What's this purple goop?
- Thread starter jambi0n
- Start date
schadiest1
Active Member
hard to tell from that picture, possibly red slime algae
mudplayerx
Active Member
Is it difficult or easy to remove? If it comes off incredibly easy, then it is cyano or slime.
If its hard to get off then it is probably a macroalgae (as long as it is not fuzzy). If its fuzzy it is probably red hair algae.
If it is hard like calcareous algae, then that is probably what it is
ps- no algae is going to hurt your water quality....actually it will help it. However, it is usually indicative of poor water circulation in the area where it is growing. Also, if the algae grows around the bases of your corals it can kill them.
If its hard to get off then it is probably a macroalgae (as long as it is not fuzzy). If its fuzzy it is probably red hair algae.
If it is hard like calcareous algae, then that is probably what it is
ps- no algae is going to hurt your water quality....actually it will help it. However, it is usually indicative of poor water circulation in the area where it is growing. Also, if the algae grows around the bases of your corals it can kill them.
us~^>shark
Member
I've been battling this stuff for about 2 weeks now. It looks and sounds just like mine, which is definitely cyanobacteria (slime algae). It is dark purple and when the lights are on, it forms small bubbles under it, which is oxygen (it's byproduct). It has been very tough to eliminate. I'm still trying. It has been reduced since I've added 2 more powerheads and have cut way back on my feeding. Unfortunately, I think it killed one of our corals. It formed on the base, and I got it off once I noticed, but the coral hasn't come back out since. It also seems to have a shininess to it that it never had. (It's a leather coral that has done great up till now).
Good luck on yours. It's nasty stuff.
Good luck on yours. It's nasty stuff.
schadiest1
Active Member
I battled "the red slime" and I used this thread to help...
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=73002
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=73002
mudplayerx
Active Member
I personally wouldn't use any sort of chemicals to get rid of algae. This doesn't get rid of the source of the problem, plus it can cause long-term water parameter problems. My opinion.
salty cheese
Active Member
Are we sure it is cyano? Kind of looks like an encrusting Montipora. :notsure:
pitbull01
Active Member
Originally Posted by mudplayerx
I personally wouldn't use any sort of chemicals to get rid of algae. This doesn't get rid of the source of the problem, plus it can cause long-term water parameter problems. My opinion.
That's not what I was suggesting. I corrected why I was getting the slime and then used a reef-safe chemical that my LFS recommended-never had it again!
I personally wouldn't use any sort of chemicals to get rid of algae. This doesn't get rid of the source of the problem, plus it can cause long-term water parameter problems. My opinion.
That's not what I was suggesting. I corrected why I was getting the slime and then used a reef-safe chemical that my LFS recommended-never had it again!
salty cheese
Active Member
Originally Posted by pitbull01
It is cyano.
If it is cyano then jambi0n should be able to "blow" it off the rock and jambi0n has still not yet answered that question.
It is cyano.
If it is cyano then jambi0n should be able to "blow" it off the rock and jambi0n has still not yet answered that question.