What Is It

K

kdawg

Guest
Tank has been setup since February 27th and My cycle has completed and diatom bloom is going away. It is a 65 gallon that is a work in process. I currently have 21 lbs of live rock and 80 lbs of Live Sand. I have 2 Emerald Crabs, 2 Zebra Turbo Snails, 7 Sand Sifting Snails, 10 Blue Leg Hermit Crabs, and one Ocellaris Clownfish. I am feeding once a day and only as much as the Clown will eat. Not getting alot of food hitting the bottom so pretty sure this is not the problem with the algae.
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrates 0
PH 8.4
Salinty 29
SG 1.022
This stuff is growing on my Sand behind the live rock and on the sides. Not sure what it is and how to get rid of it. Seems to a hairy type algae. Not seeing any bubbles on it. Any advice on what this stuff is and how to get rid of it I would appreciate it.
I am using a Marineland HOB filter 330 GPH, Koralia 2 pump 600 GPH along with 2 more Power heads in the upper right corners for surface aggitation.
Also I am in the process of building a sump with fuge for this tank. I know this will help out alot with my algae in the DT. So hopefully in the next few weeks I can get this up and running.
I hope I posted everything you guys need to help me out with this problem. If there is anything else you guys need just let me know and I will post it.



Thanks,
KDawg
 
bigarn

bigarn

Active Member
cyanobacteria .... get some water movement going in the affected areas and don't over feed.
 
locoyo386

locoyo386

Member
Hi there,
Just wanted to add to the comment above (cyanobacteria). look very closely at the last picture and see if you can detect a pattern. If you can than you have analysed your tank and came to a conclusion, just implement a solution and hopefully it will work out for you.
 
K

kdawg

Guest
So do you think it might be the flow in my tank. That is the only thing I see that I can change right now. I don't much really like pointing any of my powerheads at my sand because it blows around too much. Any sugestions on my flow would be appreciated.
Thanks,
KDawg
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Yes, IMO you need more flow....you should have flow on both sides, circulating water, also moving some sand, and also flow at top of water
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
You should get some more live rock in there too.
This tends to happen. As the diatom bloom ends, there is some dead diatoms (which can be used to make cosmetics
) left over that the cyano will love to feed on.
This doesn't look too bad. Do some water changes and increase your flow. It can get really bad really fast, so siphon it out now and do some water changes.
Good Luck.
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3007921

http://www.scientificblogging.com/ne...cosmetic_green
Diatoms are ridiculously interesting little buggers. Did you know that they reproduce in cycles of asexual and sexual? It's hard to explain really...let me see if I can find some help...http://www.mbari.org/staff/conn/bota...om_asexual.HTM
Diatoms are circularly shaped protists. The best way to describe them is to say that they are like hat boxes (not hollow mind you). The lid splits from the box and you have two diatoms-that is asexual reproduction. Except the box part is smaller than the lid part. So this means that the second generation that is formed is about half the size as the first. Then these grow/form new lids/hats and the asexual process happens again. Now the new generation is a quarter the size of the original one. Instead of splitting, the quarter sized generation produces either male or female --- chromosomes and releases them into the water where they will meet with their counterparts. The new generation that is born is 4 times bigger...or the same size as the original generation.
Interesting huh?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Interesting huh?
UHHH...NO
Seriously...Why would anyone need to know that?

I'm kidding you
Well no I'm not
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3007935
How do you know i'm sitting

I certainly don't have a 3.2 megapixel digital webcam hidden in the bushes straight left of the small shed and to the right of the dead patch of grass from where there was an oak tree until you cut it down last year outside your house if that's what you're thinking.
Seriously though, anyone who doesn't like microbiology is a real loser in my book...
For most people it's the other way around.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by PEZenfuego
http:///forum/post/3007945
I certainly don't have a 3.2 megapixel digital webcam hidden in the bushes outside your house if that's what you're thinking.
Seriously though, anyone who doesn't like microbiology is a real loser in my book...
For most people it's the other way around.
Well then you are calling half the world losers....I think it is remarkable that you are so knowledgeable about all of this. REALLY....
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3007947
Well then you are calling half the world losers....I think it is remarkable that you are so knowledgeable about all of this. REALLY....
Chicks dig microbiologist wanna-bes

Trust me, I know everything about women
 
ifirefight

ifirefight

Active Member
I am also battling cyano.... I have a few questions that have not been asked.
1. are you using RO/DI
2.how old are your bulbs?
3. how long are the lights on
4.Being your tank was set up on 2/27 seems to indicate to me that this is caused by your water source......
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by ifirefight
http:///forum/post/3007966
I am also battling cyano.... I have a few questions that have not been asked.
1. are you using RO/DI
2.how old are your bulbs?
3. how long are the lights on
4.Being your tank was set up on 2/27 seems to indicate to me that this is caused by your water source......
Cyano is a battle. Most tanks have at least a short phase of it...hopefully that is the op's case. If it becomes more prominent, you will have some problems. Since cyanobacteria is a photosynthetic bacteria (this is why it is often confused with algae-a photosynthetic protist) it will grow better under certain lighting conditions. The more red is in your spectrum, the better it will grow. The older your lights, the more prominent the red spectrum is. I have a VERY old florescent aquarium light that is almost purely red actually. Anyway, lighting is never the problem, it just aids the bacteria in thriving. The problem is always water quality...usually phosphates. With your tank a few larger and more frequent water changes as well as manual removal could possibly rid your tank of this.
Unfortunately, this bacteria will form an endospore when there is no food left (ie you eradicate it). This means that if you let your water quality get out of whack again (not that this is your fault per se, it happens to the best of us) the cyanobacteria can make a full recovery.
Whatever you do, refrain from using chemical products. Chemicals can make the problem ten times worse due to mutating the cyanobacteria strain...or it can cause a total tank crash.
Good luck, I'm glad you posted this. Now you have a chance at preventing this from becoming a real plague.
But, as ifireflight was getting at, besides the fact that it is a newer tank...what caused the less than pristine water quality? Post your levels and the things ifireflight asked for...as well as your filtration and feeding schedule.
 
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