White stringy stuff

[HBK's Lagoon]

Good morning everyone, I am reaching out today in hopes that someone may be able to help identify what this is forming ONLY on and around my zoas. The water parameters in the tank are right where they need to be. I noticed it starting to form two days ago just thought is was from my Mexican turbo snails cleaning the rack. Any help would be great thank you so very much in advance. I would like to post a video but not sure how to do that???

 

[JaaxReef]

Good morning everyone, I am reaching out today in hopes that someone may be able to help identify what this is forming ONLY on and around my zoas. The water parameters in the tank are right where they need to be. I noticed it starting to form two days ago just thought is was from my Mexican turbo snails cleaning the rack. Any help would be great thank you so very much in advance. I would like to post a video but not sure how to do that???

My first thought is a bacterial bloom of some sort. It looks too light to be any sort of sponge that I’ve seen (at least that I’m aware of)

- Are you Carbon (NOPOX, Vinegar, Vodka) dosing?
- Did anything die in the tank recently?
- How Long has your tank been setup?
- What are your Nitrate and Phosphate levels?

 

[ihavecrabs]

@JaaxReef +1 on those questions. Interested in the response as well.

@HBK's Lagoon #WelcometoR2R !

 

[HBK's Lagoon]

My first thought is a bacterial bloom of some sort. It looks too light to be any sort of sponge that I’ve seen (at least that I’m aware of)

- Are you Carbon (NOPOX, Vinegar, Vodka) dosing?
- Did anything die in the tank recently?
- How Long has your tank been setup?
- What are your Nitrate and Phosphate levels?

My first thought is a bacterial bloom of some sort. It looks too light to be any sort of sponge that I’ve seen (at least that I’m aware of)

- Are you Carbon (NOPOX, Vinegar, Vodka) dosing?
- Did anything die in the tank recently?
- How Long has your tank been setup?
- What are your Nitrate and Phosphate levels?[/QUOTE

I use Activated carbon from aqua clear that goes in my media baskets.
Nothing has died that I'm aware of its a 25 gal lagoon I didn't see anything dead, all I have is 11 different zoas, two palys, rainbow bubble tip, two clowns, dianmond sand sifting gobi, some blue legs, zebra and turbo snails.
Tank is almost 7 months.
Nitrate is : 0 ppm
Phosphate : .25 ppm

 

[ihavecrabs]

Can you reconfirm your phosphate level? Also, what test kit was used.

Is it 0.025 or 0.25?

 

[HBK's Lagoon]

Can you reconfirm your phosphate level? Also, what test kit was used.

Is it 0.025 or 0.25?

The phosphate level is .25.
I use API test kits

 

[JaaxReef]

I use Activated carbon from aqua clear that goes in my media baskets.
Nothing has died that I'm aware of its a 25 gal lagoon I didn't see anything dead, all I have is 11 different zoas, two palys, rainbow bubble tip, two clowns, dianmond sand sifting gobi, some blue legs, zebra and turbo snails.
Tank is almost 7 months.
Nitrate is : 0 ppm
Phosphate : .25 ppm

Thanks for the info!

A couple more follow-up questions.

1. Did you use any bacteria additives (Dr Tim’s, Microbacter7, Bio-Spira, Stability, etc) when starting up your tank or during initial cycle?

2. Do you have any algae noticeably growing in the tank?

It would be odd to have a flat zero nitrate reading without something eating it up like bacteria or algae. I also found it common that if those bacteria get out of hand somehow they consume nitrate faster than phosphate which might explain your test results. I’m still leaning toward a bacteria bloom.

 

[HBK's Lagoon]

Thanks for the info!

A couple more follow-up questions.

1. Did you use any bacteria additives (Dr Tim’s, Microbacter7, Bio-Spira, Stability, etc) when starting up your tank or during initial cycle?

2. Do you have any algae noticeably growing in the tank?

It would be odd to have a flat zero nitrate reading without something eating it up like bacteria or algae. I also found it common that if those bacteria get out of hand somehow they consume nitrate faster than phosphate which might explain your test results. I’m still leaning toward a bacteria bloom.

The only thing I add to the tank is Fusion 1 and Fusion 2 for alkalinity and Ph control(when NEEDED)I use Reef energy part A and B by red sea for my Zoa's. I have no noticeable algae in the tank. I did a moderate cleaning of the back filter chambers to get a lot of sand and debris that was caked on the sides from the sand sifting gobi.

 

[Kevinkmk]

Does it look like something like this? I’m not sure what is it as well. Trying to find someone ID them.

 

[HBK's Lagoon]

Does it look like something like this? I’m not sure what is it as well. Trying to find someone ID them.

I have not noticed it on my Live rocks, its only on the frag rack and I looked in the back of my tank and it's back there as well. It resembles cobb webs in my tank. My turbo snails make their way to the rack as soon as the lights die down and crawl all over the place and the zoas. I thought it was from them but I'm now thinking I was wrong. Also I don't see anything that looks like Vermetid Snails.

 

[JaaxReef]

Does it look like something like this? I’m not sure what is it as well. Trying to find someone ID them.

These look like Hydroids to me. Not the same “stringy” stuff we are discussing here from what I can tell.

 

[JaaxReef]

The only thing I add to the tank is Fusion 1 and Fusion 2 for alkalinity and Ph control(when NEEDED)I use Reef energy part A and B by red sea for my Zoa's. I have no noticeable algae in the tank. I did a moderate cleaning of the back filter chambers to get a lot of sand and debris that was caked on the sides from the sand sifting gobi.

To me it does seems like there is a slight bacteria bloom that happened for some reason in your tank. I had basically the exact same stuff in my tank when I used NOPOX to reduce nitrates after my cycle. My case was MUCH more intense with purposefully adding a carbon source though. But it may just be part of what naturally developed in a mild case for you after the cycle and the tank is still young and maturing.

It should go away on its own in time as it runs out of a carbon source, which you aren’t intentionally adding. I’m guessing that is what is keeping your nitrates down since you say you don’t have any noticeable algae or anything else actively consuming nutrients.

I would recommend a different phosphate test kit though, as the API Phosphate kit is famous for inaccuracies. Maybe Salifert or if you have the budget, the Hanna Checker is the way to go.

I say leave it alone, and if it gets worse, post here again. Just keep doing regular water changes. I dealt with a big stringy web-like bacterial bloom for a couple months. It can be tricky to get rid of it.

 

[HBK's Lagoon]

To me it does seems like there is a slight bacteria bloom that happened for some reason in your tank. I had basically the exact same stuff in my tank when I used NOPOX to reduce nitrates after my cycle. My case was MUCH more intense with purposefully adding a carbon source though. But it may just be part of what naturally developed in a mild case for you after the cycle and the tank is still young and maturing.

It should go away on its own in time as it runs out of a carbon source, which you aren’t intentionally adding. I’m guessing that is what is keeping your nitrates down since you say you don’t have any noticeable algae or anything else actively consuming nutrients.

I would recommend a different phosphate test kit though, as the API Phosphate kit is famous for inaccuracies. Maybe Salifert or if you have the budget, the Hanna Checker is the way to go.

I say leave it alone, and if it gets worse, post here again. Just keep doing regular water changes. I dealt with a big stringy web-like bacterial bloom for a couple months. It can be tricky to get rid of it.

I do partial water changes every week, 2.5 gallons every Friday, and at the end of the month I do a 4.5 gallon change its 25 gallon tank. The strings blow off the frag rack, an zoas with a pipette. But I just found it was strange to only be on the frag rack and zoas, and I did look in the back of the tank where the filters are and they webs are in there as well.

 

[JaaxReef]

I do partial water changes every week, 2.5 gallons every Friday, and at the end of the month I do a 4.5 gallon change its 25 gallon tank. The strings blow off the frag rack, an zoas with a pipette. But I just found it was strange to only be on the frag rack and zoas, and I did look in the back of the tank where the filters are and they webs are in there as well.

Yeah, it gathered in weird spots in my tank when I had it too.

Sounds like you have a nice little schedule going. Just keep siphoning the bacteria strings out during your water changes and be patient. It never did any damage to my corals or tank, just looked kind of gross for a while. I would also recommend taking out your return pump and cleaning it until it starts to go away, it can gather in there and gunk that up (it for me in my extreme case anyway).

I bet they go away in time. If the bacteria gets horribly worse, let us know! [emoji106]

 

[Kevinkmk]

These look like Hydroids to me. Not the same “stringy” stuff we are discussing here from what I can tell.

Oh no. Are they really hydroids? There is no method to remove them right?

 

[HBK's Lagoon]

Yeah, it gathered in weird spots in my tank when I had it too.

Sounds like you have a nice little schedule going. Just keep siphoning the bacteria strings out during your water changes and be patient. It never did any damage to my corals or tank, just looked kind of gross for a while. I would also recommend taking out your return pump and cleaning it until it starts to go away, it can gather in there and gunk that up (it for me in my extreme case anyway).

I bet they go away in time. If the bacteria gets horribly worse, let us know! [emoji106]

Thank you so much for all your help. I’m removing filter media basket and filter sock tomorrow after I get in and do a water change and clean everything from the protein skimmer to the frag rack and return pump. Will blue legs and snails help clean this up? I need to add more but was unsure.

 

[JaaxReef]

Oh no. Are they really hydroids? There is no method to remove them right?

They are hydroids from what I see. BUT, they don’t look like the horror story ones that get huge and sting the crap out of everything. I have had a few of the tiny white ones in my tank, and they are the lesser of the evils and likely won’t take over your entire tank and in my experience don’t kill corals.

That being said, you could try gluing or epoxying over them to help prevent them from spreading.

There are a ton of species of these things and some are a lot less harmful than others. Sometimes it’s hard to know if they are a threat until you see them do damage to something.

 

[JaaxReef]

Thank you so much for all your help. I’m removing filter media basket and filter sock tomorrow after I get in and do a water change and clean everything from the protein skimmer to the frag rack and return pump. Will blue legs and snails help clean this up? I need to add more but was unsure.

Happy to help! I just remember seeing that stuff in my tank and being worried about it, so I was happy to chime in based on my experience.

I don’t have any crabs in my tank, so I can’t speak to those. But I didn’t notice any snails or fish that ate it when I had it.

 

[HBK's Lagoon]

Happy to help! I just remember seeing that stuff in my tank and being worried about it, so I was happy to chime in based on my experience.

I don’t have any crabs in my tank, so I can’t speak to those. But I didn’t notice any snails or fish that ate it when I had it.

Ok thank you very much. For all the help will keep you posted on progression or regression of this problem. When doing water change tomorrow going to move the rocks to make sure that the diamond gobi didn’t place a crab or snail in his treasure cove and it died. Thanks again for the help.

 

[Kevinkmk]

They are hydroids from what I see. BUT, they don’t look like the horror story ones that get huge and sting the crap out of everything. I have had a few of the tiny white ones in my tank, and they are the lesser of the evils and likely won’t take over your entire tank and in my experience don’t kill corals.

That being said, you could try gluing or epoxying over them to help prevent them from spreading.

There are a ton of species of these things and some are a lot less harmful than others. Sometimes it’s hard to know if they are a threat until you see them do damage to something.

It seems to grow mostly under shade. It haven’t irrate any corals yet