Coralline or Cyano

Plunder · May 23, 2020

Hi, my tank has been up and running for about 6 weeks. A added some coralline algae encrusted plates a little over two weeks ago. I have some algae blooming but seems to several different types. However, I'm concerned it could be cyano, can anyone help me identify some of my algae, please?

Kryptonian · May 23, 2020

Is anything else in the tank? What are your nitrate and phosphate levels? The best way to avoid cyano is to make sure you keep parameters healthy, have good flow throughout your tank, and don't have excessive nutrients in your water. I doubt you need to worry about cyano yet but others with more experience can chime in there.

My tank had diatoms, which looked like brown algae on the sand bed, and then decent green algae bloom not so different than yours to show it was finishing cycling. It died down within about a week. The snails ate most of it.

bsr2430 · May 23, 2020

That’s neither. Looks like diatoms.
You’re tank is way to knee to be adding anything to it besides water changes. You’re trying to speed everything up, let it take its natural time.

I do see two little pink spots, could be Coraline.

Plunder · May 23, 2020

bsr2430 said:
That’s neither. Looks like diatoms.
You’re tank is way to knee to be adding anything to it besides water changes. You’re trying to speed everything up, let it take its natural time.

I do see two little pink spots, could be Coraline.

Ya, I've been full throttle since I got it set up, the tank seems to be thriving though. My parameters are stable and within range and everything is growing rapidly. Fish and coral seem happy. I'm getting a bad diatom bloom but I'm just trying to let it run it's the course and not touch the tank for a bit. I've reduced the white lighting to 8hrs a day, too.

Sal 1.025
Temp 77.5
pH 8.2 - 8.4
Cal 440
Alk 9.5
Mag 1400
PO4 0
NO4 0

Kryptonian · May 23, 2020

Plunder said:
Ya, I've been full throttle since I got it set up, the tank seems to be thriving though. My parameters are stable and within range and everything is growing rapidly. Fish and coral seem happy. I'm getting a bad diatom bloom but I'm just trying to let it run it's the course and not touch the tank for a bit. I've reduced the white lighting to 8hrs a day, too.

Sal 1.025
Temp 77.5
pH 8.2 - 8.4
Cal 440
Alk 9.5
Mag 1400
PO4 0
NO4 0

I think you're just wrapping up cycling. Nothing to worry about imo. I'm doing the same with my white light, turning down a bit to reduce supplements for the diatoms. The bloom is just part of the natural process and will die down.