finish off this whole accessible area, since it's Nori, which started the whole thing)

ZeoVit CyanoClean or ZeoBAK mixed into Coral Snow got rid of it (over time, slowly, with lots of siphoning)
What your doing is using a Good Bacteria to outcompete a bad bacteria.

I'd never use ChemiClean, since it's too drastic and can cause other problems.
You are killing the Cyano Bacteria, producing toxic waste, and also killing good bacteria and who knows what else that is good.
(Maybe a QuickFix solution for something drastic, but Above Tank was as drastic as Cyano can be, and after reading, I didn't use it.).

But to complete that story, the Cyano went away, and guess what followed

HORRIBLE "Green Hair Algae". Way worse than Cyano.

That was another struggle, and nothing but a total removal of rocks, and scrubbing fixed that.

What caused both, I eventually figured out.
1) Too much Coral Feeding and Magic Potions (Additives, Amino)
2) Too much RED LED lights


But yes thanks, I can sleep peacefully that this Red Stuff in my FRAG TANK is Good Algae.

 

[Wankell]

You're right, it's similar though, and I just looked for myself and found examples of them eating it.

 

[WallyB]

I agree it did look similar. That is what thru me off and got me worried.
Plus the Red color instantly made me think Early Cyano film.

I've never seen Red Algae, since it's always green, in different forms. (Stringy like GHA, Lumpy, Bumpy, Nobby like Macro).

But Cyano is UGLY, bubbly. This Red Algae growing on my Glass is actually Pretty and nice color.

This hobby is an endless learning experience.

I think the examples you found are probably CUC (Snails) that turn over Sandbed and make it look like they ate the Cyano. (Just an illusion)
Cyano plages everyones tank at some point, and if anyone finds a creature that eats the stuff, they would be famous.

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

My snail wiped out all the red power patch I had on my side tank wall, I know for sure it's not Cyano from the beginning, but it's just weird to see it and it's my first time seeing it too, the only thing that I knew for sure is that red stuff came from a small Zoa colony frag and how the LFS got it? That I don't know.