effects of high silicate

[cagri]

Another observation is that, little filaments of algae started dislodging and floating in the tank within hours of first dose of algeafix, I only dosed it twice as it took care of %60 of the algae, weakened it enough that my snails and fish took care of the rest(in the next 3 weeks following the first 2 applications), interesting thing is that my fish did not touch the stuff until after algeafix dosing and algae became weakened.

[CeeGee]

I add dose number 2 this evening. So far it seems to be working. I don't want to get too ahead of myself though as the pimafix looked really promising at first and it didn't turn out so well.

Just for the record, I have started my ULNS again, added algaefix, and a UV sterilizer.

[CeeGee]

If anyone still cares.

I am up to dose #5 of algaefix. It looked promising at first but has been slow going since dose #2.

That being said I am definitely winning the battle it seems. I think the combo of algaefix, the ULNS starting to kick in and the UV sterilizer is working although not as quickly as I would like. I am also diligently cleaning out the detritus out of the tank (BB setup) every week and changing about 1/5th of my water in the process.

I am pretty sure I have high phosphate in the rock even though I cooked it prior to putting it in the tank. Corals are all looking terrible still. I just wish my frogspawns would open up again. I don't think the corals are liking the algaefix at all.

[luther1200]

Hope you win the battle. Thanks for the update.

[HighlandReefer]

CeeGee,

I curious as to what your nitrate & phosphate readings are at this point.

[Marklu]

I am on my 4th dose of algae fix and it doesn't seem to be doing much. I recently added a seio pump to my display and it quickly became engulfed in this crap.

[CeeGee]

Originally posted by HighlandReefer
CeeGee,

I curious as to what your nitrate & phosphate readings are at this point.

0 Nitrate always has been.
I have no idea on phosphate as I don't have a colorometer or whatever they are called and every test kit I have ever used shows 0. I am getting a light dusting of algae on the glass every 3 days so they have to be above 0 I would assume. I am about 4 weeks into the ULNS. I figure it will take quite a few months to see the full effect.

[HighlandReefer]

CeeGee,

I hope it works for you. Still sounds promising.

[HighlandReefer]

Marklu,

Your are fighting this same pest as CeeGee, from what I understand.

Many hobbyists report control after the 5 dose mark also. FWIW, I would try to physically remove (including siphoning) as much of this pest as possible. It will be better to remove the pest a day before dosing the AlgaeFix.

[redfishsc]

As a side note, don't some fungi love carbohydrates and other carbons, like the things we dose (vodka, sugar, etc...)?

I'm thinking in particular of some forms of yeast.

[CeeGee]

I am not totally convinced this is a fungus as the fungus medication I used actually made it grow at an accelerated rate.

I just checked my Nitrate again (I haven't checked it lately) and it couldn't be any lower on my LaMotte test kit. If I didn't know any better I would say it is in the negatives

[mixer911]

Chris,
Glad to hear you making head way on that crap.... When did you get that rock. I have heard the some of the older base rock like you have was high in phoshate and leaching. I think we need to make a club buy and get a Colorimeter. I would love to know where mine stands too.

[CeeGee]

Originally posted by mixer911
Chris,
Glad to hear you making head way on that crap.... When did you get that rock. I have heard the some of the older base rock like you have was high in phoshate and leaching. I think we need to make a club buy and get a Colorimeter. I would love to know where mine stands too.

Hey Rick!

I was hoping to come by and check out your setup sometime soon. You busy tomorrow? I have to cruise to franklin and could come back 840 and stop by murfreesboro. Send me a pm if that sounds cool.

I am going to get some pics going tonight at some point if I have time.

I bought that rock from a company called Reefer Rocks (No longer in business when business was booming for them....hmmmmmm) years ago probably about 3 to be exact. The ghost algae started about that time. Before that my tank looked pretty good. Not great but everything was healthy. I asked whether I should cook it and was told no just throw it in.

I have 3 things on my list to purchase and no cash for any of them . A colorometer, a tunze osmolator, and a i-Tech 100 or 200 skimmer.

Also it may be too soon to know but I am wondering if it is possible that the algaefix may kill red flatworms and redbugs? After the frag swap I received both as my father was in the hospital (fell the day before and broke his hip) and I just didn't have time to dip them. I felt my Dad was more important than the tank. The only reason I went is because Fishdoc11 had already cut me some frags and I felt obligated.

Anyways since adding the algaefix I haven't seen either and I have been looking for them.

[Bri Guy]

Im glad I found this thread! I recently seen I have some clear slimy stuff growin in my reef, it seems to stick to plastic so far (with fingers crossed) And I have some floating in the low current parts of my fuge.

The stuff on my return hoses looks to be the same as what you have CeeGee, but I wonder if the stuff floating in my fuge is the same, they both showed up at the same time, I assumed they were the same

I was thinking a bacteria of some sort, but on the returns it sticks pretty good.

[mixer911]

mi casa is su casa! anytime man! i will shoot you a pm!!!

Bri guy, is that a tooth brush!! you need ghost busters,

[HighlandReefer]

Bri Guy,

It looks to be the same pest to me.

One way to tell if it is a fungus or bacterium, according to Boomer, is to take a sample of this pest out and apply some Methyl blue to it. If it stains with the Methyl blue, then it is a _____________? I can't remember which stains with the Methyl Blue, Perhaps Boomer can chime in. I can't find the thread that Boomer posted this information in.

[Boomer]

It is not Fungus. All of that suff you guys are seeing is not fungus but a bacterial growth. Fungus is, very, very rare in seawater. If you leave a dead fish in the tank long enough and it turns fuzzy, that is fungus, not this stuff.

I am not totally convinced this is a fungus as the fungus medication I used actually made it grow at an accelerated rate.

That means nothing as allot of the so called "fungus" is not fungus at all but bacteria that mimics an appearance of fungus. For decades people have had a bad habit, to include drug people, to call it fungus if it is fuzzy like which is not an ID. What is the med ? If the fungus med made it accelerate why would it be a fungus? You have that backwards. The drug is probably fueling the bacteria to grow.

[Marklu]

A bacteria would mean that carbon dosing is actually perpetuating the problem. Maybe those of us that are carbon dosing should quit and try some gfo.

[HighlandReefer]

Many have tried that too without success. Bacteria can derive their food directly from the fish food before it has a chance of braking down. I don't think you will be able to starve the bacteria to death without killing everything else in your tank first. I am not saying reducing your nitrate, phosphate and organics will not help.

[HighlandReefer]

This is the reason that I really hope that the AlgaeFix can completely eradicate this bacterial pest. If you don't eradicate it, it will multiply quickly and you will be back to where you started from in no time. Sorry to say that a bacterial pest is more difficult to get rid of than the cyanobacteria which need light to survive in many cases.

[jtZoo]

If anyone is near a university I can say with a high degree of certainty that a Marine/Micro/Molecular Biologist would not mind throwing a sample of this under a nice microscope to help get a decent ID. I would suggest looking at the online course catalogs to find a proper teacher to contact before showing up though!

[CeeGee]

Originally posted by Boomer
[B]It is not Fungus. All of that suff you guys are seeing is not fungus but a bacterial growth. Fungus is, very, very rare in seawater. If you leave a dead fish in the tank long enough and it turns fuzzy, that is fungus, not this stuff.

If the fungus med made it accelerate why would it be a fungus? You have that backwards. The drug is probably fueling the bacteria to grow.

If you read what I wrote I said that I don't think it is a fungus so I don't have anything backwards as far as I can tell. It was mention by Cliff that it may be a fungus as it has no chlorophyl. I don't really care what it is I just want it to go away

If I had to wager I would say that my carbon source and bacteria that I am adding is what is helping the most. The algaefix seems to have hit a wall for lack of a better term. I keep adding it like the bottle says but it isn't driving the final nail into the coffin.

[HighlandReefer]

CeeGee,

Yes, I was the culprit that mentioned it looks like a fungus to me. It will not be the last time Boomer comes down on me either.

I would stop dosing the carbon source and give it about a week. Then I would try squirting some diluted AlgaeFix (diluted with your tank water) directly on this pest. If this does not work, I would then try stop feeding your fish for a least three days and hit it with the AlgaeFix at that point. I can't come up with anything else at this point to try.

[CeeGee]

The tank is in much better shape at the moment than it has been in a long time. Corals aren't real happy but I attribute that to the algaefix. I remembered on my last tank (where this stuff was incredibly bad) when I began the carbon source and bacteria after about 6 weeks into it I could blow this stuff off my frag rack with a turkey baster easily. So it was working albeit slowly.

For the time being I am going to continue doing what I am doing as it is working. I think if I were just using a carbon source I would be in real trouble but I am also dosing bacteria that helps to keep one type (this bad stuff) from taking over. It keeps it varied.

This is very similar to what SunnyX is doing with his tank. He started dosing vodka and had a algae bloom. He stopped dosing the vodka and started dosing bacteria (to keep it varied and preventing the bad stuff from outcompeting the others) and then restarted the vodka and it works. You just have to keep the bacteria "multi-cultural" if you will.

The one clue that lets me know something is definitely working is the fact that I was able to scrub this stuff of my frag plugs with a toothbrush this weekend. Before this stuff would have laughed at a toothbrush. I will get some pics tonight so you can see the difference.

[HighlandReefer]

CeeGee,

It sounds to me that you have a good grip about the processes going on regarding this pest. Your plan sounds good to me.

Please keep us posted. I would like to see a control measure developed for this particular pest, since it seems to show up every now and then.