Coraline algae

[volitan_fa]

Is there any way to promote coraline algae growth? If so, how?
Also, how long should it take for this brown diatom to be replaced? It first showed up about a week or so ago. I've had the tank up for a month now and it has had the damsel, crab, and snails for about 2 1/2 weeks.
Lastly, it looks like there are very, very small white specks showing up here and there on my glass and live rock. At first I just disregarded it as maybe salt deposits or calcium buildup or something of that nature, but now I'm second-guessing that. Any ideas?

 

[joshradio]

I've successfully used a supplement called PurpleUp, put out by CaribSea and the white specks are probably aiptasia or "glass anemone" (without a photo, that'd be my guess!)

 

[volitan_fa]

What exactly is aiptasia? Is it bad? I can't take pics at the moment, but the larger of the white specs almost look like a very small shell (as in sea shell). The ones on the glass are hardly big enough to see without some serious scrutiny. They are much larger (still very minute though) on the live rock.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by volitan_fa
What exactly is aiptasia? Is it bad? I can't take pics at the moment, but the larger of the white specs almost look like a very small shell (as in sea shell). The ones on the glass are hardly big enough to see without some serious scrutiny. They are much larger (still very minute though) on the live rock.
That sounds like baby snails to me! My snails had babies and that's exactly how they look on the glass. I didn't do a thing to promote coraline growth, I just keep up my stats with calcium, alk, etc. I would scrap some of the existing coraline to get it to expand, that's about it.... :happyfish

 

[joshradio]

it can honestly be a number of things, but aiptasia is a very aggressive anemone that will play command and conquer in your tank, stinging almost anything that comes in contact with it, fish, coral, inverts etc.
if it is aiptasia, go and buy a peppermint shrimp, generally they'll munch on it keep it under control

 

[volitan_fa]

I don't know about baby snails, unless they have hundreds of them at a time! Yeah, I've heard about scraping, but how exactly do I do that? Just take a razor and scrape some and put it in another area? Is there certain light schedule/requirements to promote it?

 

[forcrz6]

Originally Posted by volitan_fa
Is there any way to promote coraline algae growth? If so, how?
Lastly, it looks like there are very, very small white specks showing up here and there on my glass and live rock. At first I just disregarded it as maybe salt deposits or calcium buildup or something of that nature, but now I'm second-guessing that. Any ideas?
You might want to look at those specks closer and then look in the forums for Copods that is probly what you are seeing. As far as the Coroline goes that is diffrent for everyone and no real answer for it

 

[kelly shaw]

i have a couple white dots in my tank also. the only thing i have in there is 2 crabs and a feather duster. i figured i would let them go and see what they turn out to be. i am pretty sure it didn't come off of live rock. the live rock around me i terrible. i have to travel to get anything good or order off of here. i was kind of thinking the white dots might be crab eggs. i have 2 blue legged hermits. but i will see in time.

 

[volitan_fa]

Well I do have one scarlet hermit crab (I think that's what they're called?). I don't know, but they really don't look like anything alarming, I was just curious. So how long did it take you guys (anyone that has some) for your coraline to show up after you first set up?

 

[chipmaker]

I would be inclined to think the white specs are copepods......or some other pod. which are beneficial. Coraline is gonna show up when its good and ready. Keep your ph, alk and cal up and make sure your parameters for water are good and when its ready it will come. I have had it come up in one month to the day on a new tank but have others it took months and months until it started to appear. Good lighting but not real strong lights are also very helpfull.

 

[volitan_fa]

Thanks chip, that was very helpful! What kind of parameters should the alk and calcium be at?

 

[95harley]

Its Copepods. I had tons of them till I added about 1/2 dozen Damsels and tthey made light work of them. Ate them all within 1 week.
I've had my tank up for 2 months with fish in it for about 1 month and my diatoms (brown algae) just started. I have read that it only last for a few weeks till they use up all the nutrients. I use Ro/DI water as well, I think this slows it down.

 

[volitan_fa]

I think it's the copepods too. My yellow-tail damsel nips at them frequently. I wish I had known the RO/DI trick earlier. I used filtered tap water and I think that was one of my biggest mistakes so far, even though I haven't really had anything go bad yet. (knock on wood)

 

[monalisa]

The small white specs could also very well be spirorbid worms...very common in new tanks. Look really, really close at them, are they spiral shaped? If so, and if they are hard shelled and hard to scrape off of the glass, that's probably what you're seeing. I had a break out of those from month 4 on...I think now in month 11, they're finally dissipating. They're a sign of very good water quality, from what I was told. Just let them run their course. Nothing to worry about... keep up the good work!!
The spirorbids will dissipate in their own time, if that's what you're dealing with.
Lisa :happyfish

 

[volitan_fa]

Well that could be it too...because they are very spiral-shaped, and I just tried scraping some and they're darn near impossible to get off! I've also got these little red bristly worms living in my live rock that I see poking their heads out from time to time, but I've heard these are a good thing as well....is this true too?

 

[monalisa]

Originally Posted by volitan_fa
Well that could be it too...because they are very spiral-shaped, and I just tried scraping some and they're darn near impossible to get off! I've also got these little red bristly worms living in my live rock that I see poking their heads out from time to time, but I've heard these are a good thing as well....is this true too?
True, very true. They're probably bristle worms. Nothing to worry about unless they get HUGE. More than likely that's not going to happen.
Lisa :happyfish

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by MonaLisa
The small white specs could also very well be spirorbid worms...very common in new tanks. Look really, really close at them, are they spiral shaped? If so, and if they are hard shelled and hard to scrape off of the glass, that's probably what you're seeing. I had a break out of those from month 4 on...I think now in month 11, they're finally dissipating. They're a sign of very good water quality, from what I was told. Just let them run their course. Nothing to worry about... keep up the good work!!
The spirorbids will dissipate in their own time, if that's what you're dealing with.
Lisa :happyfish
I didn't think of that!!!

 

[chipmaker]

I keep my cal and alk at the high end of the range....460+ and alk 11 or so....basically as high as possible without going over the max ranges usually given.
I think Bristle worms are some cool dudes myself. I have a tank with nothig but all thew so called undesireables folks usually catch and flush, and to be honest its more interesting than critters you pay good money for. Lots of aipstasia, bristle worms, asternia stars, one blue devil damsel, flat worms even.....couple of small hermits of unknown type that just about ate all the coraline off my live rock and a few odds and ends I have yet to identify that was collected locally in the gulf of mexico in the sand bar area, an around the jetties.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by chipmaker
I keep my cal and alk at the high end of the range....460+ and alk 11 or so....basically as high as possible without going over the max ranges usually given.
I think Bristle worms are some cool dudes myself. I have a tank with nothig but all thew so called undesireables folks usually catch and flush, and to be honest its more interesting than critters you pay good money for. Lots of aipstasia, bristle worms, asternia stars, one blue devil damsel, flat worms even.....couple of small hermits of unknown type that just about ate all the coraline off my live rock and a few odds and ends I have yet to identify that was collected locally in the gulf of mexico in the sand bar area, an around the jetties.
I know a few folks that do the same, keeping the undesirable ones.... To each it's own! :happyfish

 

[brandiemay]

I noticed something like that on my glass after about a month. The LFS said is was probably copepods. After purchasing Marine Invertebrates 500+ Essential to Know Aquarium Species they look similar to spiral tube feather dusters, pg 221. But I'm still not sure. I've just let them be, they are hard to scrape off.