White Mold or Fungus growing under reef rocks

[KirstenB]

Hello. Need assistance. Been struggling with this Red Sea reefer 250 tank for up to 2 years. Admittedly had not been taking care of ut til the last few months. I have been battling cyanobacteria for a year and was told to add more flow, do weekly water changes and start to add corals to help with this. So I've been doing just that. The cyano is getting better. Some corals Ive had for awhile but they do not grow. I've added quite a few but GSP won't open now and Candy cane coral is dying as well. For a long while I couldnt keep hermits alive when parameters were perfect. The tank sits below 3 windows which I can do nothing about as well. So my question is this. I've noticed whitish clear fuzz a couple of millimeters thick on the underside of all the reef rocks. I cannot blow it off and scrubbing it off would be impossible without taking the tank apart which I do not want to do.

I have a Kessil 700 at 20 percent max for 6 hours. I have a IceKap 3000 (i think) at 20% max random flow as anymore blows up the sand too much.

Salinity 1.025
Temp 77 deg
Calcium 450
Phosphates .07
Nitrates. 05
Nitrites 0
Ammonia 0
Magnesium??
PH 8.2
Alkalinity 10

Just added carbon again in a baggie in filter socks.

Removed Phosguard as was sure this is what killed my corals at the time.

Think that about cuts it. Ty for any and all help

Struggling tank mom,
Kirsten

 

[GoVols]

Kirsten,

Going by your last photo:
Are you sure it not some kind of sponge growth?

If it is sponge, then that's a good thing to have.

 

[mta_morrow]

I’m thinking it may be a sponge as well.

As far as the cyano goes, that’s a long fight !

What are your major parameters?

 

[KirstenB]

Ty for your replies. Definitely not sponge as its all over the bottom of any rock not exposed to light and this was life rock not live rock. Its a white furry film. I have noticed mildew also at the top of the tank for the sump return hosing as well come to think of it. Like actual white mold.

 

[mta_morrow]

Sounds more like a bacterial film on the glass. My white sponges typically grow in very dim or shaded areas

 

[KirstenB]

GSP and candy cane corals bouncing back. Still have the mold looking stuff though. Just has me scratching my head.

 

[Roadhouse]

Any developments?

 

[KirstenB]

Any developments?

Still have the mold or white fuzz growing under the rocks. Euphillia are all dying and some of my Lord Acans are as well. Parameters are fine. Just scratching my head. Going to do more searching on here to see what can help.

 

[motortrendz]

Definitly a sponge under the rock in the last picture.

 

[Roadhouse]

Any developments?

Mine recently went away. Tank just hit 5 months old.

 

[Ross Petersen]

To hijack a bit here... I've got this grey looking mold growing between two marko rocks on some reefcrest white epoxy. It looks like a mold on a sandwich - grey, long thin fibers about an inch long emanating from a point, etc.

I removed the rock and dropped hydrogen peroxide... then vinegar... but it came back 2 weeks later.

Any ideas?!

 

[Dan_P]

Ty for your replies. Definitely not sponge as its all over the bottom of any rock not exposed to light and this was life rock not live rock. Its a white furry film. I have noticed mildew also at the top of the tank for the sump return hosing as well come to think of it. Like actual white mold.

Are you sure all sponges are photosynthetic? Do you access to a microscope?

 

[Tristren]

To hijack a bit here... I've got this grey looking mold growing between two marko rocks on some reefcrest white epoxy. It looks like a mold on a sandwich - grey, long thin fibers about an inch long emanating from a point, etc.

I removed the rock and dropped hydrogen peroxide... then vinegar... but it came back 2 weeks later.

Any ideas?!

Sponge

 

[Katrina71]

+1 sponge

 

[Ross Petersen]

I suspect you are looking at the white epoxy? The black/grey algae is on the white epoxy in the central crevice in the middle of the photo. It honestly looks like a black beard algae I just stumbled across online. There seems to be a paucity of information on this one in the reefing world - at least that I can find.

Still thinking it's a sponge? Here's a Google photo of what it looks like. Fuzzy like mold on a sandwich really.

I'm probably going to remove the rock today and apply some localized boiling water to it w/ some acid.

 

[Johnnyrainbowreefer]

Still have the mold or white fuzz growing under the rocks. Euphillia are all dying and some of my Lord Acans are as well. Parameters are fine. Just scratching my head. Going to do more searching on here to see what can help.

Did you ever get rid of it? I’m going through the exact same thing. Thank you.