Algae ID. Cyano?

[Lavey29]

I have this brownish red algae that covers about half my sand. It is only in lighted areas not shady caves. It disappears at night and can easily be blown off the sand with a baster. Is it cyano? I have had it off and on many months. It acts like diatioms but different color. Cleaner crew won't touch it.

 

[kingjames_dc5]

Definitely looks like cyano to me. Blow off easy and noting touches it. Sounds about right. What do you have for cuc? There are certain species of snail that well indulge in cyano. Best way to remove is to attached to turkey baster to siphon blow it off and suck it up. What is po4 and no3? Light and high nutrients and low flow are usually main causes.

 

[Lavey29]

Definitely looks like cyano to me. Blow off easy and noting touches it. Sounds about right. What do you have for cuc? There are certain species of snail that well indulge in cyano. Best way to remove is to attached to turkey baster to siphon blow it off and suck it up. What is po4 and no3? Light and high nutrients and low flow are usually main causes.

Thanks my levels are good with 10.4 nitrate and .08 phosphate. Flow is good. I see plenty of movement on the bottom. I do blast and siphon it. Certainly seems light dependent because no where in the shady areas does it affect. I am hoping that this is just a last ugly phase on a 9 month old tank. I recently started a fuge which seems to be doing well and coraline is forming on my rocks so hopefully it will outcompete soon.

I've got different types of snails, hermits and emeralds. Do you know a snail that eats this?

 

[kingjames_dc5]

Id try to get some more movement down there to help blast it off the sand. Trochus and Cerith snails are couple off the top of my head. Also a conch will help with the sand bed Nice and tidy.

 

[Lavey29]

Id try to get some more movement down there to help blast it off the sand. Trochus and Cerith snails are couple off the top of my head. Also a conch will help with the sand bed Nice and tidy.

No room for a conch to roam there. Have plenty of snails and flow is just below a sand storm. It's a tough hurdle to get over, luckily it is less then 50% of the sand and none on the rocks at all.