Red hair algea/bubble algea?

[as1720]

OK so the yellow on my rocks is going away.

Now i amseeing these little bubbles of red algea. Is it red hair algea?

I cant get a good picture of the bubbles but i got a picture of the red algea. Its very pretty actualy. But on the rock below the one o took a picture of there is that red algea and it is bubbled. They are very small tiny bubbles.

 

[ac7av]

Does it feel hard or is it soft like jello?

 

[as1720]

you mean i have to touch it? lol


Its not hard, its soft kinda like foam.

 

[NaH2O]

Do they look like air bubbles trapped in the red stuff? If so, it looks like cyanobacteria, and the air is just gas that is trapped in the mat of cyano.

How old is the tank?

 

[Shaunalynna]

Cyanobacteria is what it looks to be. I also had this and still do a bit. I left it and let the cycle takes it's course. I have done a few media cleanings of the media contents and things to help rid it. It has been slowly working away on it's own. I also during that time just the other day really added to my CUC of hermits and brought in snails and 2 emeralds all of whom seem to be helping rid the problem some as well.

I was just told to do regular water changes a little more, feed less and let the filters hit the algae and you should be okay in ridding it out. I guess everyone does different things though in what they think may help.

I had it bad about a month ago and I started with killing my lights some and not leaving them on as long. Cleaning the media chambers once a week, letting the filters air the rock and then even eventually went as far as scraping most of it with my hand and letting my skimmer get it! I have ridded most all of it now and what little is left the 2 crabs and snails seem to be getting. I still do the media wash once a week though and feed less so hopefully I can battle this for good soon!

Give that a try to each there own, but it worked for me! Good Luck.

 

[ac7av]

Ya most likely cyano like NaH20 says. Everybody gets it at some point and its not hard to manage just cut back on the excess food and reduce the lighting a bit for some time. Try and vacuum it off of where you can get too and keep an eye on the levels in the tank.
Better water flow can help to reduce it. Tell us about your tank, how old, size, temp, and all the other stuff.

 

[as1720]

My tank is about 10 weeks old.
Its a 29 gal FOWLR
2 korila #2's
Bak Pak 2 skimmer/filter
30 lbs live rock/live sand
2 small clowns
1 tiny yellow goby
230 watt HQI lighitng 2 65 watt acintics.

My nitrates are little high but everything else is normal. I did ad a little c-balnce the other day, and i think thats when the cyano really bloomed, it was there befor but was very dull, i thought it was coraline algea because it was not bubbled up.

I need to ad to my CUC anyways any recomendations of critters that will help with the cyano?

I really dont need my lights on all i have is a kenya tree and it gets enough natural light it seems. Will keeping the light off for a couple days help a lot?

Here is my plan take a couple of the rocks out that have it really bad and scrap it off a bit, turn the lights off for a couple days, feed less, and add to my CUC. No c-balance either. I was just practicning and will be going a different route with suplementing.

Sorry about my spelling i dont have time to re read i have a sick 2 y.o hanging on me! lol


Thanks for every ones help!

 

[DonW]

Cyano sits on its food source. Detritus is collecting where the cyano is sitting. Suck it off the rock and adjust your flow.

Don

 

[as1720]

Cyano sits on its food source. Detritus is collecting where the cyano is sitting. Suck it off the rock and adjust your flow.

Don

I know i dont know much but from what i can see, that is not true, i have a kenya tree so i can see there is a lot of flow ware it sits, and there is still cyano on the rock it is sitting on.

But i will still take your advise and increase the flow. Since i could very well be wrong.

 

[DonW]

I know i dont know much but from what i can see, that is not true, i have a kenya tree so i can see there is a lot of flow ware it sits, and there is still cyano on the rock it is sitting on.

But i will still take your advise and increase the flow. Since i could very well be wrong.

Its 100% accurate. Do some research.

Don

 

[as1720]

I have read up on cyano. I understand its mainly going to be ware the flow is low because food/nitrates will be able to sit there.

What i can see is that cyano can spead to a high flow spot why i dont know all i know is that i can see it in a high flow area.

Another thing i noticed it would flake off and then it started to stick it no longer flakes off the rocks it has to be scraped off.

All im saying is that just high flow is not going to stop the cyano or else it wouldnt have spread to a high flow spot, right? Or does it become stronger when it spreads therefor being able to spread to a high flow spot?

Im not trying to be rude or a know it all im just stating what i am seeing in my own tank. This is my first expierence with cyano and i am only trying to understand it.

 

[DonW]

I have read up on cyano. I understand its mainly going to be ware the flow is low because food/nitrates will be able to sit there.

What i can see is that cyano can spead to a high flow spot why i dont know all i know is that i can see it in a high flow area.

Another thing i noticed it would flake off and then it started to stick it no longer flakes off the rocks it has to be scraped off.

All im saying is that just high flow is not going to stop the cyano or else it wouldnt have spread to a high flow spot, right? Or does it become stronger when it spreads therefor being able to spread to a high flow spot?

Im not trying to be rude or a know it all im just stating what i am seeing in my own tank. This is my first expierence with cyano and i am only trying to understand it.

You need to re think your definition of high flow. If in fact you have cyano it can be pushed into suspension with even a turkey baster or siphoned with little to no force.
Cyano is a bacteria and does not adhear to the rock like conventional algaes. If you have cyano you have a low flow area. Looking at this area and increasing the flow will help you remove the nutrients that are obviously collecting and rotting which are poluting your water column feeding the cyano.

Don

 

[Reeferdude]

Try to get a better picture. That one you have doesn't look like cyano to me. Looks like red encrusting Coralline Algae...But I could be wrong...

On second though "soft like foam" doesn't fit..Nevermind..

 

[as1720]

Try to get a better picture. That one you have doesn't look like cyano to me. Looks like red encrusting Coralline Algae...But I could be wrong...

On second though "soft like foam" doesn't fit..Nevermind..

It feels like velvet! lol

I wiped it off. It was soft and came off with ease. Does that help?

And there are bubbles of the red stuff.

 

[NaH2O]

If it easily comes off, then it is definately cyano. You can siphon it out when you do your water change. Give your rocks a blast with a turkey baster or powerhead to free up the detritus/junk in the rockwork. You'd be surprised by how much stuff comes out of your rock.

Your tank is relatively young still, and you'll watch your tank go through different algae cycles before it matures.

 

[ac7av]

Ya blast it off with something a power head or baster. It’s a new tank so I would not get to concerned about it just adjust your water flow and feeding. If you have a canister filter this would be the time to break it out for a day or so after each time you blow off the rocks to collect the derbies.