Help with ID...what is this?

[JJGeisler]

A few weeks ago I started dowsing with Kalk about 2 out of every 3-4 days. Shortly after dowsing with Kalk began this growth started on the nozzel where the Kalk is injected into the tank. Since then I have a couple other blums of this. The texture is similar to a brush, stiff but still flexible. I have been able to take a brush to the stuff and clean out some of the hair algea and still have this stuff remain. (picture below)

I am assuming it is some type of calcium based algea judgeing from the timing and texture but is it good stuff or what...? I harvested a large clump while cleaning the tank and have placed it in a bag with tank water while I figure out what to do with it..Any suggestions?

[dark horge]

Hi, JJ.

Going on looks alone (which is a terrible handicap when ID'ing algae, har har...

It all reminds me of the brown alga Rosenvingea intricata or maybe one of the more delicate-looking Dictyota's, smothered by mostly the hairy-goopy blue-green alga Hormothamnionen sp. and other opportunists.

I'm inclined to believe your kalk threw something mildly out of whack in the tank, resulting in a nutrient spike of sorts, which in turn allowed these algae to thrive.

hth,
horge

[dark horge]

Either Rosenvingea or the midrib-less Dictyota's are fine to keep, but all algae can become pestilential in quantity if you feed them.

Better check on your dissolved nutrient levels: such a presence of filamentous blue-greens, or even true filamentous greens suggests high nutrients, a lack of appropriate herbivores, and/or a need to tweak your 'biological filter' to better process nitrogenous material.

Sometimes a change in water chemistry (kalk for the first time or after a long break?) can temporarily 'stun' a biological filter, impairing the bacteria's efficiency at procesing nutrients. This leads to a small spike in nutrients that allows algae a leg up.

Deal with algal encroachment harshly: restrict a new alga's presence to one location and obliterate all else. Algal 'blooms' can self-perpetuate, by choking off other life on the rocky substrate, which in turn adds another nutrient spike, and so on, so be ruthless in hand-removal and the application of herbivores like snails.

[JJGeisler]

Thanks for the response Horge....Since I'm not familiar with either of the algaes mentioned, any further advice on what I should do with it? While cleaning large amounts of hair algae out of the tank by hand I have deliberatly left some of this stuff. Since I'm not sure if it's good stuff or not I have left it alone for the moment. Is this stuff of any benefit or should a rip it out?

When this algae first started growing three weeks ago my calcium was around 500, dKH was between 9.6 - 11.2 and PH about 8.2. I stopped the Kalk since I didn't need it. I haven't Kalked for about 1 1/2 weeks and over the weekend Cal was 450, dKH was 7.7 and PH was 7.9! 20% water change and 2-part buffer added, PH back to 8.2 but dKH at 7.0! Added Kalk last night, haven't re-test yet.

JJ

[JJGeisler]

Thanks again Horge! More questions, since yes....the algae is out of control to the point of killing the small corals and choaking the rest. I am totaly discusted with the tank at the moment and very frustrated. Since the Crypto outbreak 5 weeks ago that wiped out every fish except one Firefish, the grazing livestock is limited to the Emerald crabs, Hermit crabs and Astrea snails. They can't keep up. Did add a sand sifter Goby last week which has helped with the algae forming on the sand bed in a few areas but to much for one guy.

I originaly had the protein skimmer on a timer set to run about 14 hours during the day and off 10 hours at night. It is now running 24/7 for the last 3-4 weeks. Actinic light on at 7:00AM, PC lights on at 10:00. Actinic off at 9:00PM, PC off at 10:00PM. Actinic = 14 hours, PC = 12 hours. I'm thing of dropping the light back at least two hours each per day, Yes/No?

N,N,&A are 0, PO4 is 0. Was feeding the Feather duster and couple of coral (Mushrooms were shriveling up like little raisens)Kent Phytoplankton using a syringe about once a week but stopped that a month ago when the algea started going nuts. All the rock is covered with a layer of very fine hair about 1/4" long, like a dense soft brush. The dense long green hair algae is pretty much covering everything which is what I've been trying to harvest by hand. Not easy, not totaly succesful. Takes the powerhead intakes about two days to clog with algae pieces. I added a third PH on Sunday aimed at the sandbed as I was getting areas of detris buildup behind the liverock.

What impact does this amount of algae have on CO2 and oxygen levels?

I just finished ordering a bunch of snails and crabs from Premium Aquatics a few minutes ago to add to the existing crew.

Any other reommendations for wiping out this algae mess?

Thanks....
JJ