Cyano?

[kcharm]

Is this cyano? I don't have the greatest color vision in the world but it sure looks like it to me. What's different about it is that A) there are no bubbles in it and B) I tried to scrub it off and this stuff isn't scrub offable (if that's a word).

It didn't really come out in a photo, sorry.

 

[Krish]

Kinda hard to say without a photo. I'd say if you could, post whatever photo you have. I'm sure it is better than nothing...

 

[NaH2O]

Does it feel slimey? Or does it feel like it has a hold on wherever it is growing?

 

[kcharm]

It's got a hold. It's not as hard as say, my corraline algaes, but it's pretty dense. It's dark, almost black, but I'd call red, very very dark red.

Since I scrubbed much of it off, which may turn out to have been the wrong move, there are only a few specks here and there...hence, no usefull photo.

 

[NaH2O]

How old is the tank, and what are the water parameters? Are you using a skimmer and RO/DI water?

 

[kcharm]

No skimmer yet. The tank is about a month old. There's only about 12 pounds of LR but more coming by this weekend. VERY SSB. Water parameters were taken a little over a week ago, I need to run over them again. The nitrates were about 10ppm, ammonia and nitrites were very low. I don't recall the other parameters. I suppose checking my PO4 would be a good place to start? Plus, if I'm adding new 'used' rock, I may very well be adding some other stuff that I don't want.

I alternate between scrounging free water from a friend at a public aquarium and RO/DI that I buy from an LFS...depends if when that friend is working and if I have the time to get the water.

 

[NaH2O]

Algae is very common in new systems, and you may see some other types of algae growing in the near future. Work on getting your nitrates down, and if you plan on adding a skimmer, that will probably help. You can check your water change water for nitrates and see if it registers. Have you performed any water changes yet (since the tank is very young)? Do you have any livestock in the tank? What size tank?

 

[kcharm]

Details, details

It's a 29 with a 29 sump to be. I did H20 change #2 yesterday. I'm also running a canister filter until I get all of the rock and the skimmer. Once they've arrived, I'll pull out 1/3 of the filter media per week.

I have 1 yellow tail damsel and I'd like to have 3 more. I do know they are aggresive but I'm going for a simple look in the tank so I don't plan to add much else (I'm thinking a flame hawk, I'll need something red). I would like to get a clean up crew in the tank now that I have lights it would be nice if something would help me clean the glass...I'm sure it's gonna start growing any day now (I bought the lights Sat evening).

Flow is terrible in the tank at the moment. It's incredible how much what I want to do has changed since I started putting rock in it. I'm sure my flow design is part of the problem. It will get better once I get the sump in and circulating.

 

[NaH2O]

As long as the ammonia and nitrites are zero, you can go ahead and start stocking your clean up crew. Let us know how the tank progresses!