Purple algae that mbuna will eat.

[markstrimaran]

Lots of water changes= lots of phosphate, brown algae. I have 165 gallons in the tank, sump, setup, and it's too much to try and use phosguard too keep in check with 2x weekly 55 gallon irrigation dumps.
Seem like with the algae scrubber going, the purple algae grows their more than in the tank.
The fish recently have eaten, 75 percent of the green algae and most of the purple algae in the tank.
My 48" T-8 actinic lights are probably getting a little weak also.

 

[markstrimaran]

It is still growing, a little on the upper 8" of the decor. I have not been adding any suppliments. Just water changes.
The algae is getting picked down to the white plastic in places.

 

[markstrimaran]

My two algae eating creek chubs, we're removed as they were getting big and eating it faster than it would grow back. I also added 12 small yellow labs, to the mix.
Algae scrubber in sump is probably slowing it's growth also.
Nitrates around 15 ppm.

 

[Pomatomus]

I have to be honest, I have seen this algae many times in tanks all over Florida. I do not believe it is coralline. It does not grow like a coralline algae, which will start as a small spot that radiates outward in almost a perfect circle. Although this purple stuff is tougher to scrub than most freshwater algae, it still comes off more easily than coralline algae. Coralline will come off in flakes that sink directly to the bottom. Perhaps I'm wrong but I am 99% sure this is not coralline algae. I have had 3 varieties of coralline in my saltwater tanks at home, and have seen others in the wild. Coralline also does not produce visible gas bubbles like this alga appears to be doing.

 

[markstrimaran]

Return from vacation trip. The noncoralline purple fresh water algea. Was eaten a lot. During the last 7 day, as they did not get fed.
The green hair algea was eaten back also.



My algae scrubber grows purple algea, very well also.

 

[markstrimaran]

Latest growth.
Nitrates have been around 15 ppm.
Interestingly the tank has mostly green algae, but the scrubber is growing purple?

 

[markstrimaran]

The thinner algae, is from fish grazing all week, with no food added.
Nitrates 10ppm

 

[markstrimaran]

Grazing on thick green algae on the high flow side.

Feeding on algae scrubber scrapings. This is my fry grow out tank, same water/ filtration as above , but no algae is growing. 6500k cfl vs the 50/50 acetic light.

The crayfish seem keep the psudotrophus elongated juveniles from being overly territorial.
As they are well armored and will kick the juveniles out of their favorite hiding spots.

 

[markstrimaran]

New areas growing purple.

 

[markstrimaran]

Recent picture.
I redid the return water bar. It is now behind the front trim and runs all the way across the tank. Water is flowing down the front glass.
It has really spread the fish out across the whole 48" length. We're before they mostly schooled in areas of higher turbulence.
I added more algea scrubber capacity.