Send me yours

Identification is free. Write to me at contact@algaeid.com.

This is a hobby, not a business, so I may take a few days (sometimes longer) to reply. I will tell you what I think it is, give you some tips for dealing with it, and, if your pest is not already in the ID guide, I may ask to use your pictures on this site to help others. I will always ask first.

The best way: photos and video

These days I help most people by reviewing microscope pictures and video that you take locally. If you cannot use a microscope, see the microscope advice for how to buy one cheaply, borrow one, or take pictures through one.

What helps most:

• Video as well as stills. How the cells move is a major clue, and the first thing I look for. A ten-second clip of one cell and a clip of a field of cells are both useful.
• Several magnifications. For example 40X to 100X for the overall picture and 400X for individual cells. Tell me the objective you used, and which camera or phone.
• Sharp focus on the cells. Many first images are focused on the glass slide rather than the algae. The crayon-line trick helps.
• Full-resolution files. Please do not send tiny, heavily compressed copies.
• A photo of the tank showing where the pest is growing and what it looks like to the naked eye.
• A few details: how old the tank is, what has changed recently, nitrate and phosphate if you test, what you have tried so far, and whether anything has died.

If you share files through Google Drive, Photos, or Dropbox, make sure the link works for anyone who has it. I cannot open files that need me to request access. A YouTube link (unlisted is fine) also works.

Mailing a sample

Samples are welcome, but please email me before you ship, and tell me when it should arrive, so it does not sit in a mailbox. A tracking number is ideal. I have not had great luck with samples shipped in the winter, so a photo is often the better route then. If you live in New England, email me about dropping a sample off in person.

Ship the sample the way you would ship hardy corals or macroalgae:

• The sample must not freeze or get too hot in transit. In hot weather use an ice pack. In cold weather use a heat pack. Do not let the pack touch the sample container.
• A container about the size of a urine sample bottle is plenty (bigger is wonderful, but costs more to ship). Fill it at least half with water, since a container with plenty of water is much safer for the cells. A screw top is best.
• Put the container in a sealed plastic bag in case it leaks.
• Put all of this in a styrofoam or cardboard box with lots of packing material.
• Shipping does not need to be fast, but if you use a hot or cold pack, make sure the method is fast enough to arrive before the pack is exhausted.
• Pictures of where the sample was taken are helpful too.