red/orange "stuff"

[pinkorchid]

Guessing cyanobacteria?

Noticed it within the last few days....I have a few fake plants in the tank (hiding face here...hehe). Noticed it on them high in the tank. It's now on my skimmer equipment in tank. That's it so far.

What's the best way to try and keep it under control? This is my first "bloom" of any sort.
Thanks!!

BTW - I thought I saw a thread with info regarding this on here posted by someone else but can't find it. If someone can point me in that direction I can learn from there instead of repeating :)

[Learner]

Don't know if this is of any use, but a friend of mine has a small tank -albeit freshwater- with two imitation plants..she had dreadful algae breakouts, and nothing could stop it...she cut down the lighting times, changed water time and again, then removed the plants -they were plastic, not the silky stuff-. Problem solved.
Probably no useful info here at all  ::) but thought of it when I read your post.
I saw it mentioned in another thread, but can't remember which one.  :-[

[pinkorchid]

Interesting....mine are indeed plastic. My tank looked so bare without them, and as a former freshwater person i've always had them in my tanks. Thinking not such a great idea.... :-\
Thanks for your input!
Amy

[Bergy]

plastic plants wont cause problems, just like the castle, but they wont do anything to help the problem either...

and it gives more surface area for the problem to grow...


Refresh us on the tank info please...

It maybe cyanno, it could be diatoms... newer tanks go thru a few stages, usually a diatom, rust colored algae that starts off looking like a light dusting over everything... rocks, sand, glass, plastic plants...   

This usually goes away with good water, and good water changes, along with sand stirring critters...

If it is cyanno, the fix is similar, but will hold off on those tips till we get more info...

[pinkorchid]

New tank....6wks of cycling then fish were added a little over a month ago....currently has 2 clowns, and 2 hermits. Live sand, no LR.

Will be doing my weekly tests today. As of last monday they were -

SG 1.022
Ammonia - Zero
Nitrite - Zero
Nitrate - 5
pH - 7.8

I do use tap water....and treat w/ Aqua Plus.

[pinkorchid]

Today's readings....

SG - 1.022
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5
pH - 8.0 (was happy to see this...it is usually below 8.0)
KH - 160 ppm (Is this good/bad? This was my first time testing KH)

[Bergy]

yea, the kH test is wrong...

make sure you are using it for salt water...

and is it just one chemical... just add one drop swirl, change color, then add drops till the color changes, and swirling in between drops???

make sure you have the correct amount of water to start off



andyes, new tanks will go thru this diatom growth...  lots of flow and maybe a sand sifting critter or two...


this is why we dont add lots of livestock till these 'new tank' issues come and go...  but, im sure you heard that and expected.. so i figured i would toss it out for ya...

and no no to the tap water.. no matter what you think you are treating it for, probably cloring.. it will still have dissolved solids that will not be helpful to keeping algae out of your tank...


start lookinmg around for an ro/di filter from santa claus...

[pinkorchid]

hmmm...that's what I did.
 
I had to add 16 drops (after the initial one) and it said to multiply that by 10...hence the 160  ??? I'm confused....

I'll have to do some research on ro/di filters as I know nothing about them. What are the benefits of that over tap?

What is a good sand sifting critter?
Thx.

[Bergy]

that would 17dkh

you count the first drop...

what brand do you have?

and sand sifting starfish... diamond/orange spot goby... (they jump so you need a screen or something)

nassarius snails...

[pinkorchid]

ahhh..I'll make note of that - first drop counts!

It's Nutrafin, this one...
http://www.hagen.com/uk/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=124&PROD_ID=01078300030101

[Just_Greg]

if you haven't had a diatom bloom yet (you'd know if you did), this would most likely be it.

here's what the 100 gal is JUST starting to get over (it got quite a bit worse than in the pix):

[pinkorchid]

ha...yep, must be what it is! I'm glad to "see" it's common.

So does it just need to run it's course? I'll up my water changes....I doubt I could get my hands on a sand sifting starfish, and didn't really want to add anymore fish. But I'll check it out.

Thanks for the help guys!

[pinkorchid]

that would 17dkh

Is that an acceptable number? The info with the test is confusing me...doesn't take much ;)

[Just_Greg]

ha...yep, must be what it is! I'm glad to "see" it's common.

So does it just need to run it's course? I'll up my water changes....I doubt I could get my hands on a sand sifting starfish, and didn't really want to add anymore fish. But I'll check it out.

Thanks for the help guys!

yes indeed, it is pretty much compulsory, and it will subside on its own.  in fact, the more you fool with it, the longer it will take.  clean the glass, but just let it go in the rest of the tank.  it will run its course in a couple of weeks to a month.  you'll just see it begin to disappear on its own.  your snails will have a feast while it's there, so that's a bonus (most species LOVE diatoms).

[Bergy]

you need to have some snails and some sand sifting action to keep this from overgrowing your tank... it may clear up on it's own if you have enough flow and if your water is good, but if anything is low or not right it will keep on growing and turn into worse algae which will happen when this algae gets thicker and matted...

Make sure your water for top off and saltwater mix is good, and not full of phosphates and all that junk...

If you cant get the sand sifting star right away, look at other options... or wait..

but, im thinking the diatom bloom may/might last a little longer then without...

this has to be somewhat frustrating when you know and hear about others that have total access to lots of critters and equipment and info and you dont... or that it is totally expensive...  arrrgghhhh

but, i would also imagine that there are other reefers in your neighborhood.. you just gotta find them...