Red brown algae - anything to worry about?

[VictoryBell]

Hello all, 

(not sure if this is the right forum but wanted to ask) 

I think my new tank has started going through the “uglies” but I wanted to make sure this is normal and nothing bad (read horror stories or dinoflagellates). My rocks now have rust colored algae on it.

is it cyano, diatoms or something else? 

 

(The second picture has a string thing with a bubble. It’s a piece of my hair that I removed after I noticed ? apparently I shed when doing water changes.....)

 

 

 

[Oldsalt01]

As good a place as any. It looks fairly normal if this is a new system. How old, how big, what kind of lights, etc? Could be cyano, diatoms, or, don't freak yet, dinos. What is your water change schedule, feeding schedule, fish/invert bioload, and are you running a skimmer?

[VictoryBell]

34 minutes ago, Oldsalt01 said:

As good a place as any. It looks fairly normal if this is a new system. How old, how big, what kind of lights, etc? Could be cyano, diatoms, or, don't freak yet, dinos. What is your water change schedule, feeding schedule, fish/invert bioload, and are you running a skimmer?

It's a 25 gallon IM lagoon, only two months old, the lights are  Current US Orbit Marine  24 to 36 inch

My water change schedule is roughly 25% each week.

 

Livestock:

2 Ocellaris Clownfish (Clowns were added after my tank cycled close to a month ago. I lost one a week ago due to stupidly not making a lid for the tank and the smaller one jumped out. I added another clown two days ago when I went to buy the two snails.)

2 Nassarius Snails (Very active and come out most of the time when I feed. I added them two weeks ago.)

2  Trochus Snails (Just got them 2 days ago because I noticed the algae bloom start earlier in the week. However, they seem very sluggish not sure if this is normal.)

 

 

1 fiji yellow leather

1 small pulsating xenia frag

1 tiny mushroom frag

They all seem happy and extended except I noticed the Xenia doesn't pulse.

 

Feeding schedule:

Sparingly twice a day. Try to remove the excess food not eaten. I feed frozen brine  most of the time and pellets when I don't have time to wait for defrost.

I am not running a skimmer.

 

 

 

 

 

[Oldsalt01]

Trochus are notoriously slow. What are ur water parameters? It sounds like your corals are happy, but they're fairly forgiving types. The reason I ask about parameters is that sometimes xenia don't pulse if the nutrients are off (usually low). The amount of flow they get can affect them too. I wouldn't worry too much about the "rust" unless it starts to take over. I think it's just part of the uglies as you said. IMHO, it doesn't look like dynos or cyano. If it's diatoms they'll disappear once the silicates from the rock/sand start to drop. Live rock, dry rock, live sand, wadja use? Any live bacteria such as BioSpira or Dr Tim's to help with the cycle?

[VictoryBell]

 

Parameters are (using API master kit, will be getting more accurate ones soon as well as kits for testing other parameters)

0 ammonia

0 nitrite

About 3-4 ppm nitrate 

pH 8.0

SG 1.025

 

Oh and I forgot to mention a coral frag, I also have a small stylophora (I couldn't resist the bright green -_-) It also seems to be doing well, it's all fuzzy and brightly colored.

 

Since my last post, I noticed one Trochus snail has died. (My nassarius snail was snacking on it.... I drip acclimated the two trochus snails for over 1 - 1/2 hours....I guess I'll go even longer next time.) I also looked at the Xenia closely and it is starting to pulse sporadically.

 

I used carib sea life rock and carib sea Hawaiian black sand. When I cycled I added aquavitro seed.

 

 

 

 

[Oldsalt01]

+1 for upgrading your test kits. API is ok to start with but as the tank matures better (more expensive) kits are a must, esp for PO4, as the API "master" PO4 is a "high-range" test, and u'll want a "low-range" test at minimum. I went to Salifert and discovered my PO4 was much higher than the API indicated. Ultimately, I sprang for a Hanna ULR Phosphorus Checker because these old eyes couldn't determine the difference between .03 and .05ppm. it's a bit of a PIA because of the timer setup, but I know exactly what my readings are. The coral sounds happy, ur parameters look good. Let the tank evolve a bit.