The Fuzz (And Coralline Algae)

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I used Distilled water to set the tank up and have been topping it off with a gallon of RO water every other day. I test for pH, Nitrite, Nitrate, Carbonate and General Hardness once a week. Everything's been coming up normal since I've had the tank. The red stuff appears to be in places of decent flow...I don't have any dead spots that I'm aware of anyway...I was told to look for places where food and 'elimination' formed and hung out in the water and there are no places like that. There's some spots where algae collects on the sand, are those places of low-flow and should they be corrected?

That's good to know about slime algae. And I didn't know that about the oxygen and bacteria either though it stands to reason. My tank's now at 79 with a new heater. Still a little warm but I didn't want to completely shock my lovelies. So when you say 'organic carbon decomposition' could that be caused by decomposing algae or is that strictly from feeding too much? Like I said, I only feed them twice a week and they do a pretty decent job of scarfing it down. Should I stop dropping extra pellets for the blenny and shrimp? I don't want them to starve and maybe in my good intention I am overfeeding?
 
Good to hear water parameters are good and you use R/O water - to get back to the "Red" stuff at this piont I'd say you are dealing with Red encrusting Coraline Algae - http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/aboutcorallinealgae/ss/coralline.htm - Coraline is not all purple. I'd imagine that coloration is more or less determined by the ratio of Calcium to Magnesium to Light, much like it is for stoney corals. Other things can effect it's growth like Phosphates but probably not an issue w/ R/O water and a few lil' fish eating twice a week. Truth be told - I feed my fish twice a day.

I have plenty of Red coraline myself, more so than purple. My 'problem" has been too much calcium - I was hittin' 650 w/ Alk @ 12. For some reason or another the Red likes this condition. As I've lowered the Alk and Cal. by using non-reef crystal mixes more purple is springing up @ 550 and 10.
 
So then the red's not harmful? Is that the new general consensus? lol, It doesn't seem to be spreading around, so I've just been letting it go. I'm learning that my tank does best when I don't try to mother it.
 
No I don't think it's harmful. Hopefully your doing 10% weekly water changes along with the daily top-off's - this is important more so w/ RODI water because it's 99% pure - contains zero trace and alk elements. They need replenished. Also something to consider is a T5HO light - esp. the Blue or UV band. Natural sunlight from a window in WI is far from that of the equator and UV (ultra violet) cannot pass thru thick aquarium glass or windows, it just reflects it. The UV band is a deep penetrating spectrum of light best used in SW aquariums, esp those with corals that produce their own foods in a symbiotic relationship w/ zooxanthellae algae. I think you'll find a heathier more stable tank with a T5 as Light excities/charges molecules - gets them moving faster. This is important for PH and the buffering ability for the comlpex molecules called seawater.
 
I am looking for a reef LED right now. Its just taking longer than I thought to get my hands on it.

I did not know that it was so important to do weekly water changes though. Should I supplement the tank with maybe one gallon of regular tap water when I do the changes to get the elements? I do hit it with a generous capful of Essential Elements once a week though. We're on a well so will it hurt the system? Or will my getting with the program and just figuring things out be enough?

The fish seem to be happy enough. My damsel's a bright electric blue except when I'm poking around in the tank and randomly turn the light on in the middle of the night, lol. I don't have the balls or the know-how to attempt coral yet. And the two inverts I have so far are doing fine. My shrimp's already molted so I'm assuming everything's fine as far as fish and elements go. Is this an incorrect assumption? I've kind of been approaching this like I would raising a dog. He'll let me know when he's gotta pee or his food's out, other than that, I can assume everything's ok. On the other hand, fish don't tell you very often when something's wrong, do they? They just up and die....hmmm.....

There's so much more to this than I expected going into it. lol. So much to know. I'm happy I've been directed here, you guys are really doing quite well with this newblet's ignorance. I'm grateful for it. And so are my lovelies! ;)
 
Obviously with good water parameters your doing the right thing - A#1 by having just a few lil' fishies in a larger volume of water - this puts the PPM (Parts per Million - the ratio of h20 to say Nitrate or Phosphate or others) on your side. The good thing about salties is the slower you grow the better. This gives you time to upgrade to the proper equipment and understand how to become an amateur chemist.

As for you Q's - No to tapwater, this is a step backwards. Everything needs replenished including Salt, you'll need to set up a W/C tank or bucket, 10% of 55 is less than 6 gal. Mix salt and Ro/DI water in the bucket to achieve a salinity of 1.023 to 1.025 max. A simple $6 hydrometer will do the job measuring salinity. In this bucket you'll need a heater because heat also effects PH and salinity. Also a cheap pump or powerhead to keep the water moving. Let it set up for 24 hours to stabilize then just simpley swap out 5-6 gal of saltwater. Try to match everything - PH, Heat, and salinity to your tank. Once you start it gets really easy.

Rule of thumb - if you can't test for it or didn't - don't use it. Fortunately for your shrimp trace contains Iodine, the key element to molting, RO/DI water has zero iodine. Saltmixes contain trace elements of everything, by weekly w/c's your adding this stuff and will no longer need to dose trace.
A build up of too much trace like cooper, zinc, and other heavy metals that aren't used can be harmful so don't be "generous" - stick to maufactuers guidelines.

Ya fish don't get diarrhea, runny noses, or vomitt they just grasp for air then die. This is why we test the water for all kinds of things - Good Husbandry. An aquarium is pretty much one large toliet bowl, another reason we do weekly w/c's. Could you imagine living in a closet with no toliet for a lifetime? Your lifespan would be short and miserable.

LEDs are coming of age, they are expensive but pay for themselves over a few years in electric bill savings and bulb replacement. Just be sure to buy a quality unit reef rated for 55 gal. The watts per gal. rule has been thrown out the window.

There is alot to know making a salwater reef eco-system, part of the appeal is the never ending quest for success. You mentioned early on plans to upgrade someday to corals. Best to use the time between now and then to get things right 1st - will be less of a headache when you do. Glad to help.
 
I did what Wiggles said and took the rocks out and let them dry up. Put them back in. Then did a water change and added 10 lbs of LR rubble (not from petco). I got some new playmates (more astrea (sp?) snails and hermit crabs) and the fuzz looks like its now in small patches all over the rock. We're talking like 25% of it now.

1. Is it possible that its coming from the water?
2. Could it be bacterial?
3. Is there anyone out there who will eat it and if so, where do I get my hands on him?
4. Wishful thinking - Is it possible its not harmful and I'm just overreacting??

Oh, I don't know if this matters or not, but I also found on one of them a patch of what looked like red fuzz so I touched it and tiny see-through balls squirted out. Are these eggs of some sort or is my fuzz mutating?
 
Kinda sounds like Red Balloon Algae

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cichlid_king said:
Kinda sounds like Red Balloon Algae
Click to expand...

I googled the red balloon algae. I don't have anything that looks like that. It was a nice thought though, thanks for the idea. It looks like smaller pieces of the pics above with the shrimp just growing wherever in the tank. Its getting frustrating... I do have a fuzz that looks like a pineapple though...lol.
 
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