Purple algae WTF (could this have cause the misterious deaths)

[ysanford]

I have been noticing some type of purple algea in my tank. I was hopeing that it was the coraline finally starting to form but it doesn't look like it at all. For one it isn't attaching to anything it is just lieing in my sand and floating around in little balls at the surface. I have lost my banded shrimp and my cardinal with in the last two days. All of my perameters are fine. Salinity was at the cusp do to evaporation but nothing to be alarmed about. First the banded shrimp went. I found him caught in the current of the powr-head, he didn't look so good after that. I pulled him out of the current fed him alittle bit and then watched him die. I figured it was the stress of being flung around like a nerdy kid in grade school. Then the next day my cardinal killed over? Frantic I checked all of the levels and did an emergancy 1gal water change with a fresh water top of to soften the water. Just wondering if someone can help me solve the mistory of the dieing fish.

Thanks have a great day at the reef.

[+Capt. Obvious]

I have been noticing some type of purple algea in my tank. I was hopeing that it was the coraline finally starting to form but it doesn't look like it at all. For one it isn't attaching to anything it is just lieing in my sand and floating around in little balls at the surface. I have lost my banded shrimp and my cardinal with in the last two days. All of my perameters are fine. Salinity was at the cusp do to evaporation but nothing to be alarmed about. First the banded shrimp went. I found him caught in the current of the powr-head, he didn't look so good after that. I pulled him out of the current fed him alittle bit and then watched him die. I figured it was the stress of being flung around like a nerdy kid in grade school. Then the next day my cardinal killed over? Frantic I checked all of the levels and did an emergancy 1gal water change with a fresh water top of to soften the water. Just wondering if someone can help me solve the mistory of the dieing fish.

Thanks have a great day at the reef.

CYANO!!!!

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/algae/faq_cyano...m=cyanobacteria

[caferacermike]

You have a cyano bacteria outbreak. Normally in small doses it's not a real problem, however it is indicative of larger problems. Generally it is understood to be a regular visitor when your tank cycles and if there is to much waste in your water. The cyano did not kill your fish but may point to other problems. Also the outbreak can be attributed to the loss of a creature, so in turn one dyeing fish may have helped prompt the outbreak.

[ysanford]

It isn't an outbreak yet a few spots here and there. Is there a cure for this I have been doing regular water changes and checking my levels every other day. It is still a young tank though, I have only had it up for about a month now. I keep track of all my livesock, and catch it the day that it goes. Although I am missing some hermit crabs (4 to be exact) no lorger than my pinky nail. Is that enough to crash a 20 long tank? I will continue with the day by day cycleing rituals hopefully my coral will last.

[medi]

I wouldn't think 4 small hermit crabs would be enough to crater the tank. Can you give some more info. about your setup?

[Bill B]

Frantic I checked all of the levels and did an emergancy 1gal water change with a fresh water top of to soften the water.

I was struck with you comment on the emergency 1 GALLON CHANGE. In a 20 gal a 1 gal change is not very much. I would say it is definitely not enough to effect your water if you suspect some form of pollution. I also wonder if this means you have been doing no water changes thus far. Even on a new tank I don't believe 0 changes would be recommended. If changes have been minimal this might be part of the reason for the cyano, although I believe it is very common on new tanks as are diatoms.

Also regarding your powerhead. I think most of the time critters are already weak which is why they are able to be sucked into the 'fan' = they may have very well been weak and thus sucked into the intake as opposed to being sucked into it and becoming weak.

You mention your readings are generically fine. Regarding deaths I would be most suspicious of nitrites or ammonia or possibly even water temps; but just guessing here.

Good luck.

Bill

[ysanford]

Thank you all for the replies. This is the set up that I am running at the moment. 20G long with a suger sand base (I know bad decision) 31 lbs of figi live rock 2 koralia 1 powerheads, skilter 65g skimmer/filter,12k pc lighting 12h lighting cycle, 10 hermits, 3 turbos, 1 arrow crab, No fish survived this tank so far. As for the water changes I have been doing them regularly. The amount was sugested to me from nanoreef.com, should I be doing more than 1g a week? I have tried to do research on the proper amount but it seems that everyone has there own theory. The last 2 days I have shorten the lighting cycle. I gave no light for 24hrs then 6hr the next day, and today I will bring them back to the full lighting schedule. All of the perameters are good as of Wedsday, I will check them again tonight. The cyono has gone away for the moment but I have yet to find the murderer of my fish and shrimp.

[JamesL]

In general, I normally do 25% water changes. So when I had my 24 gallon tank set up, I was doing 5 gallon water changes (was convenient to just use a 5 g bucket to pre-mix the salt water).

For my 75 gallon tank, I am doing about 15 gallon water changes... this is a bit less than 25%.

[ysanford]

Great thanks for the information I will begin the 25% water changes as of today. I didn't realize that you needed to change that much of the water. I will keep this post updated with the results thank you everyone again for all of the help. If there is anything that I can do just ask.