What type of algae is this ? And how do I make it go away

Keitho109 · 02/10/2014, 05:14 PM

I have this red algae starting to spread thru my tank and I'm not sure on how to get rid of. Ill post a picture in the attachments with this post. I was thinking it might be some like red hair algae and read online that it's phosphate problem so I added some phos-ban in my fuge in a high flow area to try and rid the problem. What eats this stuff tangs ? Rabbit fish ? Emerald crabs ?

Mhay · 02/10/2014, 05:32 PM

Possibly cyano. How old is the tank? If it is cyano typically a phosphate reactor will help. If it's a newer tank it might just run its course and be done

Misled · 02/10/2014, 05:36 PM

Yep, that's cyano. As said, if the tank is young, give it some time.

Keitho109 · 02/10/2014, 06:09 PM

Tank is almost two years old I turned off my pumps and let the water become still then scrubbed the stuff off with a tooth brush, netted the big chunks then did a 20 percent water change to suck up what I could that was on the rock/sand/floating. I moved some of the jets around to try and create a different flow threw the tank to maybe help the dead flow areas. I figured it was cyano just wanted to be sure I've only been in the hobby for about two years now. Doing a 75g display tank with a 75 gallon sump build this summer have already bought both tanks. Hopefully more ppm will lessen some of my issues. But I know with bigger tanks come bigger problems.

bnumair · 02/10/2014, 06:17 PM

not algae its cyano bacteria. kill lights for 4 days. increase flow in areas you see it most. its common in young tank.

Sk8r · 02/10/2014, 06:25 PM

Read the sticky on cyanobacteria above. Everybody gets it, but it's usually not a serious problem.

Keitho109 · 02/10/2014, 07:29 PM

Killing the lights for that long won't hurt the corals ?

bnumair · 02/10/2014, 08:56 PM

killing lights for 3-4 days will not hurt corals. hurricanes/storms in seas last for weeks with no sunlight. 3-4 days lights off is a very common practice in reef tanks for rid algae or cyano.

Keitho109 · 02/10/2014, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnumair

killing lights for 3-4 days will not hurt corals. hurricanes/storms in seas last for weeks with no sunlight. 3-4 days lights off is a very common practice in reef tanks for rid algae or cyano.

Makes sense thanks for the advice

Crooked Reef · 02/11/2014, 03:17 AM

Increased flow in the area will help also.

Keitho109 · 03/04/2014, 07:41 PM

Okay so I increased the flow in these areas and did a four day lights out cycle and it hasn't gone away what's the next option. Is been about two months now of battling the stuff trying to brush it off the rock and suck it out in a water change.

AT_Hiker · 03/04/2014, 07:54 PM

I use to battle cyanobacteria a lot, but after I bought a yellow-headed goby the problem went away. now keep in mind that putting a sand-sifting goby in your tank introduces other issues...like your rock work getting knocked over, and having sand where you don't want it, but the cyano is long gone.

Keitho109 · 03/04/2014, 08:30 PM

I have a orange spot goby but I have black sand in my tank I think I'm going to try my luck with white sand in my new 75 gallon build. I just did a water test for the start of this week and here is my results
High range ph is 7.4
Nitrate is 20 ppm
Nitrite is 0ppm
And ammonia is at 0 ppm - 0.25 ppm

faithenfire · 03/05/2014, 06:39 AM

trochus snails are supposed to have a special love for cyano. they work well in my tank
i like them. they last longer than turbos and can turn themselves over and will eat algae too

pyithar · 03/05/2014, 09:59 AM

+1 on trochus snails. when i had cyano in my fuge, i put two of them, and they cleaned every bit of it. i then raised my Mg a bit. i havent seen any cyano since.

Nace · 03/05/2014, 05:40 PM

What are your phosphates at? For me the lights out plus turning back on my reactor with GFO in it solved the problem.

Keitho109 · 03/06/2014, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyithar

+1 on trochus snails. when i had cyano in my fuge, i put two of them, and they cleaned every bit of it. i then raised my Mg a bit. i havent seen any cyano since.

Thanks I have trochus snails on the way

02/10/2014, 05:32 PM	#2
Mhay Crazy Cat Lady Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Woodstock, IL Posts: 468	Possibly cyano. How old is the tank? If it is cyano typically a phosphate reactor will help. If it's a newer tank it might just run its course and be done __________________ Maggie Current Tank Info: Coralife Biocube 29

02/10/2014, 05:36 PM	#3
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	Yep, that's cyano. As said, if the tank is young, give it some time. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

02/10/2014, 06:17 PM	#5
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	not algae its cyano bacteria. kill lights for 4 days. increase flow in areas you see it most. its common in young tank. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

02/10/2014, 06:25 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Read the sticky on cyanobacteria above. Everybody gets it, but it's usually not a serious problem. __________________ 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%.

02/10/2014, 08:56 PM	#8
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	killing lights for 3-4 days will not hurt corals. hurricanes/storms in seas last for weeks with no sunlight. 3-4 days lights off is a very common practice in reef tanks for rid algae or cyano. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

02/10/2014, 06:09 PM	#4
Keitho109 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 78	Tank is almost two years old I turned off my pumps and let the water become still then scrubbed the stuff off with a tooth brush, netted the big chunks then did a 20 percent water change to suck up what I could that was on the rock/sand/floating. I moved some of the jets around to try and create a different flow threw the tank to maybe help the dead flow areas. I figured it was cyano just wanted to be sure I've only been in the hobby for about two years now. Doing a 75g display tank with a 75 gallon sump build this summer have already bought both tanks. Hopefully more ppm will lessen some of my issues. But I know with bigger tanks come bigger problems.

02/10/2014, 07:29 PM	#7
Keitho109 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 78	Killing the lights for that long won't hurt the corals ?

02/11/2014, 03:17 AM	#10
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	Increased flow in the area will help also.

03/04/2014, 07:41 PM	#11
Keitho109 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 78	Okay so I increased the flow in these areas and did a four day lights out cycle and it hasn't gone away what's the next option. Is been about two months now of battling the stuff trying to brush it off the rock and suck it out in a water change.

03/04/2014, 07:54 PM	#12
AT_Hiker Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Clayton, NC Posts: 176	I use to battle cyanobacteria a lot, but after I bought a yellow-headed goby the problem went away. now keep in mind that putting a sand-sifting goby in your tank introduces other issues...like your rock work getting knocked over, and having sand where you don't want it, but the cyano is long gone. __________________ Thanks, Steve Current Tank Info: 75 gal. DT, 20 gal sump using Herbie overflow. Skimmer: SRO XP1000SSS. Return Pump: Eheim 1260. BRS dual reactor for GFO & GAC. Lights: 2 Ecotech XR30W Pro Gen 3, Powerheads: 2 Ecotech MP10s Controller: Neptune Apex Jr. Water: BRS 6 Stage RODI

03/04/2014, 08:30 PM	#13
Keitho109 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 78	I have a orange spot goby but I have black sand in my tank I think I'm going to try my luck with white sand in my new 75 gallon build. I just did a water test for the start of this week and here is my results High range ph is 7.4 Nitrate is 20 ppm Nitrite is 0ppm And ammonia is at 0 ppm - 0.25 ppm

03/05/2014, 06:39 AM	#14
faithenfire it's all IMO Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 430	trochus snails are supposed to have a special love for cyano. they work well in my tank i like them. they last longer than turbos and can turn themselves over and will eat algae too __________________ Looking for a 26 gallon bit of a underwater paradise. Current Tank Info: I am a caretaker of a 7ish year old 26 gal bowfront tank. I have watchman goby, a gold stripe neon goby, a rainford goby, pajama cardinal, possum wrasse and a clean up crew including a wall/rock climbing serpent star

03/05/2014, 09:59 AM	#15
pyithar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: yangon,burma(myanmar) Posts: 1,786	+1 on trochus snails. when i had cyano in my fuge, i put two of them, and they cleaned every bit of it. i then raised my Mg a bit. i havent seen any cyano since.

03/05/2014, 05:40 PM	#16
Nace Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 72	What are your phosphates at? For me the lights out plus turning back on my reactor with GFO in it solved the problem.