What the heck is this hairy red stuff?

Sailor

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Messages
26
Reaction score
35
Location
Gold Canyon, AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
After just six months (and only two with the lights on) I am well-entrenched in the ugly phase and could use some advice on how to get out of it. I’ve been searching the forums looking for similar problems, but nothing I’ve found so far mirrors my situation.

Check out the attached photo. I started with Marco rock on New Years Day 2022 and the rock stayed white until the lights came on mid-April. Now they’re mostly green with numerous patches of purple (Coraline??? I don’t know… looks like the rock is painted purple in some spots). In addition to that, there’s a lot of red/purple hairy, stringy-looking algae growing on the rock and in the sand. Obviously, when I vacuum the sand bed I’m not getting every speck and spore because it comes right back within a day. What is that stuff and how do I get rid of it?

I’m not dosing anything right now but weekly water changes are keeping the chemistry in check: Temp 79, SG 1.025, dKH 7.8, pH 8.1. I haven’t measured Ca or Mg lately (because there aren’t any corals in the tank just yet) but they were 416 and 1310 respectively a month ago. Nitrates slowly climbed week after week from about 5 in the beginning to 15 ppm by late April and started to decline in May. Nitrates have tested at 0.0 since the beginning of June. None. Zip. Nada. Phosphates were on the high side early on, averaging about 0.08 for several months with one peak at 0.19, but 4 of 6 times the last 6 weeks Phosphates read 0.00 (double-checked each time), and 0.02 and 0.05 the last two times. I ran GFO for a while back in April, but now run just activated carbon in a BRS mini reactor. And of course, Ammonia and Nitrites are zero.

I use Hanna checkers for almost everything except magnesium (AquaForest). I use API kits for ammonia and nitrites because they’re quick, easy, and inexpensive. I know they’re not the most accurate test kits on the market, but all I really want to know is if the toxin is present or not, and they do that well enough.

The bio load is fairly light. There are less than 10 fish in there right now, and the hawkfish is the only one larger than an inch. I don’t think I’ve been overfeeding, even early on when the nitrates were testing in the teens. There are also a few crabs, snails, and a fire shrimp in the tank. Consequently, with this light load in a 112 gallon system, the skimmer pulls only wet, watery, stinky skimmate, but it pulls at least a cup every day. I recently installed a UV sterilizer and plan to set up a refugium in the near future. Hopefully, I can clean up the algae and maintain stable water parameters so that I can start introducing corals soon.

Meanwhile, I’d appreciate any tips to help me clean up this mess (and identify that red stringy stuff waving in the current). On a positive note, that red stringy stuff is all over the place (I mean everywhere) and it happens to be a great indicator of the flow pattern in the tank. I can judge how to adjust each individual pump or power head by how it affects the algae.

Background info: I’m running a Red Sea Reefer 425XL, Vectra M2 return pump, a pair of Radion XR15 blue G5s, an MP-40, RS ReefWave 45, LifeReef skimmer, a BRS mini reactor with activated carbon, and a Pentair 25W sterilizer. The photo was taken under white light, no filters, and looks pretty close to a true color representation.

Ugly.jpeg
 

Jekyl

GSP is the devil and clowns are bad pets
View Badges
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Messages
11,258
Reaction score
15,477
Location
Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'm starting to sound like a broken record with this suggestion but live phyto dosing could help you out. Not sure on the ID of the algae or cyano though. Don't let nutrients bottom out though. Phyto can help by consuming the algae, helping pod population and bringing nitrates up. Agree with above post it looks like cyano. Just vacuum out what you can.
 

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal

Just another girl who likes fish
View Badges
Joined
May 14, 2019
Messages
13,089
Reaction score
19,528
Location
Spring, Texas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This is cyanobacteria. There's a lot of info on the forum already so I won't regurgitate it here, but it's not the end of the world. I would caution against using something like chemiclean since I prefer to use natural methods... one of which is waiting it out and letting the tank mature to the point that the algae is reduced on its own.
 

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal

Just another girl who likes fish
View Badges
Joined
May 14, 2019
Messages
13,089
Reaction score
19,528
Location
Spring, Texas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You didn't post pics of the other algae or mention if you have a refugium. If you have a ton of other algae, your nitrate and phosphate might not actually be zero, but if you don't, then it's time to increase N and P a bit. You can use phytoplankton (as mentioned above), feed your fish more heavily, stop vacuuming the sand, etc.
When I had a cyano outbreak, I got a plastic pasta spoon (the one with the holes in it) and scooped as much of the matted cyano off the sand as I could. But I didn't actually vacuum the sandbed and remove the detritus.
Can you post more pics so we can see the extent of the problem?
 
OP
OP
Sailor

Sailor

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Messages
26
Reaction score
35
Location
Gold Canyon, AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The other many occurrences of this hairy stuff growing all over on the rocks looks just like what's growing in the sand, but I'll try to get a few clear shots tomorrow. That might help to identify it definitively. Oh, and I did say I was planning to create a refugium "in the near future," but I don't have one now. Meanwhile, I'll do some more research on Cyanobacteria, as suggested above. I'll be leaning toward a slower, less invasive, natural cure, but I'm open to learning a better way. I've got work to do. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
 
OP
OP
Sailor

Sailor

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Messages
26
Reaction score
35
Location
Gold Canyon, AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Rock1.jpeg
Rock2.jpeg


Okay. New day. So here are a couple still photos, and I also have two short video clips, but I can't get them to load. Seems to be a compatibility issue. I'll figure it out and post them later. The videos show the hairy red stuff all over the rocks waving in the current. One of the still photos shows green and purple stuff on the rocks but not so much stringy stuff, while the other shows a lot of it and bubbles on the rocks as well. I haven't had time to follow up with the Cyano research but I wanted to get these pix posted for all to see.
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,815
Reaction score
200,023
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
Rock1.jpeg
Rock2.jpeg


Okay. New day. So here are a couple still photos, and I also have two short video clips, but I can't get them to load. Seems to be a compatibility issue. I'll figure it out and post them later. The videos show the hairy red stuff all over the rocks waving in the current. One of the still photos shows green and purple stuff on the rocks but not so much stringy stuff, while the other shows a lot of it and bubbles on the rocks as well. I haven't had time to follow up with the Cyano research but I wanted to get these pix posted for all to see.
Current is the key word. . . dissolved bacteria- Cyano Bacteria. The bubbles are air bubbles trying to escape but held by bacterial mats. Cyano blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations go haywire and when concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with tiny air bubbles. As bubbles form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it rests as skimmate. When the protein skimmer does not output the best efficiency or you do not have the suitable protein skimmer to cover the tank, the air bubbles created by the skimmer might be insufficient. And this insufficiency of air bubbles can trigger the cyano to thrive.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured which acts like a breeding ground for red slime algae
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank beautifully clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is like rolling out the welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for pervasive red slime algae development

I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 5-7 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.
 
OP
OP
Sailor

Sailor

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Messages
26
Reaction score
35
Location
Gold Canyon, AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey vetteguy, thanks for the info. That's a lot to consider. Of all the common causes on the list, the only one of them I might be guilty of is overfeeding, and that's because it isn't an exact science. I mean if you ask 10 people how much and how often you should feed your animals, you'll get 10 different answers. I don't think I'm overfeeding, but I can't be absolutely sure. My phosphates and nitrates are low (too low, actually) but that by itself doesn't necessarily prove anything definitively.

Meanwhile, I'll turn down the white light intensity starting tomorrow. And I happen to have some Chemipure Elite on hand. But what kind of bacteria are you referring to? Microbacter 7, or something similar? And how exactly does that work? What's it supposed to do? Likewise, what does the hydrogen peroxide do, and what's the significance of the day/night cycle? Am I getting too much in the weeds here? I'm just trying to wrap my head around the whole eco system thing.
 

Dan_P

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Messages
6,569
Reaction score
7,023
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Rock1.jpeg
Rock2.jpeg


Okay. New day. So here are a couple still photos, and I also have two short video clips, but I can't get them to load. Seems to be a compatibility issue. I'll figure it out and post them later. The videos show the hairy red stuff all over the rocks waving in the current. One of the still photos shows green and purple stuff on the rocks but not so much stringy stuff, while the other shows a lot of it and bubbles on the rocks as well. I haven't had time to follow up with the Cyano research but I wanted to get these pix posted for all to see.
Cyanobacteria.
 

Karen00

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 7, 2020
Messages
3,565
Reaction score
6,490
Location
Toronto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey vetteguy, thanks for the info. That's a lot to consider. Of all the common causes on the list, the only one of them I might be guilty of is overfeeding, and that's because it isn't an exact science. I mean if you ask 10 people how much and how often you should feed your animals, you'll get 10 different answers. I don't think I'm overfeeding, but I can't be absolutely sure. My phosphates and nitrates are low (too low, actually) but that by itself doesn't necessarily prove anything definitively.

Meanwhile, I'll turn down the white light intensity starting tomorrow. And I happen to have some Chemipure Elite on hand. But what kind of bacteria are you referring to? Microbacter 7, or something similar? And how exactly does that work? What's it supposed to do? Likewise, what does the hydrogen peroxide do, and what's the significance of the day/night cycle? Am I getting too much in the weeds here? I'm just trying to wrap my head around the whole eco system thing.
Don't forget... Your nutrient levels might not be that low. It could be the cyano is now sucking them all up giving you the impression they're low. Just my 2 cents. I agree about trying to get rid of it in a more natural way. I have read threads where people went the chemical route and that opened the door for a bunch of other nasties to start up. Having said that some people have obviously had success with chemicals but I would say that you be a last resort.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 66 37.5%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.5%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.2%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.8%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top