Black death covering everything...

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

Ok, my tank has been set up over a year now, and now I am having a problem with this black mold-looking stuff that has covered the rocks. It hasnt done much to the corals except the GSP that is seems to be doin in, but the corals are also turning dark...some are brown already (otherwise blue + red SPS types). Any ideas on what this is? What should I look out for and how can I deal with it? Its doesnt look like algae, as it just looks like a moss, and can even be picked off easily...but it is just spreading too fast.

[RustySnail]

Wow can you post some pictures? I had a dark purple/black cyano that was growing in my tank as you described once. But it did not bother any corals except for zoos or GSP. The slime would bother it and keep it from opening.

Check your water params; something might be out of balance that is causing this stuff to bloom. I'd look at pH, Temp, Salinity, Alk, Ca, Mg, A/N/N, PO4. Check for adequate skimmer performance, maybe run some carbon if you think organics might be high.

[moggyhill]

what are your parameters?

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

Well, I was hoping to get some feedback before running the whole battery of tests. The only one I know for sure is that my phosphates are 0, salinity is 1.025. The rest I suppose I will just have to do when I get a chance this evening.

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

http://www.nano-reef.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=10997

[H20ENG]

Sounds like you need to increase your flow by a lot. What do you have running now?

"Um, OK, but, thats my stapler" I love that movie!

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

Well, the tank, a 20H, has about 250gph going through the sump, and two MJ1200s on a wave timer.

[bdblkta]

possibly chicken liver sponge? Just a Guess

[onereefnotenuf]

since it comes off easily, i would mix 40 or 50 gal of water start siphoning this stuff off the rocks and replace with new water as i went. maybe do it over 2 or 3 days so the new water wouldn't shock the tank too bad?

[dascharisma]

I'm not sure if it is the same thing, but I had a similar problem a few months back. I found that reducing flow on the rocks would make the black stuff die off. To this day if i have a powerhead aimed directly at a rock from close range the blackness returns.

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

A similarly strange thing has been happening to my corals...many are changing color...either brown or they are turning faded white...not bleaching so much as the color is just going from vivid to faded. Really weird.

I tested phosphates, pH, nitrates...and found that they are all fine. I am beginning to suspect sediment buildup in my sump as a potential culprit. I dont have a test for "total organics", but I would bet that all the sediment in my sump's refugium...also nasty and black...prolly a form of cyano or something that not even my tuxedo urchin will eat...

I have been neglecting cleaning the sump on account of my new tank being set up this week...and all the corals will be swapped out anyways. But I think I will still pull out the sump, remove the mushroom rocks, critters, and macro...remove the sand, and give the thing a complete overhaul.

What confuses me is that a friend if mine has large coral grow-out in his basement. Multiple rubbermaid vats. I recently visited and saw his corals starting to turn brown. He said it was because he needed a new bulb. But he uses a 6" deep southdown DSB which seems to be giging him troubles, as well as having a ref flatworm outbreak like I tend to get. My AB bulb is only 9 months old...but it could have gone south...so I am getting a new bulb as well...a pheonix 14,000K. Well see. Something tells me its the sediment, as I run the main tank bottomless, so there is no real bacterial treatment of all that buildup like if I had sand. If not that, it might be the light...but well see. I now see why so many who run the berlin method with a barre bottom use sediment socks on their downspout. Hmmm...maybe the organic buildup has something to do with why my skimmer hasnt been removing a whole lot...

[arrowkrab]

sounds like cynobacteria which is not a alergy use some myicide 1 tablet for every 100 gallons wont hurt your corals butwill make your skimmer go nuts shut off four couple days.use carbon after couple days. good luck.

[DLS]

Have you replaced your bulbs recently?

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

no, going on 9 months...

[orandito]

lower your salinityat 1.022 -23

[tritontr21]

BUY AS MANY MEXICAN SNAILS YOU CAN !!

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

actually, I think the salinity thing worked! There is some left, but just on the snail's shells!