Redish Algae Developing

[N9mxt1]

Question, I have had my tank going for about 2 months now and it all is doing
fine for the most part. However, my flowerpot Coral started getting taken over
my a brownish algae all over it. Suddenly the coral is now turned WHITE. So,
I am assuming it DIED? I now have red (ALGAE) I am assuming growing all over
the live sand, tank, and the live rock. What exactly is all the red stuff
growing? I am assuming its algae but good algae or bad algae? If its bad how
do you get rid of it all? Or if its good then how long does it stay red? My
snail seems too like it!


Anyway, please let me know...

Thanks

Jeffrey

[Ross Bagley]

(N9mxt1) writes:

> Question, I have had my tank going for about 2 months now and it all
> is doing fine for the most part. However, my flowerpot Coral
> started getting taken over my a brownish algae all over it.
> Suddenly the coral is now turned WHITE.

That's bleaching. The coral is very sick.

> So, I am assuming it DIED?

Not quite, but close. Unless you can remove the stresses (algae) and
provide a healthy environment, the coral will certainly die. With
your tank so immature, that will be quite difficult. I'm fairly
suprised that you would have already added a coral to a two month
old tank.

> I now have red (ALGAE) I am assuming growing all over the live sand,
> tank, and the live rock. What exactly is all the red stuff growing?

If this is the first time you've had brownish algae, this is your
diatom bloom. If you've seen brownish algae once before and this
stuff grows in mats, then it's cyanobacteria.

> I am assuming its algae but good algae or bad algae? If its bad how
> do you get rid of it all? Or if its good then how long does it stay
> red? My snail seems too like it!

It's too much, but an adequate cleaning crew should be able to take
care of it. What about all of your other snails and hermits? You
only mention one snail, but even a big snail is not going to be enough
for even a 10 gallon reef tank by itself.

Regards,
Ross

-- Ross Bagley http://rossbagley.com/rba
"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature...
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." -- Helen Keller

[peobrien]

Red Algae is typically caused by a build up of Phosphates. Very bad at high
levels. You will go nuts cleaning the algae and it will come right back.
I would test your water for Phosphates. (less than $20)

Do you use tap water or RO water?

"N9mxt1" > wrote in message
...
> Question, I have had my tank going for about 2 months now and it all is
doing
> fine for the most part. However, my flowerpot Coral started getting taken
over
> my a brownish algae all over it. Suddenly the coral is now turned WHITE.
So,
> I am assuming it DIED? I now have red (ALGAE) I am assuming growing all
over
> the live sand, tank, and the live rock. What exactly is all the red stuff
> growing? I am assuming its algae but good algae or bad algae? If its bad
how
> do you get rid of it all? Or if its good then how long does it stay red?
My
> snail seems too like it!
>
>
> Anyway, please let me know...
>
> Thanks
>
> Jeffrey