Identify algae??

[Chireaux]

This algae is thick and red on the sand bed with long green hairs. Also if anyone could help point me in the right direction to get rid of it. Thanks

 

[Chireaux]

Forgot to add attachment...



Sorry not the best photo

 

[the_fish_man]

Perhaps cyan? And the green strings maybe green hair algae?

 

[paulace2372]

Yeah looks like Cyanobacteria! New tank?? Improve the flow over that area with power heads either by adding more of them or just adjusting what you have to avoid dead spots in the water (areas of reduced or no flow). See if this makes much difference, monitor water perimeters and keep up regular pwc's as normal. If it is like I suspect and it's a new tank its parr for the course and should be gone in a week or so if you follow the above advice.

 

[Chireaux]

Thanks, the tank is relatively new... 3 -4 months. I only have one powerhead, it's strong though,maybe add a smaller one to the opposite side of the tank??? The algae is definitely worse just below the powerhead.

 

[paulace2372]

Thanks, the tank is relatively new... 3 -4 months. I only have one powerhead, it's strong though,maybe add a smaller one to the opposite side of the tank??? The algae is definitely worse just below the powerhead.

How big is your tank? What does your whole setup consist of - equipment and stock. I would say that the more flow you have the better and make best use of anything you have in the tank ie skimmer outlet / filter outlet or even the glass to deflect water movement. Also general algae problems are often helped by the addition of a uv steriliser.

 

[paulace2372]

Also what are the water parameters? The added movement will
Not prevent cyano, just stop it from settling on the gravel. Make sure levels are good!

 

[mr_X]

a UV sterilizer will not help with algae problems, unless they are in the water column. it will definitely not help in this case. An excessive nutrient issue causes cyanobacteria. water changes with good source water (R.O.D.I.) while siphoning out the cyano with each change and cutting back on feeding is the best defense.

 

[Chireaux]

I have 4 ca 48" lights, I have been running 9 hrs a day, I cut them off for today though.
1400 koralia powerhead
Aquaclear 110 hob
Octopus bh1000 skimmer
Only have 1 pseudochromis. No other fish.
And some hermits and variety of snails.
Use only rodi wafer from lfs

The problem is that I have been struggling w algae for abot 3 months. Started with diatoms now the red slime and green hair.
I'm suspecting it's either too much light exposure.... or some of the dwarf cerith snails may be dead causing a nitrate issue, even though no nitrates are detected when I test for them. I read that the algae can consume nitrates so the test can be misleading.

 

[paulace2372]

Definitely sounds like the light may not be helping, you could cut it down to around 4 hrs. As for the LFS RO / DI water, would maybe question it's quality. You may be feeding too much aswel. I've had lots of success with 3 times a week feeds and four hours a day light on a large reef. I would not disagree with Mr X, he is very knowledgable but I would have a UV unit. Opinions vary but the science stays the same.

 

[mr_X]

i generally run my lights 12 hours on and 12 off. i've never had a problem with this, and i always have more than enough light, so intensity has never been a problem for me either.
i maintain a tank at a gym and i am the only one that feeds the tank. i visit it 2 times a week to do so, and the fish are fat and happy. when i do a water change, the water that comes out is still yellow, even with 2x a week feedings, and weekly changes.
everything you put in the tank must come out. even when it's eaten, it's still there, it's just changed a bit.
I've only used a UV sterilizer one time in my life and that was because i had a "green water" outbreak on that gym tank. The sterilizer kills whatever passes through it, so it worked to correct it. i haven't used it since.
The science, is just that- if you can get the cyano to pass through the sterilizer, instead of just spreading around on surfaces, it may be effective, but the only way it will work is if you use ultraviolet light on the entire tank, which would be detrimental to more than just the algae.