Red Algae Killing Corals?

Alex1524 · 10/25/2012, 12:10 PM

Hey guys, my tank is a year old now and seems like there's red cyano growing on my corals and they aren't looking healthy. They are thing and long and just growing all over my corals. It's not horrible but you can see it if you look close and seems to be disturbing them. The sand is cyano free along with most of the rocks. Not sure why this is happening or how to solve this issue. My Ca, Mg, and Alk are textbook along with Ammonia, Nitrates, and Nitrites being at 0. Phosphates read zero as well. The only thing I add to my tank is my Ca, Mg, and Alk along with pellets. I haven't used frozen foods in months plus I just changed my T5 bulbs. Also my front and sides of the glass get a film of algae on it daily. If i dont clean it with the mag float it will turn super green. So i'm not sure where this is coming from. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thank you!

You can see if on the front edges of the monti cap...

Top right of the candy cane just flowing...

Beginnings of cyano to flow with the current on w.e it is thats in my sand..

On the right side of the zoanthids also intertwined along top of the pocillipora...

sponger0 · 10/25/2012, 12:48 PM

Nutrients and flow. If you have as much cyano as you say, you are probably going to get 0 on phos and nitrates. How often are you water changes? What kind of skimmer? What is your stock list?

Alex1524 · 10/25/2012, 01:05 PM

Every 2 weeks I do a 15 gallon water change with reef crystals. I have the coralife skimmer. And 5 fish

sponger0 · 10/25/2012, 01:06 PM

How big is your tank? Id like to know that before I say anything else

Alex1524 · 10/25/2012, 01:33 PM

57 Gallon Rimless... Another thing that's making me think is that I use RO water from the store to top off. And I've heard their TDS readings were really high at one point. So that may be the issue. Because I don't see that I'm doing anything else wrong.

The overflow hose dumps right on top of a bag of carbon, and underneath the carbon is filter floss. Then it goes into a chamber with rubble rock and chaeto. Then goes through one of those rectangular grey filter foam things then into the protein skimmer followed by the return pump.

Alex1524 · 10/25/2012, 01:34 PM

sponger0 · 10/25/2012, 01:36 PM

First off, check your phosphates in the water from the store.

Second get a better skimmer.

The carbon is only going to help with impurities and not nutrients. So carbon isnt a factor.

I recommend start doing water changes every week taking out at least 6 gallons and syphoning all the cyano out. This may take a few weeks but will diligence you should be able to combat it.

sponger0 · 10/25/2012, 01:37 PM

Honestly, after seeing your pic, the tank doesnt look bad

Alex1524 · 10/25/2012, 01:37 PM

I have a bag of chemipure elite, I was going to wait until I changed my carbon but should I put that there instead since it helps reduce with the phosphates?

lol its not bad, the algae is just on the corals. And its making me mad because it becomes intertwined in my zoas and corals and I cant take them off. I use my powerheads to stir everything up and it still doesnt come off. And in my big GSP colony when the polyps are closed you can see a bunch of cyano and green algae.

Rottmn · 10/25/2012, 01:41 PM

Good looking tank!!

sponger0 · 10/25/2012, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex1524

I have a bag of chemipure elite, I was going to wait until I changed my carbon but should I put that there instead since it helps reduce with the phosphates?

Invest in a reactor instead. Alot more effective.

Sk8r · 10/25/2012, 04:06 PM

Go to my blog, (blue number under my avatar) look for a post called Algae, and about midway down is how to get rid of this stuff. It's really quite easy to do.

Alex1524 · 10/25/2012, 07:50 PM

Thanks Sk8r...I found something interesting....Besides my 57 Gallon I have a 180 gallon FOWLR. I have a protein skimmer, Uv sterilizer, carbon, and phosban reactor and tested my levels now with the API test kit...Both my 57 and 180 read .25ppm for Phosphate. The common variable is RO water. It cant be the food because I feed my fish pellets and they eat it instantly with nothing left over to turn into nitrates and phosphates.

10/25/2012, 12:10 PM	#1
Alex1524 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Davie, Fl Posts: 583	Red Algae Killing Corals? Hey guys, my tank is a year old now and seems like there's red cyano growing on my corals and they aren't looking healthy. They are thing and long and just growing all over my corals. It's not horrible but you can see it if you look close and seems to be disturbing them. The sand is cyano free along with most of the rocks. Not sure why this is happening or how to solve this issue. My Ca, Mg, and Alk are textbook along with Ammonia, Nitrates, and Nitrites being at 0. Phosphates read zero as well. The only thing I add to my tank is my Ca, Mg, and Alk along with pellets. I haven't used frozen foods in months plus I just changed my T5 bulbs. Also my front and sides of the glass get a film of algae on it daily. If i dont clean it with the mag float it will turn super green. So i'm not sure where this is coming from. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thank you! You can see if on the front edges of the monti cap... Top right of the candy cane just flowing... Beginnings of cyano to flow with the current on w.e it is thats in my sand.. On the right side of the zoanthids also intertwined along top of the pocillipora...

10/25/2012, 04:06 PM	#12
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Go to my blog, (blue number under my avatar) look for a post called Algae, and about midway down is how to get rid of this stuff. It's really quite easy to do. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/25/2012, 12:48 PM	#2
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Nutrients and flow. If you have as much cyano as you say, you are probably going to get 0 on phos and nitrates. How often are you water changes? What kind of skimmer? What is your stock list?

10/25/2012, 01:05 PM	#3
Alex1524 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Davie, Fl Posts: 583	Every 2 weeks I do a 15 gallon water change with reef crystals. I have the coralife skimmer. And 5 fish

10/25/2012, 01:06 PM	#4
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	How big is your tank? Id like to know that before I say anything else

10/25/2012, 01:33 PM	#5
Alex1524 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Davie, Fl Posts: 583	57 Gallon Rimless... Another thing that's making me think is that I use RO water from the store to top off. And I've heard their TDS readings were really high at one point. So that may be the issue. Because I don't see that I'm doing anything else wrong. The overflow hose dumps right on top of a bag of carbon, and underneath the carbon is filter floss. Then it goes into a chamber with rubble rock and chaeto. Then goes through one of those rectangular grey filter foam things then into the protein skimmer followed by the return pump.

10/25/2012, 01:34 PM	#6
Alex1524 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Davie, Fl Posts: 583

10/25/2012, 01:36 PM	#7
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	First off, check your phosphates in the water from the store. Second get a better skimmer. The carbon is only going to help with impurities and not nutrients. So carbon isnt a factor. I recommend start doing water changes every week taking out at least 6 gallons and syphoning all the cyano out. This may take a few weeks but will diligence you should be able to combat it.

10/25/2012, 01:37 PM	#8
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Honestly, after seeing your pic, the tank doesnt look bad

10/25/2012, 01:41 PM	#10
Rottmn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Land of the Sooners Posts: 66	Good looking tank!!

10/25/2012, 07:50 PM	#13
Alex1524 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Davie, Fl Posts: 583	Thanks Sk8r...I found something interesting....Besides my 57 Gallon I have a 180 gallon FOWLR. I have a protein skimmer, Uv sterilizer, carbon, and phosban reactor and tested my levels now with the API test kit...Both my 57 and 180 read .25ppm for Phosphate. The common variable is RO water. It cant be the food because I feed my fish pellets and they eat it instantly with nothing left over to turn into nitrates and phosphates.