Red Algae

[f2titan]

My tank seems to be having red algae spreading more, and more. I'm using RO/DI water, change water (32 gal) every 3rd weekend (Instant Ocean Reef mix). What can I do to make this go away?

Should I increase water changes? Decrease light timers?

125 gallon tank with 40 gal sump tank.

Last water test 3/27/10:
Phosphate: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Calcium: 460 mg/L (23 drops)
Carbonate Hardness: 196.9 DKH (11 drops)
Ammonia: 0 ppm
pH: 8.2
Salinity: 1.025

 

[jrgilles]

Maybe some more knowledgable people will chime in, but I'd say things you could do are:

1. decrease light.
2. increase water changes

Are you sure its not cyanobacteria instead of red algae? How long has your tank been set up? If its cyano, wait it out and it will go away. Its a cycle everyone goes though.

rob

 

[NWDiver]

Exactly what he said
If it is cyano (sorta slimey) then increase flow should help make it disapear.

 

[Burke]

I have red fuzzy algae in mine. Turbo snails are the only thing I found that will eat it. I added a few and now I only have a little left in the sump and hard to reach places.

 

[blk822822]

Maybe some more knowledgable people will chime in, but I'd say things you could do are:

1. decrease light.
2. increase water changes

Are you sure its not cyanobacteria instead of red algae? How long has your tank been set up? If its cyano, wait it out and it will go away. Its a cycle everyone goes though.

rob

Yea sound s like cryano bacteria, not algae. More flow and less feeding. I was using a food in the past that seemed to bring it on. JMO.

 

[f2titan]

Exactly what he said
If it is cyano (sorta slimey) then increase flow should help make it disapear.

Ya, its the red slimy stuff. I can lower the timer on the lights, and maybe install another pump. I have two in there now, along with the sump intake on on-side. And, the pump out-let on the other. Some one said overfeeding. I could be guilty of that. Is that a cause too? I'll cut-back.

What about a treatment of chemclean?

 

[jrgilles]

probably just patience and putting some flow on them will get rid of it. If it were my tank I'd do that and just wait, and avoid putting chemicals into the system.

 

[returnofsid]

Cyanobacteria can best be handled, by increasing flow, to the effected areas, and manual removal, by siphoning it out.

 

[bigblue141]

Cyno is a type of bacteria.

We have lots of bacteria in our tanks we want to keep alive.

Any Chemical that claims to kill Cyno, will also probably kill off some other bacteria you would like to keep alive in your tank.

I would pull out a new never used tooth brush, brush it off and suck it out with the siphon.

Ya, its the red slimy stuff. I can lower the timer on the lights, and maybe install another pump. I have two in there now, along with the sump intake on on-side. And, the pump out-let on the other. Some one said overfeeding. I could be guilty of that. Is that a cause too? I'll cut-back.

What about a treatment of chemclean?

 

[mal1099]

yeah i had cyno before also. Like all the other people have been saying good flow and manually removing it.

 

[f2titan]

It just doesn't seem to be going away? Maybe even spreading more. I've increased water changes, still there. Now what?

 

[freakin]

How old are your bulbs?

 

[f2titan]

How old are your bulbs?

Oct of 2009. New when the tank was started. How about reducing the time/hours of light?

Some of my water test info was incorrect too. Here are the basics.

Nitrate: 20 ppm (Pre water change)
Calcium: 400 mg/L (20 drops)
Carbonate Hardness: 196.9 DKH (11 drops)
Salinity: 1.026

 

[freakin]

Oct of 2009. New when the tank was started. How about reducing the time/hours of light?

Some of my water test info was incorrect too. Here are the basics.

Nitrate: 20 ppm (Pre water change)
Calcium: 400 mg/L (20 drops)
Carbonate Hardness: 196.9 DKH (11 drops)
Salinity: 1.026

6-months seems like it would be a bit early for spectrum shift on the bulbs.

Did you check phosphates again? If it is algae then nitrates at 20 are a little high, especially considering that the algae are decreasing them for you. Do you run a fuge? GFO?

TDS on your RO/DI?

I know nothing about cyano but I've been reading everything I can find on algae lately

 

[f2titan]

6-months seems like it would be a bit early for spectrum shift on the bulbs.

Did you check phosphates again? If it is algae then nitrates at 20 are a little high, especially considering that the algae are decreasing them for you. Do you run a fuge? GFO?

TDS on your RO/DI?

I know nothing about cyano but I've been reading everything I can find on algae lately

Yes, I have and run a RO/DI unit. Just put new media in the DI part too about two weeks ago. I'll try and do a Phos test again this weekend before my next water change I have planned for this weekend too.

Any thoughts on the lights and amount per day? I run from about 11 am till 10 pm with diff combinations. Night LED's till 2am. And, I get some sun in the morning. Just a bit.

 

[freakin]

Seems like a lot of light to me but I'm still inexperienced. Moon LEDs shouldn't have any effect.

Maybe try 8-9 hours for a little while and see how it does?

On a related note, if there is sun in a room with the tank should you try to overlap your lighting schedule to include it or does it not matter at all?

 

[jrgilles]

I agree with freakin. If you have your tank in a room where there is sunlight, you should probably have your lights turn on with the sun. I think mine come on at 7 am or so.

Is this in one area? Or all over? If its localized, you could try to remove a rock or whatever.

I've heard people have good luck getting rid of algae by putting in a UV sterilizer inline with one of their pumps. You could try that if you have one laying around.

 

[TotalVapor]

UV sterilizer should only be used to clarify your water in a reef tank and will really not help too much with cyano. Anything more and you will be killing off other things that help your tank like copepods, etc.

More surface flow to allow the gases to escape from your tank helps too.

Less feeding, less lights, more flow, water changes and suck out what you can during the water changes.

 

[NWDiver]

TotalVapor about summed it all up
Try changing your powerhead placement, you usually see this in flow deadspots.

 

[f2titan]

Did another water change today.

Aprox 32 gallons of RI/DI water. I got a new cat box scooper, and cut it down to about 2" wide. Worked great because the sand was blanked with it. I was able to just skim across the top lifting most of it right off in sheets.

This should help. Time will tell...