Live Rock Question, Possible Algae?

[Evilbass]

My girlfriend txt me this picture about 15 mins ago, and I wanted to post it and get some ID just so she'll calm down.

The redish/pinkish area... is this normal, or are we starting to develop some bad algae now?

 

[Grizz]

Looks like cyano try to vacuum it out it will be soft and have a slimy feel to it

 

[Evilbass]

really? that fast? Tank has been cycling for 2 weeks, I figured the live rock was starting to cure.... I'll take a closer look at it when i get home tonight.

 

[Schism]

Yes thats cyano. Siphon it out and check your nitrates and phosphates.

 

[Evilbass]

Phosphate is at zero, nitrate seems to be at zero on the API test but ammonia is a tough high... I'll siphon it out tonight!

 

[Schism]

No reason to worry much, phosphates may be beginning to leech out of your live rock. You wont be able to detect them when they are bound but the presents of cyano means you have a little bit coming from somewhere in your system.

Getting a gfo reactor will help diminish the problem if it starts to get out of hand. Reactors are fairly cheap. About 35-40 bucks on bulkreefsupply. Always good to have. But a small patch of cyano is nothing to worry about unless it starts spreading wildly.

 

[Evilbass]

Funny you say that... when I looked real close at it this morning, I noticed small air bubbles on the surface of it, looked like they where just sitting there... I'm not sure if they're air bubbles or the start of bubble algae.

 

[Schism]

Its the result of cyano. Bubble algae is entirely different. Cyano traps the bubbles under the mat.

 

[Evilbass]

gotcha! tonight i'll go home and remove it for sure!!! hopefully that gets rid of it! everything else seems to be OK... I just want to nip this now before it becomes and epidemic!

 

[Evilbass]

OH!!! by the way... if you look closely at the back glass (left side of the image) there seems to be these little brown things stuck all over the glass... they look like little blades of grass, like after you mow the lawn... but they're brown... any idea what this is? these have been there since day one when i added the water to the sand...

 

[Schism]

My guess is either tube worms or more like a bit of hair algae perhaps. Whatever it is you will be best off you just scrap it off and siphon it out next waterchange.

 

[Evilbass]

Ok cool! I'll take care if it sunday

 

[Evilbass]

So, yesterday, I forgot to turn my lights on, and only had the moonlights running all day... when I came home, I found that the algae was gone... If I leave the lights off again today, would that kill it off, or should I let it re-grow then suck the little guy out???

Here is a picture of it from last night...

 

[Sniperhank]

If you are still cycling you do not need to have your lights on. This only promotes algae growth. Once you are done cycling, set up a 7-8 hour lighting regiment w/ timers. If your algae/cyano issues continue after the cycle, there are some ways to combat it. My favorite is through a reactor as i have phosphates from my water even through my ro/di unit.

 

[Schism]

Yes best to leave lights off during any period where nothing livjng in the tank. Algae will not grow easily and you will have an easier time removing the phosphates and nitrates from the cycle during water changes before algae can suck them up and cause problems. Not something people normally think about when starting a tank since they wanna have the lights on to stair at the sand and pretty rock lol.

 

[Evilbass]

Well, i guess i forgot to say, but there is a Yellow Watchmen goby and pistol shrimp in the tank! so, Im guessing i need to keep the lights on... and at this point, what do you suggest?