HELP! Need to identify this algae bloom before it kills all my corals.

[DKoKoMan]

Hey folks,

Looking for help with identifying this nuisance algae bloom which happened within a day. The only thing I have done was switch to AF Reef Salt and add biopellets. I started cycling half and half (Reef Crystals and AF Reef Salt) and now using strictly the AF salt.

My tank was showing good growth and great colour until I started noticing brown stringy bubble tip algae. At first I thought this would die down, within a few days it began covering select corals and I noticed some die off. 2 frags which were Pete rly coloured and growing had the algae present (stringy off of it). I brushed it off but it continued to show up. I lost 2 corals which had RTN due to being covered wth this. I did a large 60g WC and siphoned as much as I could out of the tank.

The algae seems to have the bubbles disappear and then become very visible during the photoperiod. Ughhh so annoying, hoping someone has experienced the same and can Leo with options to combat this. It seems like it slowed down and some corals have dodged the bullet but they are super visible as I type this. Here are some photos from tonight.

Please help! I don't want to lose all my frags to this mess and it's sad to see the purple coralline get replaced with brown goo.

[JamRobo]

I also just switched to AF reef salt and have somewhat the same issue except mine is alot more minor then yours. I think its just diatom / cyano kind of mix of the both. Mine is mostly on the glass / sand bed. Ive been doing small water changes twice a week trying to get the majority of it each time.


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[JamRobo]

Did your phosphate level go up? Whats it at?

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[adam84]

How strong is your flow in the areas that it is growing, or is it only growing in the lower flow areas?

[DKoKoMan]

Originally Posted by JamRobo

I also just switched to AF reef salt and have somewhat the same issue except mine is alot more minor then yours. I think its just diatom / cyano kind of mix of the both. Mine is mostly on the glass / sand bed. Ive been doing small water changes twice a week trying to get the majority of it each time.


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I have been doing water changes but it doesn't seem to help!

Originally Posted by JamRobo

Did your phosphate level go up? Whats it at?

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It went down, it's now at 0.12ppm (I know still high). I had it much higher at 0.25ppm and higher.

Originally Posted by adam84

How strong is your flow in the areas that it is growing, or is it only growing in the lower flow areas?

It's growing in the high flow areas, low flow areas and doesn't seem to be affected. I literally have to scrub it to get it off and it come right back.

[JamRobo]

Thats wierd!! Bad batch of salt? Did u start feeding new food? I know when i fed frozen pe mysis my tank would algea up fast!

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[ReefMadness]

Originally Posted by JamRobo

I also just switched to AF reef salt and have somewhat the same issue except mine is alot more minor then yours. I think its just diatom / cyano kind of mix of the both. Mine is mostly on the glass / sand bed. Ive been doing small water changes twice a week trying to get the majority of it each time.

interesting... i've been battling what i can't discern between brown cyano, dinoflagellates or diatoms since starting aquaforest salt as well.
mine collects on the substrate and seems to get worse with water changes.
i'm actually currently ditching the probiotic salt for the standard reef salt in hopes that it calms this down a little.

[JamRobo]

Originally Posted by ReefMadness

interesting... i've been battling what i can't discern between brown cyano, dinoflagellates or diatoms since starting aquaforest salt as well.
mine collects on the substrate and seems to get worse with water changes.
i'm actually currently ditching the probiotic salt for the standard reef salt in hopes that it calms this down a little.

Im using regular AF reef salt not the pro biotic, i also dose vitality, amino, energy, and build. Only been maybe 2 weeks now. Seen color boost for sure but its just like you say minor diatoms/ cyano on the sand bed... and it seems like my corals and the algae issue are getting better after i skipped a water change.... also had lots of air bubbles rising from sand and they were sticking to my rocks until i turned up the gyre a bit.


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[ReefMadness]

Originally Posted by JamRobo

Im using regular AF reef salt not the pro biotic, i also dose vitality, amino, energy, and build. Only been maybe 2 weeks now. Seen color boost for sure but its just like you say minor diatoms/ cyano on the sand bed... and it seems like my corals and the algae issue are getting better after i skipped a water change.... also had lots of air bubbles rising from sand and they were sticking to my rocks until i turned up the gyre a bit.

i pretty much have done the same, holding off on water changes, cranked both gyres up and i have stopped dosing my aminos. originally i suspected dinoflagelletes... then diatoms... then cyano, but at this point seeing that others are experiencing the same i'm not sure where i'll go with this next.

[kyl]

Bubbly, stringy brown snot looking stuff is probably dinos. If you know anyone with a microscope you can tell quite quickly what it is.