Cyano? Brown Hair? Diatoms?

[DocRose]

Looking for help to ID this problem I've been having. Been going on for over two weeks now with no signs of slowing down. Up until today I had only ever viewed the tank under my lighting schedule. So I thought I was only dealing with either brown hair algae or diatoms. However, when I turned my cool whites all the way up for these pictures, I realized I was dealing with some green algae and some cyano as well.

Info:
Tank's Lifetime - A little more than 2 months. Had a 50% WC after the cycle completed (about five weeks ago). This tank started as Fluval 13.5, and has since gone up to this 29g with a 10g sump/fuge. When I made that transition (about four weeks ago), obviously more (fresh) SW was added. So I consider that to be a partial "WC" as well.

Salinity - 1.024
pH - 8.4
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Alkalinity - 13.4
Calcium - 465
Temp - 77 (for some reason drops to 75 at night)

Lighting Schedule: Please keep in mind that as of last week I went from a 12 hour down to a 8 hour schedule, and haven't seen any improvement yet.

And finally, this is what I'm dealing with.

Hard to tell, I know. So here it is with all whites.

Close ups.

I was thinking of doing a 3 day black out to see if that helps, but I figured I'd come here first. I'm open to ALL ID suggestions, and solutions to take care of the problem; but please prioritize non-chemical based solutions first. Thanks!

EDIT - In the first three of the last five pictures, the brown stuff is long, hairy and flows freely in the current where it's attached. The fourth image is new to me as I'm just now seeing it tonight under the all whites. The fifth picture is also new for the same reason.

 

[Ro Bow]

looks like cyano...

 

[BostonReefer300]

You're going through the uglies stage. That being said, you likely need to clean your water up. Do you have a skimmer going in your sump? That would be the first suggestion. Also, with your setup and given that you're new to the game, you should be doing regular water changes. Opinions vary, but start with 10% water changes once a week. In addition to the other tests you showed, do you have a good phosphate test?

 

[DocRose]

You're going through the uglies stage. That being said, you likely need to clean your water up. Do you have a skimmer going in your sump? That would be the first suggestion. Also, with your setup and given that you're new to the game, you should be doing regular water changes. Opinions vary, but start with 10% water changes once a week. In addition to the other tests you showed, do you have a good phosphate test?

Oh! Forgot to include the Phosphates. They're 0 as well. I'm not new though, just this setup is new. I AM new to the nano game! ;Happy No skimmer, as the tank's really too small to need one. Aiming for a minimalist W/C approach, but I knew that in the beginning there was the chance I'd have to do them, until the system balances itself out.

 

[BostonReefer300]

Oh! Forgot to include the Phosphates. They're 0 as well. I'm not new though, just this setup is new. I AM new to the nano game! ;Happy No skimmer, as the tank's really too small to need one. Aiming for a minimalist W/C approach, but I knew that in the beginning there was the chance I'd have to do them, until the system balances itself out.

Oh ok. What specific tests are you using for NO3 and PO4? Regardless, my guess is that they're reading zero because the algae is eating up the nutrients. I'd suggest doing a weekly water change. If you're not using a skimmer (I also don't use one on my daughter's 20G cube), then I suggest doing a 20% water change weekly. This will keep your water clean and will also replenish needed elements.

 

[DocRose]

What specific tests are you using for NO3 and PO4? I'd suggest doing a weekly water change. This will keep your water clean and will also replenish needed elements.

Salifert is the test kit(s) I'm using at the moment.

And should I do a black out to "kill" the nuisance or will just doing the water change kill it off? If I should, how long?

 

[BostonReefer300]

With that small amount of algae, it should go away on its own with regular water changes. With the beginning of the uglies, now is a great time to add a clean up crew if you're so inclined. Check out ReefCleaners.org. John @reefcleaners is a great guy and his site has great suggestions for any tank size or problem

 

[DocRose]

With that small amount of algae, it should go away on its own with regular water changes. With the beginning of the uglies, now is a great time to add a clean up crew if you're so inclined. Check out ReefCleaners.org. John @reefcleaners is a great guy and his site has great suggestions for any tank size or problem

Nice. I’ve had a pretty consistent CUC since the cycle ended. 3 Nassarius and 3 Red Legged Hermits. I haven’t seen the Nassarius in about a week, but then again I haven’t been looking at the tank at night much lately. I lost one hermit (found his body floating around in the tank one day) but I’m not sure why. I added two Emerald Crabs when I thought it might have been brown hair algae, but neither one made it. One died the next day and the other after about a week. I think they were just over stressed or poorly acclimated.

I planned to grabs some Astrea and Trochus when I next go to the LFS. Should be today since they should be getting some pods in today.

 

[DocRose]

So after a water change and about five days this is where things are. Still part of the uglies or is something else going on here?

 

[BostonReefer300]

I can't tell if that thick green stuff in the right picture is hair algae or turf algae. I see cyano too but that's no big deal. What are your PO4 and NO3 at now?

 

[DocRose]

I can't tell if that thick green stuff in the right picture is hair algae or turf algae. I see cyano too but that's no big deal. What are your PO4 and NO3 at now?

Sorry. I was waiting for some new salt to come in before messing around again. So as of today (I’ve made no adjustments since last post) the PO4 is still 0 and NO3 is still 0. But as you said that could be because the algae is processing it.

I believe the green was a combo of turf and hair. I picked up a couple of my trochous and astrea and placed them right on top of it and they’ve been munching on the turf for a couple days. Cleared a small patch.



The cyano is definitely spreading though.



Doing another water change today and also hooking up a dual GFO and carbon rector I picked up.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Just the "ugly stage." Happens to everyone.

 

[BostonReefer300]

Just watch the GFO use carefully. If the algae really starts disappearing, consider taking the GFO out before all the algae is gone. The risk is that GFO can strip PO4 out to zero super fast and then you can get a dino explosion.

 

[DocRose]

Just watch the GFO use carefully. If the algae really starts disappearing, consider taking the GFO out before all the algae is gone. The risk is that GFO can strip PO4 out to zero super fast and then you can get a dino explosion.

Will do! But… Why does the Dino explosion correlate to 0 PO4?

 

[BostonReefer300]

Based on what I've painfully learned over the last several months, dinos take hold and explode when other nuisance algae/bacteria isn't around to compete for real estate and resources. Dinos still need nutrients, but can scavenge it at very, very low levels better than others. Then, I think (but don't know) that once they get a foothold, they protect their territory with their toxins. Anyway, that's how I've come to think of them.

 

[DocRose]

Based on what I've painfully learned over the last several months, dinos take hold and explode when other nuisance algae/bacteria isn't around to compete for real estate and resources. Dinos still need nutrients, but can scavenge it at very, very low levels better than others. Then, I think (but don't know) that once they get a foothold, they protect their territory with their toxins. Anyway, that's how I've come to think of them.

My corals and chaeto won’t help to keep them from growing in?

 

[BostonReefer300]

No. Both of them consume nutrients and so can lead to low nutrient conditions which encourage dinos. Dinos will also grow right on top of both and, particularly with corals, damage them.

 

[DocRose]

Well I got a Hanna ULR kit yesterday. Did a test tonight and my PO4 read 0.07. That’s about three or four days with the GFO running. I’ll post pictures in the morning of what things look like now.

 

[BostonReefer300]

Ok. That’s a pretty good PO4 level. I aim for 0.1 ppm

 

[stacksoner]

Crazy to have SPS in a tank this young.