Red Alge

[Milo]

How do you know if you have red alge? other than the obvious? I came home yesterday and got ready to feed my fish when i noticed that around my filter (where the water gets sucked in and where it gets pushed out) was all orange. Looked like rust really. It was also on one of my power heads (on the top) and in the little compartment where water comes out of my skimmer (that was probably the most affected, also closest to the light).

Is this red alge? It looks alot like rust. There isn't anything in there that could make it rust. Anyone know?

 

[britnewt3]

I wish I knew what it was I also have it.

 

[Joe Fish]

If it looks like rust it's probably brown algae or diatoms. Do you use RO water? If not this is probably the source of it. It thrives in water containing silicates. I believe some snails will eat this stuff, but I can't think of what they are. Maybe Astrea snails.

 

[Milo]

I do use RO Water. I pick it up from the LFS. Funny thing is that I just did a water change over the weekend. Everything seemed fine and I came home yesterday to a rustful tank.

Is this harmful for my fish or snails? How do I get rid of it? I have 12 turbo snails in the tank and 2 clown fish right now. I was planning on going back to the LFS tonight to pick up some more fish. Was gonna be a onespot rabbitfish but thats another post... Grrrr.

 

[Joe Fish]

If it is diatoms then they will disappear in a few days. I get them once a month for a day or two then they disappear. It is pretty common stuff in a new tank and will come and go for about the 1st year. I thought using RO water would elmintate that stuff, but I guess not. What is your substrate consist of? It's not harmful, just ugly looking. I bought one of the magnet cleaner things to clean it off, but I did notice my blenny picking at it on the glass. Or at least I thought I did he could have been going after something else.

 

[Milo]

Hi Joe,

Currently in my tank I have about 45lbs of LR with about 1.5inches of arragonite (sp) mixed with LS. I just started my water changes on the weekend and have used RO Water.

Should i take out the fluff stuff that is sitting in the little canister with the skimmer and try to remove as much algae as possible? Should i go and get another fish tonight or wait untill the algae is gone?

 

[Joe Fish]

You should empty your skimmer cup weekly if not more. You can scrub it off the glass, but it should disappear from the rocks and sand in a few days. I don't think adding a fish would cause an issue, but I would check the water param before just to check.

 

[Milo]

Hi Joe,

Oh no, i change the cup every few days. I have almost like another cup that goes by the water output (back into the tank) with some fluff stuff in it to capture all the bubbles to make sure they don't go back into the tank. The fluff is now all reddish orangeish with algae. I think i am going to try and clean it.

I checked my water paramaters yesterday when i noticed it and everything was fine. Nitrite was at like 0.2 but i just did a water change and will probably do another one on the weekend.

 

[Joe Fish]

I had the same thing happen to my bakpak. I since cleaned it out the best I could. Aisde from it looking bad I don't think it's bad for the inhabitants.