Hi All,
Tank is a bit over a year old, getting closer to 18 months.
Had green then brown now "purple"?
Best image I could take. Seems to be rock based only, not on the substrate??
The bed has remnants of the last brown algae breakout, if that makes sense.
As soon as I feel I am getting the hang of this. I am not LOL...
Opinions would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
This is cyano bacteria. You will notice how easily it blows away. If you are going to blow it away, use a turkey baster and be prepared to catch the loose matter with a net or siphon. Cyano typically appears when concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are elevated and are in areas with little flow. Water changes are important unlike what the perception of not doing one which reduces the organic content that feeds cyano.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with air bubbles which form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it settles as skim-mate. When a protein skimmer has low efficiency or you do not have a suitable size protein skimmer to keep up with the tank, the air bubbles created might be insufficient and can trigger cyano outbreak .
- Use of Aminos which actually feed them.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your tank with nutrients is often the cause of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured will act as a breeding ground for this red slime .
- If you don’t change your water regularly, you’ll soon have this red algae. Regular water changes dissolve nutrients that feed cyano which keeps your tank clear
- Using water with nitrates or phosphates is a welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example of po4 and no3 introduction.
- Inadequate water flow is often a chief cause of cyano blooms as slow moving water combined with excessive dissolved nutrients is a welcome mat for red slime algae development
I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 3-5 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.
After the 5 days, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.
