Can anyone identify this photo of algae

scopus tang

Active Member
Originally Posted by revrick3
http:///forum/post/2924733
Alright enough of the bickering, I am going with the suggestion of cyano. Thanks from all of you. Scopus Tang, thanks for info. Not trying to start any confusion. I have had fresh water tanks for 25 years but this is first salt attempt so a lot to learn. I do have enough insight to know I am losing ground here quickly so it was urgent to get answers. At this point I have cut out all lighting, replaced all filter media and added charcoal. Stopped all food. Only thing that might have died is a purple lobster I added but he was only about 2 inches long, havent seen him in week. I have what should be plenty of flow. 1-Korelia 1 powerhead at 400gph; 1-Korelia 3 powerhead at 850gph. Sump pump is at 400gph; Have an AquaC remora skimmer at 275gph. In a 90 that should be enough I thought. I have redirected them to flow directly on the lr. Let me know if there is anything else I need to do. Thanks fro all help too. You guys are great even if there are differing ideas at times.
Revrick, don't mistake the free exchange of ideas and information for bickering - Ren and I might not agree, but after reading through the article he suggested, I must indeed concure that there is indeed a good chance that he is correct. Certainly the article in question contained information on dinoflagellates of which I previously was not aware. Of further interest is the following quote from the article in question;
Here's a series of actions besides raising pH that may help aquarists to deal with problem dinoflagellates.
1. Reduce available nutrients in the water. These include nitrate and especially phosphate. In a severe case, the concerns with driving phosphate too low may be minor compared to the dinoflagellates (and their toxins). In addition to the usual ways of reducing nutrients (skimming, growing macroalgae, deep sand beds, etc.), aquarists should consider very aggressive use of granular ferric oxide (GFO). Putting a larger than normally recommended amount into a canister filter or reactor, and changing it every few days, may help. Don't bother to measure the phosphate level, because the goal is to have it well below normally detectable levels (say, 0.02 ppm).
2. Reduce the photoperiod to four hours per day. This may help to keep the dinoflagellates under control, but by itself will not usually eradicate them.
3. Use more than normal amounts of activated carbon, and possibly ozone, to deal with toxins that the dinoflagellates may be releasing. This may allow snails and other organisms to survive while the dinoflagellates are still at nuisance levels.
4. Manually siphon out as much of the mass of dinoflagellates as possible. Daily removal would be preferable to keep populations at a reduced level.
How to Treat Problem Dinoflagellates: Elevated pH

[hr]
In order to treat problem dinoflagellates with elevated pH, I'd recommend keeping the pH at 8.4 to 8.5 until they are gone. The pH can be as high as 8.6 without causing too much stress on anything else. The process may take weeks. In desperation (i.e. if nothing else works), allow the pH to go even higher.
pH is best raised by adding calcium hydroxide, either as limewater (kalkwasser; calcium hydroxide or "lime" dissolved in freshwater), or as a lime slurry. Bear in mind that aeration will tend to lower the pH, so if maintaining high pH is difficult, reducing aeration may help a bit. pH naturally drops at night, so be sure to measure pH in the early morning as well as later in the day.
Since you are already doing most of those things, if your pH is not already in the elevated range, why not raise it in addition to doing the other things and see what happens. Its simple enough to do with a Kalc solution or a Limewater mixture (using pickling lime from your local grocery - google Lime water. After all, regardless of which one actually works, if you eliminate the problem, who cares who was right.
As the article says, I would reduce lighting to four hours per day, not eliminate it completely - as elimination for a significant period may also be stressful for corals (also, finally read all of threads on this and realized you recently added a new MH light. Increased lighting and heat are undoubtably also contributing factors. Just for future reference, we will be able to provide the best help if all such relavent info is in the thread. Generally I've found that you tend to get the quickest help in the New Hobbiest section, although the reliability of that help may sometimes be in question. HTH, and good luck on the algae issue - be sure and let us know how things turn out.
BTW Ren, thanks for the info
 

renogaw

Active Member
no prob scopus.
remember, i just crashed from using something to remove cyano, and i had to deal with dino immediately after :)
 

revrick3

Member
Okay guys, I have already put in place most of this. I will take the wraps off the tank for 4 hours a day and get some lime water mixed up. Can one of you tell me how to mix it and what to use. I read the entire article and it was great but very confusing if you arent a chemist. What is the easiest and quickest way to raise my PH with limewater. Thanks so much guys.
 

maryg

Member
Make sure you get a positive ID on this. Take out a handful of it and see how it is held together. If it sticks to the rock with little roots it is grape caleurpa which is a microalgae and a pesty one.
Bubble algae grow in clusters without strands. The caleurpa grows in strands like a vine.
And with my experience with cyanobacteria it usually has air bubbles growing on the mats of it and would not only be on one rock but on the sand bed and the glass and everywhere.
I don't have any experience with dino. These guys have been doing this for alot longer. I would give them a better description.
 

renogaw

Active Member
you can make up an alkalinity solution with baking soda (not powder) and water and can get a nice jump in pH using it.
google search advanced two part solution for an article on this
just make sure you test everything and do things slow
 

shyfish

Member
Hi,
I sent your pics to an expert. Has anyone ever heard of "Sailors eye" ? He said its either hair algea with air bubbles on it or something called sailors eye. I havent been able to find anything on the web so far.
The expert I sent the pictures to has had a Salwater Reef tank (225g) up and running for 16 years without a water change. He just tops off with fresh RO water. A perfect eco system. He only feeds his fish every couple of weeks because they eat stuff in the tank.
His tank has been up 26 years all total. I really trust this guy. He is 80 years old and when it comes to fish, I swear he knows everything
I have known him for 15 years now.
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
well...
Here's a pic of bubble algae:

Here's a pic of dinoflagellates:

And here's a pic of cyanobacteria:

Here's a pic of YOUR problem:

Looks like the closest match is dinoflagellates.
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Shyfish
http:///forum/post/2926465
Hi,
I sent your pics to an expert. Has anyone ever heard of "Sailors eye" ? He said its either hair algea with air bubbles on it or something called sailors eye. I havent been able to find anything on the web so far.
The expert I sent the pictures to has had a Salwater Reef tank (225g) up and running for 16 years without a water change. He just tops off with fresh RO water. A perfect eco system. He only feeds his fish every couple of weeks because they eat stuff in the tank.
His tank has been up 26 years all total. I really trust this guy. He is 80 years old and when it comes to fish, I swear he knows everything
I have known him for 15 years now.

Sailors eye is an old term for bubble algae.
http://www.twofishdivers.com/bunaken-walls.html last pic on the left.
 

revrick3

Member
Okay and update on my tank and problem. I have put the 4 hours a day with lights on into place, charcoal in place along with a poly filter. Stopped feeding except today one small piece of algae sheet and small pinch of food. Extremely small. fish just looked at me with questions it seemed. I started a drip with lime water. one gallon yesterday and another today. But I havent seen any increase in PH. It remains at 8.0 since both gallons have went in. Do I need to input more than one gallon a day, that is about my evaporatiion level. Algae seem less but not gone, coral still dont look too good but just been couple of days. Anything else I might do now?
 

baldguy

New Member
You guys are good! I love all the knowledge everyone brings. I am one of those visual learners so thanks for the pics and the clairifacation!
Also thanks for the welcome!
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Glad to see that everything's coming along.
Your welcome with all the pics. I am one of those visual learners as well. lol.
 

cj_build

New Member
I had a bubble alge breakout just a month ago. How I fixd it was I took evey LR piece out (as they all had it on them) and scraped it off with a flathead screwdriver and a chisel also scrub it with a brush. It seemed to work and now I have very small amouts of it.
 

revrick3

Member
Update on algae, all looked good for over week. Started increasing lights to get back to routine. Went very slow only increased 1 hour a day every 3 days. Still not up to total. Corals look much better, Have lost only 2 it seems. But yesterday and today I am starting to see some appear again. Not as bad but it is not gone. I am still feeding a VERY light schedule, Only feeding everyother day and light. I am using Rod's frozen food every 5 days, a piece about the size of a nickel frozen, small piece of algae sheet every 3 days about size of matchbook. Pellets about 2 times week, small pinch. I have 2 tang, 1 foxface, 2 clowns, 3 cardinal, 1 goby, 1 hawkfish, 1 dwarf angel. plus coral. Doesnt seem too much but if it is let me know. Levels are good but still havent gotten PH above 8. Any input on this?
 
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