Help! Zoas covered in strange red substance

[GibsonGuitars]

Hello, somehow in just 1/2 a day my Zoas have a strange red covering? No ideas what the heck this is, but this rock is solid Zoas and the red areas grew over my Zoas. Did not see these at feeding time yesterday. Please help.

 

[Brad Waddell Wrath's Reef]

Cyano from the looks of it.

 

[GibsonGuitars]

Weird, I don’t get why this would just appear, nothing has been introduced into the tank accept an arrow crab almost 2 weeks ago.

Are my Zoas toast? What should I do? My first instinct is to pull the rock and do a dip.

 

[whitrose02]

That's just cyanobacteria I think.

 

[Brad Waddell Wrath's Reef]

Weird, I don’t get why this would just appear, nothing has been introduced into the tank accept an arrow crab almost 2 weeks ago.

Are my Zoas toast? What should I do? My first instinct is to pull the rock and do a dip.

Has nothing to do with adding to your tank. I has to do with to much light (white) and nutrients. You can blast off with a turkey baster and suck it out. But you need to get your parameters in check. Chemiclean also helps.

 

[GibsonGuitars]

I am seriously regretting going with the Evo 13.5, it’s 9 gallons of water after rock and sand. The parameters swing so flipping fast That I am constantly reacting to problems as they arise rather than maintaining the tank.

 

[Caseyoidae]

Happens to everyone just keep blowing them off until you get the cause in check. Probably elevated phosphates. Change a little water, run some carbon suck it out with an air line tube. Just take it slow.

 

[GibsonGuitars]

I was freaking out when I saw it, lol... from what I am reading online it’s not going to kill everything, Ha Ha. Thanks to you all for identifying it, Now I know where to start... half the battle as a new reefer is knowing what things are...

 

[vetteguy53081]

Likely Cyano. Verify by blowing it gently with a turkey baster. If it falls apart... yes- cyano.
Likely cause is Phosphates. Test and see what your Phos reading is. If you don't have kit, have trusted LFS test water sample for you. One of the best remedies is ChemiClean But assure you reduce the cause of it at the same time

 

[GibsonGuitars]

Likely Cyano. Verify by blowing it gently with a turkey baster. If it falls apart... yes- cyano.
Likely cause is Phosphates. Test and see what your Phos reading is. If you don't have kit, have trusted LFS test water sample for you. One of the best remedies is ChemiClean But assure you reduce the cause of it at the same time.

.

Yes, it came right off with a small blast from my feeder (I felt stupid for panicking). The small patch on a rock (size of a quarter, not pictured) did not come off... it looks less a smooth coating as pictured, more rough and Algae like, similar to my green algae.

 

[Brad Waddell Wrath's Reef]

Yes, it came right off with a small blast from my feeder (I felt stupid for panicking). The small patch on a rock (size of a quarter, not pictured) did not come off... it looks less a smooth coating as pictured, more rough and Algae like, similar to my green algae.

Panic at the beginning is normal. Make sure that if you use Chemiclean to follow the directions. Air stone will be needed. As for the other spot, that could be coraline algae.