Is this coralline algae or cyanobacteria ?

[Idech]

My tank is an EVO 13.5 and it has been running for 5 months, including 3 weeks of cycling. I’ve already been through the diatom phase and it has been over for a while. The CUC helped a lot.

Now I have this deep grown substance growing on my rocks and I’m worrying it might be cyanobacteria.

The pics aren’t great but that’s the best I could do.

What do you think ?

 

[Gtinnel]

I can't tell from the picture but if you can easily blow it off with a turkey baster then it's not coralline.

 

[Idech]

I can't tell from the picture but if you can easily blow it off with a turkey baster then it's not coralline.

I know diatoms can be blown off but cyanobacteria as well ? For sure this isn’t diatoms. I’ve had to deal with it a lot and it doesn’t look that way.

I’ll try the turkey baster and report back.

 

[Jekyl]

If it's coraline it will be growing on the glass and powerheads also.

 

[Rmckoy]

Cyano and diatoms will blow off .
almost see it blowing in the current .

coralline is hard and scaly .
needs to be scraped off .
Everyone always wants coralline algae until it starts growing .
I personally wish I could get rid of it

 

[Idech]

If it's coraline it will be growing on the glass and powerheads also.

I have something on my glass but it’s like a powder of some kind. I’ll have to clean it soon.

coralline is hard and scaly .

Cyano and diatoms will blow off .
almost see it blowing in the current .

Good to know, I'll look closely tomorrow when there is more light.

 

[Jekyl]

I have something on my glass but it’s like a powder of some kind. I’ll have to clean it soon.



Good to know, I'll look closely tomorrow when there is more light.

Scraping coraline off the glass requires a metal edge. It's like scraping hardened plaster.

 

[Gtinnel]

IME coralline often starts growing on any plastic in the tank (overflow, pumps, etc) before growing on glass or rocks. But honestly I'm not sure that is always the case.

 

[Idech]

I’ve used a turkey baster and whatever it is won’t budge. I guess that means it’s coralline algae ?

I also wiped the powder off the glass easily. Probably just regular green algae, if there is such a thing in saltwater.

 

[Goaway]

Cyano and diatoms will blow off .
almost see it blowing in the current .

coralline is hard and scaly .
needs to be scraped off .
Everyone always wants coralline algae until it starts growing .
I personally wish I could get rid of it

My tuxedo urchin keeps mine under control

And yes, cyano, diatoms will easily be removed from a rock with a turkey baster.

 

[Idech]

My tuxedo urchin keeps mine under control

And yes, cyano, diatoms will easily be removed from a rock with a turkey baster.

Do we know what it can be besides coralline algae if it won’t move ?

 

[Goaway]

Do we know what it can be besides coralline algae if it won’t move ?

Could be a type of algae. It will encrust on the rock and sprout from it. Snails, hermit crabs will keep it trimmed from over growing.
And urchins of many kinds.

 

[Screwgunner]

This is coralline .

 

[Screwgunner]

It can be purple pink kind of red like maroon.

 

[Idech]

It can be purple pink kind of red like maroon.

I think mine is like what you are saying : kind of a brownish red. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

 

[Screwgunner]

And green it grows slow the spot i showed you is about a month old. It grows on your glass and pumps must of the time before it grows on your rock.

 

[Uncle99]

Hard to tell on rocks in the early stages.
As it builds layers, will be easily identified.