Type of algae

Mickie · Dec 30, 2016

Hiya!

I've got an algae that grows on my power head/skimmer/tank walls. Normally I just mag it every few days when I see spots...but for example, we went on vacation for 4 days and when I came back my tank walks were COVERED with it.

It's brown like diatoms but can be hairy looking. My sand gets stirred up quite a bit from my clowns and sss.

Does not grow on my live rock or dry rock.

Nitrates are between 10 and 20 ppm (magged my tank a few days ago, so no algae except on my skimmer and power head). Just did a large WC last week.

Tank is 4 ish months
Hydra LEDs on for 8 hrs

Is it diatoms? Or is it an algae I'm not IDing?

TIA!

cloak · Dec 30, 2016

Lyngbya perhaps?

http://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

Mickie · Dec 30, 2016

cloak said:
Lyngbya perhaps?

http://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

I was leaning that way as well. Would nopox help? Or is it just a "phase" in my tank?

Frop · Dec 30, 2016

The clown fish stir the sand? Maybe they have ich and are scratching themselves?

I got this, it helps get rid of the algae. Probably by reducing neutrients.

The red on your light also influences algae more what % do you have that on?

Also reducing feeding and increasing magnesium can help combat algae. I set my lights to 6.5 hours.

Mickie · Dec 30, 2016

Frop said:
The clown fish stir the sand? Maybe they have ich and are scratching themselves?

I got this, it helps get rid of the algae. Probably by reducing neutrients.

The red on your light also influences algae more what % do you have that on?

Also reducing feeding and increasing magnesium can help combat algae. I set my lights to 6.5 hours.

They stir the sand by my rocks to create new hidey holes or spots to lay eggs under the rocks..kinda funny to watch.

My reds are set at 19% at max with a 50% acclimation.

Right now I'm just running purigen with my other normal aquaclear filters...I'll take a look at the other ones you suggested.