What the heck be goin on here?

[Nikko]

Hello folks. I have had this unsightly weird algae (maybe algae?) growing for the last 2 1/2 weeks. Weird thing is when I get up in the morning, it has nearly disappeared, but by the time I'm home from work 8-9 hours later, it's back in all its glory. It hasn't gotten better or worse. It has left my live rock alone too which is weird.

I have been dosing vibrant twice a week and that killed the last of my GHA. My understanding is that Vibrant tends to attack the wimpier nuisances like diatoms first, so it's weird to me that if this is diatoms, why it won't just go away. That is the main reason I am questioning whether it is or not. Here is some info on my tank..

Established in October 2016.
90 Gallon w 20 gallon sump
Currently coral (lps/soft), 6 hermit crabs, 2 emerald crabs, 1 cleaner shrimp and 1 fighting conch. Have fish in QT ready to move in once I am able to get this situation under control...
Specific gravity: 1.025
Phosphates: 0.06
Alkalinity: 7.2
Ph: 8.2
Ammonium: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 4 ppm
Calcium: 420
Magnesium: 1240
Temperature: 78 degrees
Lights: Kessil A360 WE tuna blue (7 hours - 50% intensity / 40% color
Flow: 1 Vortech mp40 QD (nutrient export setting 50%)
Protein skimmer: reef octopus classic 150INT
Internal pump: Vectra M1 DC
ATO: Tunze osmolator
Aragonite sand bed
20% water changes biweekly

What do y'all think about this? Thanks for reading and any feedback would be super cool!!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Cyano bacteria outbreaks are the most common side effect of VIbrant.

 

[Nikko]

I was thinking it may be, but I have had cyano and it didn't have that brownish color and was more mat-like. I know cyano comes in all shapes and sizes though so that could be what it is. I have great flow in my tank and have stayed on my water change schedule so I'm surprised it hasn't dissipated at all :(

 

[carlson]

It looks like the very beginning of a cyano outbreak, at first it looks like that, similar to diatoms, and then it begins to grow with more strands and starts to spread.

 

[O'l Salty]

How do you stop it?

 

[carlson]

Normally it showes up do to a water chemistery problem. If you do a few decent sized water changes and check all your parameters and make sure theyre on track, the problem should fade away quickly.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

The theory with VIbrant dosing is. There is a component in it that is a carbon dosing element. That carbon source that directly feeds all bacterias combined with the now dead or dissolved organics of the now dead algae feeds the Cyano.

 

[Nikko]

Good info guys, thanks! Still my first year in the hobby and definitely have had some down moments, but it's good to get some advice and hear that many others are going through the same types of battles! Things in my tank are so much better than they were a few months ago.. will just need to stay patient and keep trying to do things the right way and hope things clear up :)

 

[Nikko]

It looks like the very beginning of a cyano outbreak, at first it looks like that, similar to diatoms, and then it begins to grow with more strands and starts to spread.

That makes a lot of sense. Kind of what I've seen developing the last few weeks. I plan on doing a 20% WC this weekend to work towards clearing it up. One question though, with this developing cyano issue, is it best to stick with vibrant or refrain? I've heard people saying to just stick with it and it cleans up cyano as well and other trains of thought that it should be stopped under these circumstances.

 

[nervousmonkey]

When I see cyano after dosing vibrant, I stop dosing it and the cyano goes away.

 

[Nikko]

When I see cyano after dosing vibrant, I stop dosing it and the cyano goes away.

Thanks, I will hold off on it. My tank has pretty much cleared up besides a little bryopsis that was growing on a few of the coral plates which has turned brownish black and doesn't look healthy at all. This situation is really the only eyesore I have going on so I will hold off and try to repost in a week or so.