Red Algae

mgtesting · 10/15/2007, 01:56 PM

In the past week or so I have noticed that I have a red colored algae growing on some of my rocks. I have never had this before and it lasts a couple of hours then disappears and seams to appear on a new rock. The algae also has some sort of air bubble trapped in it. Any ideas what it and an if / how I should get ride of it.

mgtesting · 10/15/2007, 01:58 PM

[IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\matt\My Documents\My Pictures\red.jpg[/IMG]

Mavrk · 10/15/2007, 02:00 PM

You are trying to post using an image on your computer:
C:\Documents and Settings\matt\My Documents\My Pictures\red.jpg

It needs to be on a Web site such as photobucket for it to show up (or in your gallery here).

It sounds like cyano, but the fact that it disappears is strange unless it is gettting blown off.

mgtesting · 10/15/2007, 02:02 PM

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showp...p?photo=227888

sory i was having an issue adding the image to the post.

mgtesting · 10/15/2007, 02:03 PM

I would assume it is getting blown or picked off cause i will see chunks of it from time to time floating at the top.

Darth Wader · 10/15/2007, 02:30 PM

That looks like red slime algae (Cyanobacteria). I have been fighting with that myself lately.

uscharalph · 10/15/2007, 02:39 PM

Looks like cyano.

mgtesting · 10/15/2007, 03:00 PM

the other thing is my wq looks good and I am running ozone.

no2 is 0
no3 is 0
ammonia is 0
ph is a bit low at 8.2-8.3

alk is also in range

mgtesting · 10/15/2007, 03:01 PM

so how do i get ride of cyano? ... I have one agressive fish that kills all my snales.

stevensun · 10/15/2007, 03:56 PM

you can look up "Blue Life Red Slime Control". It is coral safe and worked great in my 120g reef tank. Remember to turn off your protein skimmer for several days while using it.

bertoni · 10/15/2007, 04:08 PM

The problem with the chemical treatments is that they've been known to crash tanks, and they're usually only temporary fixes. If you go that routine, I'd suggest siphoning out all the cyanobacteria possible, to limit the decay in the tank.

The cyanobacteria needs food to grow. More flow might help the efficiency of the live rock. A phosphate reactor can help, and growing and harvesting a macroalga is another common approach.

How new is the tank? How much and what is being fed, and how often?

mgtesting · 10/15/2007, 04:26 PM

I have had the tank for about 8 months, and well probably to much food I usually fed 4 or 5 krill and a mix of formula 1 and 2 ever other day. The other days I usually do 2 frozen shrimp and usually a piece of sheet seaweed. Almost all the food is always eaten.

For flow I have 3 areas that circulate the water around the tank, and about 200-250 lbs of live rock... there is way to much rock if you ask me, but well i bought a lot on day when the lfs got some new stuff in about 6 months ago.

I have 2 clowns, 8 tangs, 4 angles, a gig blue carpet, a blue line trigger, and a niger triger. Plus a mix of sps, lps, soft corals and zoas.

Also I have thought of a phosphate reactor however will that interfeer with the ozone?

Also how would I grow and harvesting a macroalga?

Thank you for your help.

bertoni · 10/15/2007, 04:30 PM

That tank is heavily overstocked, in my opinion.

Phosphate won't interfere with ozone. You'd need to add a refugium for macroalgae.

mgtesting · 10/15/2007, 04:37 PM

Anyy suggestions on a Phosphate reactor. At this point a refugium will not work due to space. The setup is in my office and well there is not much additional room.

Also have you worked with ozone, if so I have a few questions.
1. I was orginally suing a Ca reactor to get my ozone into the water, that worked great except after 2 months the reactor started to melt (my orp was 390-420). Now I am running it thought a peice of wood to create micro bubbles inside a ozone safe tube. (The water comes from my circ mump). The discharge ozone exits my office thought a tube in the wall. The other ozone mixed with the water goes thought a carbon filter, however I cannot get my orp over 250. Any suggestions. I was thinking that might help.

THank you

Mavrk · 10/15/2007, 08:23 PM

two little fishies phosban reactor 150 seems to be the standard around here. a minijet 404 is just right for it and is very small. you will also need some 1/2" tubing.

10/15/2007, 01:56 PM	#1
mgtesting Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 96	Red Algae In the past week or so I have noticed that I have a red colored algae growing on some of my rocks. I have never had this before and it lasts a couple of hours then disappears and seams to appear on a new rock. The algae also has some sort of air bubble trapped in it. Any ideas what it and an if / how I should get ride of it.

10/15/2007, 02:39 PM	#7
uscharalph Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,248	Looks like cyano. __________________ Ralph Mendoza Jr. Long Beach, CA Current Tank Info: 80 Gallon Reef Tank

10/15/2007, 04:08 PM	#11
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The problem with the chemical treatments is that they've been known to crash tanks, and they're usually only temporary fixes. If you go that routine, I'd suggest siphoning out all the cyanobacteria possible, to limit the decay in the tank. The cyanobacteria needs food to grow. More flow might help the efficiency of the live rock. A phosphate reactor can help, and growing and harvesting a macroalga is another common approach. How new is the tank? How much and what is being fed, and how often? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/15/2007, 04:30 PM	#13
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That tank is heavily overstocked, in my opinion. Phosphate won't interfere with ozone. You'd need to add a refugium for macroalgae. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/15/2007, 01:58 PM	#2
mgtesting Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 96	[IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\matt\My Documents\My Pictures\red.jpg[/IMG]

10/15/2007, 02:00 PM	#3
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	You are trying to post using an image on your computer: C:\Documents and Settings\matt\My Documents\My Pictures\red.jpg It needs to be on a Web site such as photobucket for it to show up (or in your gallery here). It sounds like cyano, but the fact that it disappears is strange unless it is gettting blown off.

10/15/2007, 02:02 PM	#4
mgtesting Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 96	http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showp...p?photo=227888 sory i was having an issue adding the image to the post.

10/15/2007, 02:03 PM	#5
mgtesting Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 96	I would assume it is getting blown or picked off cause i will see chunks of it from time to time floating at the top.

10/15/2007, 02:30 PM	#6
Darth Wader Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 263	That looks like red slime algae (Cyanobacteria). I have been fighting with that myself lately.

10/15/2007, 03:00 PM	#8
mgtesting Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 96	the other thing is my wq looks good and I am running ozone. no2 is 0 no3 is 0 ammonia is 0 ph is a bit low at 8.2-8.3 alk is also in range

10/15/2007, 03:01 PM	#9
mgtesting Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 96	so how do i get ride of cyano? ... I have one agressive fish that kills all my snales.

10/15/2007, 03:56 PM	#10
stevensun Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: S. CA Posts: 420	you can look up "Blue Life Red Slime Control". It is coral safe and worked great in my 120g reef tank. Remember to turn off your protein skimmer for several days while using it.

10/15/2007, 04:26 PM	#12
mgtesting Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 96	I have had the tank for about 8 months, and well probably to much food I usually fed 4 or 5 krill and a mix of formula 1 and 2 ever other day. The other days I usually do 2 frozen shrimp and usually a piece of sheet seaweed. Almost all the food is always eaten. For flow I have 3 areas that circulate the water around the tank, and about 200-250 lbs of live rock... there is way to much rock if you ask me, but well i bought a lot on day when the lfs got some new stuff in about 6 months ago. I have 2 clowns, 8 tangs, 4 angles, a gig blue carpet, a blue line trigger, and a niger triger. Plus a mix of sps, lps, soft corals and zoas. Also I have thought of a phosphate reactor however will that interfeer with the ozone? Also how would I grow and harvesting a macroalga? Thank you for your help.

10/15/2007, 04:37 PM	#14
mgtesting Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 96	Anyy suggestions on a Phosphate reactor. At this point a refugium will not work due to space. The setup is in my office and well there is not much additional room. Also have you worked with ozone, if so I have a few questions. 1. I was orginally suing a Ca reactor to get my ozone into the water, that worked great except after 2 months the reactor started to melt (my orp was 390-420). Now I am running it thought a peice of wood to create micro bubbles inside a ozone safe tube. (The water comes from my circ mump). The discharge ozone exits my office thought a tube in the wall. The other ozone mixed with the water goes thought a carbon filter, however I cannot get my orp over 250. Any suggestions. I was thinking that might help. THank you

10/15/2007, 08:23 PM	#15
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	two little fishies phosban reactor 150 seems to be the standard around here. a minijet 404 is just right for it and is very small. you will also need some 1/2" tubing.