Normal cycling algae or other?

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Cara Richman

New Member
Hi. I'm in beginning of week 3 cycling new RSM 500, and this appeared overnight (pic attached). It's colorless. I searched for different "norms" for algae and none looks like this. Is this something I just wait out or treat? I'm using RS Reef Mature program so i haven't added anything else outside that protocol.
 

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Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Hopefully more knowledgeable folks than me will chime in because I'm not sure what that is.

I do know I'd be highly reluctant to treat a tank for algae in general and especially in cycling stage. It can just cause more problems than it's worth. It's better if you can solve the root cause rather than treat with more additives.

I have a thought about what I would do, but let's see what other folks that may actually recognize your problem before I jump in with less informed advice.
 
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Cara Richman

New Member
Pat24601 said:
Hopefully more knowledgeable folks than me will chime in because I'm not sure what that is.

I do know I'd be highly reluctant to treat a tank for algae in general and especially in cycling stage.
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i agree. i don't want to add anything unless i know what I'm dealing with and unless I absolutely have to. I just want to make sure this isn't some sort of bacterial thing. It's funky like underwater cobwebs. Thanks for the reply.
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Cara Richman said:
I got an answer from my LFS...vermetid snail strings. The pictures she sent me look exactly like what's going on in my tank. My live rock came with lots of treats- aiptasia and now this :D
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Oh the joy...

Well, at least you are getting the hard stuff in this hobby out of the way. More difficult way to start, though.
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Interesting.

You know, I literally didn't know what vermetid snails were. Learn something new every day.

The first thing I googled was horror stories about how people reuilt their tank because these things are so out of control.

Then I looked closely at the pictures and I think I might have them all over my tank. I have things coming out of my live rock that kind of look like that which I've never really explained to myself what they are. However, I have no silky threads and they've never really seemed to cause any trouble.

So, I dunno if this is a big deal or not. :)
 
DaveR11

DaveR11

Well-Known Member
Pat24601 said:
Interesting.

You know, I literally didn't know what vermetid snails were. Learn something new every day.

The first thing I googled was horror stories about how people reuilt their tank because these things are so out of control.

Then I looked closely at the pictures and I think I might have them all over my tank. I have things coming out of my live rock that kind of look like that which I've never really explained to myself what they are. However, I have no silky threads and they've never really seemed to cause any trouble.

So, I dunno if this is a big deal or not. :)
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I gave quite a few in my tank Pat but so far they have not caused an issue. But then I'm a rock watching weirdo who (generally) doesn't dip corals and likes the good, the bad and the ugly (hitchhikers.....)
 
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Cara Richman

New Member
DaveR11 said:
I gave quite a few in my tank Pat but so far they have not caused an issue. But then I'm a rock watching weirdo who (generally) doesn't dip corals and likes the good, the bad and the ugly (hitchhikers.....)
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Hahaha. Well, this is a new tank and I imagined some horrific algae or fungus overtaking my tank. I don't see tall tubes on my live rock. I'll have to really get a good picture of anything similar I can find.
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
from the pics Cara, I think you are fine... no worries... I 1st thought the same vermetid snails (harmless filter feeders, you can snap off if you get to many) but they usally self regulate - but I didn't see the tubes either... may be some other type of harmless filter feeder... or maybe even a type of sponge all harmless... imo you have nothing to worry about here ! :nessie:

now the aiptasia it's a curse you want to kill, kill kill - glad to hear you are on it !



index.php
 
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Cara Richman

New Member
nanoreefing4fun said:
from the pics Cara, I think you are fine... no worries...
now the aiptasia it's a curse you want to kill, kill kill - glad to hear you are on it !

index.php
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Oh good! I hate my tank looking like it's covered in Halloween cobwebs, but at least it's nothing horrible, I love zapping the aiptasia with Joe's Juice and watching it implode. DIE DIE DIE!! :chainsaw: I tried torching one and it just came back all singed and haggard looking. The JJ seems to decimate them for good.
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Cara Richman said:
Oh good! I hate my tank looking like it's covered in Halloween cobwebs, but at least it's nothing horrible, I love zapping the aiptasia with Joe's Juice and watching it implode. DIE DIE DIE!! :chainsaw: I tried torching one and it just came back all singed and haggard looking. The JJ seems to decimate them for good.
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In all seriousness, you may want to make sure you've eradicated the aiptasia before you do too much with the tank. It's way easier to do things like take out the rock and kill the aiptasia now than once you have livestock in the tank.
 
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Cara Richman

New Member
Pat24601 said:
In all seriousness, you may want to make sure you've eradicated the aiptasia before you do too much with the tank. It's way easier to do things like take out the rock and kill the aiptasia now than once you have livestock in the tank.
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Yes, makes sense. I've killed the 3 large ones that were obvious from day 1. I've been handling the pop ups with the Joe's Juice. But since I'm going to have to take the live rock out anyway to take care of the vermetids (or even find the source of the cobwebs) then I'll kill whatever other aiptasia I can find.
Get live rock, people said. It's fun. Shoot me!!! haha
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Cara Richman said:
Yes, makes sense. I've killed the 3 large ones that were obvious from day 1. I've been handling the pop ups with the Joe's Juice. But since I'm going to have to take the live rock out anyway to take care of the vermetids (or even find the source of the cobwebs) then I'll kill whatever other aiptasia I can find.
Get live rock, people said. It's fun. Shoot me!!! haha
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Haha!
 
DaveR11

DaveR11

Well-Known Member
I agree with killing the aiptasia but my Vermetids cause no harm. For me having some live rock has been half the fun of the tank. Ok it has been a bit like a spaghetti western, so for me:

  • The good - Stomatella snails, brittle stars, sponges, Mysid shrimp, Isopods and Amphipods, some feather duster worms, Spirorbis worms.
  • The bad - a big flat worm, two different coral eating nudibranchs, a Nemertean worm
  • The ugly - various bristle worms including a fire worm.
But it has been fascinating watching what appears next..... Depends how you want your tank in the end and maybe I'm a bit weird but I like the live and let live approach unless the critter is eating something I bought.

I do wonder if the snot is actually Vermetid worms or something else...
 
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Cara Richman

New Member
cracker said:
I get the same looking stuff. It all seems to come out of the tube worms.
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I cleaned oodles of mucus off rocks, sump, etc.. I got it reasonably clean and it was covered again this afternoon. I said forget it and took all the live rock out and left the Real Reef rock. i went to my LFS and inspected his live rock. I'm going to rebuild with that. It's clean and has been in his tanks for months.
An occasional thread in the tank is one thing, but I had a plague situation and it wasn't enjoyable. My poor CUC was covered in slime.
 
cracker

cracker

Well-Known Member
OHHH I see! It's not just some snot coming out of a few tube worms. If it's all over the rocks and pumps. There is something else going on. What's the name of Your LFS ? Good Luck!
 
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