Is that coralline?

[EvilFish]

Hi, 

 

Is that coralline algae? 

 

Thanks 

[WV Reefer]

10 minutes ago, EvilFish said:

Hi, 

 

Is that coralline algae? 

 

Thanks 

Um, no. 

[Mariaface]

Nope, that's cyanobacteria. You'll know it's coralline when it's calcified and doesn't come off just because you rub at it or swish water around.

[Simulated Fish]

4 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

Um, no. 

Idk why but this made me burst out laughing at the office so thanks for that.

 

@EvilFish pull that algea out toss it, how old is your tank?

[The Reef Novice]

I have a question in regards to Coralline. Is having coralline in your tank a indication that it is healthy?

[malacoda]

@EvilFish - nope, Mariaface nailed it, looks like some type of cyanbacteria.

 

@The Reef Novice - for the most part, yes, coralline is a general indication of a fairly healthy tank. But having it doesn't necessarily mean a tank is 'perfectly' healthy; it is still a type of algae which means it isn't as finicky about water parameters as, say, SPS corals. And not having it doesn't necessarily mean a tank is unhealthy either. If the frags, rock, etc.  have been put into a tank were extremely clean, it's possible that no coralline spores have been introduced into the system. This kind of 'cleanliness' is rare, but I have seen threads with healthy thriving tanks that have little to no coraline growth in them.

[EvilFish]

My tank is 1.5 months old. 

 

12g water and 13 pounds of rock (12 dry, 1 live), 10 pounds live sand. 

 

Stock is:

3 blue hermit

1 emerald

Cerith and Turbo snail

 

What to do now? I have biopellets XL in media chamber. No carbon for now. 

 

Do I need to add a skimmer to get rid of cyano? Or what else I need to do? 

[Mariaface]

Cyano generally indicates high phosphates compared to nitrates - either you're overfeeding your cleanup crew, or your rocks are leaching phosphates. Biological media will only help you reduce phosphates if nitrates are high enough (redfield ratio). 

 

You have the option of either dosing nitrate when it's hitting 0ppm, or using a phosphate remover (gently so as to not strip the water too quickly, though your current inhabitants may not care).

 

In the meantime, cyano can sequester its own nutrients so it's useful to vacuum the sandbed, baste the rocks, make sure you have adequate flow throughout the tank.  

[EvilFish]

1 hour ago, Mariaface said:

Cyano generally indicates high phosphates compared to nitrates - either you're overfeeding your cleanup crew, or your rocks are leaching phosphates. Biological media will only help you reduce phosphates if nitrates are high enough (redfield ratio). 

 

You have the option of either dosing nitrate when it's hitting 0ppm, or using a phosphate remover (gently so as to not strip the water too quickly, though your current inhabitants may not care).

 

In the meantime, cyano can sequester its own nutrients so it's useful to vacuum the sandbed, baste the rocks, make sure you have adequate flow throughout the tank.  

Thanks

 

Marco Rocks will end to leach phosphates one day? Any idea how soon? I don't feed my CUC at all.

 

I'm planing to buy:

Fluval PS2 skimmer

Seachem Phosguard

GFO (PO4x4 Phosphate Remover good for media chamber)

Or Seachem Phosbond (Phosguard + GFO, also good for media chamber)

Eheim Compact Pump 1000 265GPH (Right now the flow is 137GPH (stock pump) and Koralia Nano 240. The cyano is on the side where the stock pump.

 

Any reason to combine Phosguard and GFO? Or I can use Phosguard only?

[Simulated Fish]

No need to do both GFO and phosguard.

[spectra]

8 hours ago, WV Reefer said:

Um, no. 

 

What an ass  this is the beginners forum help the poor guy out.

 

8 hours ago, Mariaface said:

Nope, that's cyanobacteria. You'll know it's coralline when it's calcified and doesn't come off just because you rub at it or swish water around.

 

Like this............good answer!

[EvilFish]

2 hours ago, Hippieheadshot said:

No need to do both GFO and phosguard.

So, ill use phosguard instead.

 

[WV Reefer]

8 hours ago, spectra said:

 

What an ass  this is the beginners forum help the poor guy out.

 

 

 

I thought it was a joke.  That's why I gave a funny answer.  My bad.   sorry @EvilFish  

[spectra]

20 hours ago, EvilFish said:

So, ill use phosguard instead.

 

 

You could use chemiclean to get rid of it also. I think if you have good flow once you take care of it you should be fine. Thing is its a new tank and that's a common issue. I had it in a few nanos when they were new and trying to get all the parameters right.

 

Good luck in the adventure.

[jeffmr4]

+1 to flow.

[EvilFish]

Hi friends, 

 

It's that coralline? 

 

 

[Clown79]

Looks like it