What is this brown algae?

MikeP · #1 07-29-2006, 06:29 PM

I have brown stringy algae growing all over. Is there something I can buy that will eat it?

Thanks

DanG · #2 07-29-2006, 09:16 PM

looks like cyano bacteria, but cyano is usually redish.
Do you run a skimmer? When was your last water change? How are your nitrates and nitrites?

fortheloveofcrabs · #3 07-29-2006, 10:16 PM

Looks like cyano to me too. Could be early dino too. I'm not sure. The problem is probably high dissolved organics. Over skim for a while, and reduce your light period for a few days (or if you can, don't turn them on at all).

Hope this helps!

StirCrazy · #4 07-29-2006, 10:37 PM

Cyno is a bacteria, reducing lighting will not help this one.. but nutrent levels and such will as well as increasing water flow.

Steve

fortheloveofcrabs · #5 07-30-2006, 01:30 AM

Umm, not to be rude, but it is photosynthetic. In fact, cyano is believed to be one of the oldest bacteria today (some say as much as 3.5 billion years old). We actually owe this little brown mess quite a bit. It is thought that cyano was responsible for most of the early oxygen on earth. Cyano created this oxygen through photosynthesis.

NanoReef · #6 07-30-2006, 03:11 AM

wow....that was a great story!!! just kidding... i didnt know that! i had that same problem before i upgraded, we need to know your perameters and if you skim of not. but like StirCrazy said, up the flow and the problem will usualy fix itself. Good Luck

StirCrazy · #7 07-30-2006, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fortheloveofcrabs

Umm, not to be rude, but it is photosynthetic. In fact, cyano is believed to be one of the oldest bacteria today (some say as much as 3.5 billion years old). We actually owe this little brown mess quite a bit. It is thought that cyano was responsible for most of the early oxygen on earth. Cyano created this oxygen through photosynthesis.

If we were talking about the type of cyano comanly knowen as "blue green algae" I would totaly agree with you but seeing as we have a different strain with no green chloroplast I am not sure if these are photosynthetic or not. so I can't say I am wrong or I am right but I know I have had this kind in tanks which were in total darkness.

Steve

MikeP · #8 07-30-2006, 06:00 PM

The tank is a few months old. It is 30 gallons FOWLR. Substrate is crushed coral (I know now that was a mistake I took most of it out a while ago) 30 pounds of live rock. I do not have a skimmer and don't plan to buy one for this tank (I'm going to be setting up a 190 gallon so I'm saving money for that) I was told by lots of people that a skimmer isn't totally necessary for a tank this size. I thought I had enough flow with to hang on filters but I could buy a power head to help. I add water as it needs it and do a water change every week to 10 days. How long should my lights be on for? Is there something I can buy that will eat this stuff? A crab maybe? The LFS has sally lightfoots and hermits. The algae is darker than when that pic was taken it is dark brown to almost black in color now. It's growing on the LR and substrate. I hope this is enough info. Let me know if I left anything out

Thanks for any help.

MoeReefer · #9 07-30-2006, 06:23 PM

here is a site which may have what you are looking for, if not it is still good info.

cheers

MoeReefer · #10 07-30-2006, 06:24 PM

oops, forgot to add the web site to my post. here ya go.

cheers
http://www.xtalworld.com/Aquarium/hitchfaq.htm