Help - Unsure of what this is???

[drblank1]

I don't have a lot of confidence on ID'ing this issue. I've read other threads but still unsure. It grows in thick purple sheets and seems to like to grow first in the shadows before spreading into lighted surfaces. It doesn't disappear at night. It grows VERY quickly. I scrub the rocks and it grows back with 24-48 hours. Growth slows a bit if I leave the lights off. Thoughts?

 

[fishface NJ]

white lights

 

[drblank1]

Sorry, this is as white as I could my lights with my iphone camera.

 

[kbnh]

Could possibly be Cyanobacteria, what are your nitrates and phosphate levels?

 

[drblank1]

They were at 0 and 0. I am dosing now. Getting them up but it has been difficult to keep them above 0. Does cayno prefer shade?

 

[drblank1]

I guessed it was Cyano and seems to be the correct guess. Tried chemiclean a couple of days ago and it is almost gone. Now to make sure my nutrients do not zero-out again.

 

[TokenReefer]

Cyano has a hard time forming in large mats like this if you have enough flow to not allow it to do so imo; it is always present...

 

[Bucs20fan]

Looks like dinos and cyano together to me. Impossible to tell without a true White light picture. Turn the blues completely off on your light and you wont have the blue hue to your photos.

 

[Subsea]

Sorry, this is as white as I could my lights with my iphone camera.

Turn off the BLUE lights in your tank, if you want help identifying stuff.

 

[drblank1]

Cyano has a hard time forming in large mats like this if you have enough flow to not allow it to do so imo; it is always present.

Going to add more powerheads this year. Thanks.

 

[Subsea]

Cyano has a hard time forming in large mats like this if you have enough flow to not allow it to do so imo; it is always present...

I can’t agree that more circulation eradicates cyno. I usually go excessive with circulation.

In my experiences, cyno mats need to be vacuumed out.

Maybe, intense circulation inhibits mats forming.

Good sandbed maintenance prevents cyno mats from accumulating. I stir top inch of substrate to feed sea apple. Gravel vac when doing water changes.

I know that numerous types of Cynobacteria inhabit our reef tanks. Imbedded in coral biomass, Cynobacteria perform nitrogen fixation when bulk water is nitrogen limited.

https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/research-posts/corals-nitrogen-microbes

Corals Get a Nitrogen Fix from Microbes Even When They Don’t Seem to Need It​

 

[TokenReefer]

I can’t agree that more circulation eradicates cyno. I usually go excessive with circulation.

In my experiences, cyno mats need to be vacuumed out.

Maybe, intense circulation inhibits mats forming.

Good sandbed maintenance prevents cyno mats from accumulating. I stir top inch of substrate to feed sea apple. Gravel vac when doing water changes.

I know that numerous types of Cynobacteria inhabit our reef tanks. Imbedded in coral biomass, Cynobacteria perform nitrogen fixation when bulk water is nitrogen limited.

https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/research-posts/corals-nitrogen-microbes

Corals Get a Nitrogen Fix from Microbes Even When They Don’t Seem to Need It​

I agree. Was just suggesting a single possible preventative measure; probably should have expanded on it...