Polyp-looking things on glass?

[jonny bolt]

Hi. I noticed tonight that I have a bunch of these little white specks on the front of my glass, and they have green feathery hairs coming out of them. They are bunched up on one part of the glass for the most part, with a few strays. I did leave my lights on too long (about 15 hours) yesterday cuz I was out. But are these things bad or should I leave them? Here is pic...sorry its not the best, its hard to get a good pic of these little things...

I also added 6 new Turbo Snails from a LFS I had never bought from. They came from a tank that was loaded with "aquacultered liverock". So I wasnt sure if these things were from the snails being introduced.
My ammonia is 0, trite 0, trate 10, and pH is 8.4.
I will also mention that my Pygmy Angel has been "sick", so it hasnt been eating alot off the rocks and glass like it usually does.
So are these green polyp wannabe thingies good or bad? TIA

 

[n_sarno]

I have these on my tank as well... anyone have the answer I'd like to know to

 

[jonny bolt]

They must be bad, and already listed somewhere on the board. Thats probably why we havent gotten any replies LOL. I looked around and found something similar, but not definite.
I have since removed them using my Mag-Float.

 

[dmm0724]

Could be just hair algae....i get it on the back wall of the tank....by the description it sounded like aipitasia but i don't think there would be THAT many so quick...who knows?
But it can't hurt to mag-float it away i suppose!

 

[hagfish]

These are the beginnings of algae. Probably hair algae. Nothing good about hair algae. Lower the nitrates and/or phosphates if it starts to get out of hand.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by hagfish
These are the beginnings of algae. Probably hair algae. Nothing good about hair algae. Lower the nitrates and/or phosphates if it starts to get out of hand.
Hair algae isn't all that bad, it's where amphipods raise their youngin' plus it helps to lower phosphates too!!! When you have an over abundance of amphipods, hair algae comes along with it. I used to have some until my tang decided he wanted to eat'em all since then he's develop a taste for pods too.... :happyfish

 

[hagfish]

Originally Posted by Mikeyjer
Hair algae isn't all that bad, it's where amphipods raise their youngin' plus it helps to lower phosphates too!!! When you have an over abundance of amphipods, hair algae comes along with it. I used to have some until my tang decided he wanted to eat'em all since then he's develop a taste for pods too.... :happyfish
Well yes it consumes phosphates. But the reason you don't want phosphates is so that algaes like this won't grow in the first place. I don't think an over abundance of pods results in hair algae. They are not the cause of hair algae. They may benefit in the protection hair algae might offer. But hair algae consumes nitrates, phosphates and light for growth. Pods have no effect, unless they are dying off and causing increased nutrients.
And there's not many who think hair algae is a good thing. In a reef, it can be deadly. In a fish only tank, not such a big deal.

 

[n_sarno]

So just mag float them away?
even on the back of the tank? I am starting to get good algea growth as well I'd hate to "start over" by getting these lil buggers off.
Mine is not nearly as extreme as the photo in this thread

 

[jdragunas]

mag floating them away will only temporarily get rid of them. You should test your tank for phosphates and nitrates. The hair algae survives on them. If you have nitrates, do a water changes. If you have phosphates, use a phosphate sponge to remove them. Are you using tap water, or have you ever used tap? if so, that's most likely the cause of it. You should start using RO water, or distilled. If you already do that, you may be using food with phosphates in them. If that's the case, you're probably overfeeding. You should only feed the fish what they can eat in 1 minute, otherwise, the food starts settling on the bottom and breaking down, causing high nitrates and phosphates.

 

[tizzo]

I think your ALL over reacting!! (Except N_sarno) The reason we even have the mag float is to scrape the algae, which means, we all have it. That same algae, if left unattended for a few days will look like Johny bolt's. I do not think this particular algae says they have to many phosphates or nitrates or anything. I think it's simply a sign of a normal tank.
I scrape my front glass pretty much every day, but leave the sides for the snails, and my angel and tang and such. Just for fun, I took a pic of it. Note though, I have no phosphates, no nitrates, not overstocked, no "hair algae"nothing. This has just always been part of my normal set up... Several days of no mag-float will create this.

 

[jdragunas]

i've never had anything like that... :notsure: i guess that means i'm just better than you

 

[hawke12]

I had that about 2 weeks ago...after a couple days it went away on its own....mine was mostly on the back wall. never did figure out what it was exactly....but hasn't been back since.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by hagfish
Well yes it consumes phosphates. But the reason you don't want phosphates is so that algaes like this won't grow in the first place. I don't think an over abundance of pods results in hair algae. They are not the cause of hair algae. They may benefit in the protection hair algae might offer. But hair algae consumes nitrates, phosphates and light for growth. Pods have no effect, unless they are dying off and causing increased nutrients.
And there's not many who think hair algae is a good thing. In a reef, it can be deadly. In a fish only tank, not such a big deal.
Actually if you do a little research on it, you'll see what I mean by saying the stuffs about hair algae and amphipods! I have 0 readings in Nitrate and little bit of phosphate from feeding frozen food. Which I'm gonna get a sump/fuge to take care of that. If you search in your local reef club, some would LOVE to have some hair algae in their fuge to consume nitrate and phosphate! :happyfish

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by Tizzo
I think your ALL over reacting!! (Except N_sarno) The reason we even have the mag float is to scrape the algae, which means, we all have it. That same algae, if left unattended for a few days will look like Johny bolt's. I do not think this particular algae says they have to many phosphates or nitrates or anything. I think it's simply a sign of a normal tank.
I scrape my front glass pretty much every day, but leave the sides for the snails, and my angel and tang and such. Just for fun, I took a pic of it. Note though, I have no phosphates, no nitrates, not overstocked, no "hair algae"nothing. This has just always been part of my normal set up... Several days of no mag-float will create this.
Those are a pain sometime!!!! I use my mag float daily to get rid of them. It can't reach certain spot though, I'm gonna have to use a razor blade. :happyfish

 

[jdragunas]

the only reason hair algae is bad is because it'll smother corals. Other than that, i really see no problem with hair algae, other than the fact that it shows you have some phosphates.

 

[tizzo]

JD, where the powerheads hit your front glass, do you not get the green algae film?? If you do, then let it go for a few days it will "grow", if you do not, then that's just wierd, LOL...

 

[jdragunas]

i only mag float my tank about once a month... because the glass gets a brown colored film over it, and even then it's not bad at all, but it never gets hair algae looking stuff on it... and my powerheads don't hit the front of my tank... like i said, i'm just better than you...

 

[tizzo]

Originally Posted by jdragunas
. because the glass gets a brown colored film over it,
The complete Aquarium Problem Solver page 11
Algae is an essential part of the aquariums natural biological filter. In marine tanks, algae acts as a supplemental filter by using carbon dioxide which in turn keeps the ph levels up and the trates down. No aquarium should be with out SOME green algae.
Here's where you come in JD...
Algae is a form of plant life that needs PROPER WATER CONDITIONS and sufficient light in order to grow. So, if there is no algae, or if the algae is brown instead of green, your tank has either poor water quality or unsufficient light.
____________________________________________________________________
It's OK, we can figure out how to "fix" your tank. Your poison hole will be OK with the help of this board.

 

[jdragunas]

i have good algae lol... just not the bad stuff.
and just because you need to have the PROPER WATER CONDITIONS to make algae grow doesn't mean those water conditions are good... it just means you need phosphates and nitrates in your water in order for algae to prosper... and when it says your tank has poor water quality, that means it has poor water quality for the algae to grow... i didn't setup my tank to grow algae, so i have proper water conditions for my fish... now what do you have to say to that?

 

[hagfish]

Originally Posted by Tizzo
The complete Aquarium Problem Solver page 11
Algae is an essential part of the aquariums natural biological filter. In marine tanks, algae acts as a supplemental filter by using carbon dioxide which in turn keeps the ph levels up and the trates down. No aquarium should be with out SOME green algae.
Here's where you come in JD...
Algae is a form of plant life that needs PROPER WATER CONDITIONS and sufficient light in order to grow. So, if there is no algae, or if the algae is brown instead of green, your tank has either poor water quality or unsufficient light.
____________________________________________________________________
It's OK, we can figure out how to "fix" your tank. Your poison hole will be OK with the help of this board.

There are some misleading things being said here. It almost sounds like anyone who has little or no hair algae is doing something wrong. That is not true. As for the benefits of hair algae such as PH and nitrates, those are true. Now in a fish only tank none of this matters as much. But in a reef, hair algae can and does kill corals. And it doesn't even take that much of it to happen. But those benefits that hair algae give you can also be had with "macro" algaes that are easier to control and that will outcompete hair algae.
Someone mentioned people wanting hair algae in the fuge's, presumably to aid pod growth and act as a form of nutrient export. Why not use chaeto for this? I've probably read a million threads about what people have in there fuge's and I've NEVER seen anyone say hair algae. By far most people seem to keep chaeto and other macro's for nutrient export.
Tizzo, as for algae needing proper water conditions as you put it, that is true as well. But not in a positive way with respect to a reef tank. The algae needs nitrates/phosphates and light. Why is everyone trying to keep nitrates/phosphates down if not to combat nuisance algaes like hair algae? Just because it's green doesn't mean it's helping anything. I've had my troubles with hair algae in the past and it killed many corals.
This thread is defying the logic of reef keepers everywhere.
Also, I don't think anyone overreacted as you put it tizzo. Most just suggested to keep an eye on nutrient levels if it gets worse. Some algae growth occurs in most tanks and as long as it doesn't get out of hand, no problem. But it does need to be kept in check, especially in a reef.