Black Tar???

[Stringer]

What is this black tar looking stuff growing on my live rock? What causes it and how do I get rid of it?

I tried to snap a pic of it but it would not be clear enough to submit.

[Stringer]

Help Anyone

[Laura D]

Might be a sponge??

I have some black sponges in my tank, that I suppose could be described as "tar like" in appearance.

Can you give more details?
Is it growing in the shade or the lit portions of the tank?
Do you see any holes or siphons?
What does it feel like?
Does it move?
ect. ect.

Why do you want to get rid of it if you don't know what it is?

[Tcook]

Does it look like this?

http://ectoreef.homestead.com/files/Algae/DieLobo.jpg

[Stringer]

TCook,

Thanks, that's looks like it only closer to black. What is that and how can I get rid of it?

And thanks so much for taking the trouble to take a pic and post it.

[REEFGIRL1]

I had some right after my cycle, it's cyano

[Stringer]

My tank is over 1 year old. Kinda late for it to be cycling.

[REEFGIRL1]

you can have a cyanobacteria outbreak anytime that the conditions in your tank are favorable for it. Do a search for cyano or red slime in this forum for suggestions on getting rid of it.

[Jeff B]

Take a turkey baster and see if you can blow it off the rock. If you can it's probably cyano. If you can't, my guess would be some type of sponge.

jeff

[Tcook]

The pic is of brown wafer algae, Lobophora varigata. I f what you have is jet black, it might be something else. Lobophora is difficult to get rid of. I've just added 4 short-spined urchins to my tank to see if they go after it among other things. Do a search here at RC and you'll find alot of threads on the subject.

[Stringer]

It can be blown off the rock.

Since my tank is over a year old, what could be causing this?

[REEFGIRL1]

too many nutrients (overfeeding), old bulbs, phosphate, nitrates
what do you use for filtration?

[Stringer]

Not over feeding, my foxface and sailfin tang are eating my corals cause they feel underfed.
Phosphates are .1, ph runs around 8.2-8.4, lights are new, VHO (3 blue and 1 white), 1 400 watt MH, and filtration consist of CPR Bak Pak, and Fluval 404, Live rock. semi live sand.

[REEFGIRL1]

you may want to check your nitrates, what is in the canister filter?
the bakpak may not be enough skimmer for a 75, do you use RO/DI water for topoff and changes?

[Tcook]

Any snail or crab deaths? Area that are getting good flow?

What's the Fluval 404? A canister filter? Why, and what's in it?

[Jeff B]

How much water movement is in your tank? If it's mainly growing in out of the way places you may need to add a powerhead or two.

jeff

[Stringer]

Fluval is a canister filter. It contains a sponge type media, some ceramic bio chips and a section of charcoal.

It was what was recommended to me when I started this obsessive hobby and did not know anything.

[REEFGIRL1]

get rid of the sponge and the bio media, they are nitrate factories
the carbon is ok

[Stringer]

That fluval has been running about 14 months and my nitrates are always 0.

[REEFGIRL1]

have you tried a different test kit or had your LFS test your water?
something is feeding the cyano

[Stringer]

Yes to both.

[Jeff B]

How bad is it? Covering all the rocks or just isolated in a few places? What type of circulation do you have?

jeff

[Stringer]

Circulation is good. Spray bar, 2 power heads. It's covering parts of several rocks and trying to cover my galaxy coral.

[Tcook]

Originally posted by Stringer
That fluval has been running about 14 months and my nitrates are always 0.

Probably tanks to youy sand bed. There is no real need for the canister filter. I'd get rid of it. Put the carbon in a micron bag and throw it into the sump. I have used UltrLife Red Slime Remover which worked well. Of course it doesn't remove what caused the problem in the first place.