Cyano? Can’t figure it out.

[mamacta]

I have checked the forum and Google and still can’t decide if this is Cyano or not. It is dark pink and only in 3 small areas but it is slimy looking and it removes easily. I know it’s not coralline as I do have small spots of that popping up too (last 2 pictures). It’s been around for a while and doesn’t spread very fast at all. Any ideas anyone?

 

[blaxsun]

The last 2 images are definitely coralline algae. This should eventually spread and yield lovely shades of magenta and purple. I suspect that it's also coralline algae (good, btw) in some of the other images, but I'm not 100% about the pinkish coloration on the substrate in the first image.

 

[Bfragale]

If it easily brushes off- then it is not coralline, but I do see some coralline in your photos.
What’s your parameters, specifically no4 and po4?

usually cyano comes when nuterients are too high or out of balance. Increased flow could help, but primarily keeping nitrates and phosphates in acceptable ranges.

dosing a bottled bacteria may help as well

 

[Lavey29]

Agree last 2 look like coraline but other pics resemble cyano. The pink on the substrate could be cyano as well just reacting different due to your preferred type of substrate.

 

[Uncle99]

I see both Cyano and some coralline spots.
The emergence of Cyano may come with zero nutrients readings, check those, put back into the band if out, suck that out and chemi clean if you want. Be sure to airstone that tank and skim skim skim if you got that way.

 

[Privateye]

+1 you have a little of both. And I do mean a little. This tank looks like it isn't that old. I wouldn't be too concerned.

I might be crazy, but I think I tend to notice more cyano pop up for a period of time when another type of algae is dying. It seems to capitalize on the nutrients quickly. I've gone from a tank covered in hair algae (like, really bad) which then became covered in cyano, which i siphoned out and it's just been coraline from there on out. And that's just one example. Maybe you've seen a recent reduction in another "algae"?

 

[mamacta]

My tank is about 5 months old. It has been fallow for 1 month now (CUC only) due to Ich wiping out my 4 fish. I have a population of copepods that has lessened since the loss of fish. Other than the green that covers my rocks (ugly stage?) I haven’t had any algae issues for quite a while. The green is hard and doesn’t scrape off. I don’t have a phosphate test but my nitrates have held steady between 10-20 for months. There is also this vivid blue-green growing only on shells and coral (see pic). It looks and acts just like coralline except for the color. It’s actually quite nice so I hope it’s friendly I will try suctioning out as much of the slimy stuff as I can and go from there I guess

 

[mamacta]

Oops, forgot pic

 

[Privateye]

I think you're okay. I really wouldn't worry at this point. Your tank is going through some changes due to low stocking density at the moment. You can try to siphon out the cyano if you want but I wouldn't treat it or anything.

The green hard stuff is a good kind of algae imo. It's the kind that doesn't grow big or fast, and usually once your tank has been established for a little bit.