What Algae Do I Have

mike_hooper · Jun 21, 2022

Newbie here. I have a Fluval 13.5. The tank is 7 months old, using ro/di. I went through an ugly phase and thought I was done with it, but now have something growing as you can see in the pics below. After the lights are on for a while, air bubbles show up. Mostly growing on substrate and walls. I’m sure it’s some simple, but can anyone help me identify it?

ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Ph - 8.0
Ca - 420
Alk - 10
Phos - 0

Cali Reef Life · Jun 21, 2022

Not an algae but cyanobacteria .

10 Easy Steps To Remove Cyanobacteria From Your Reef Tank (Now)

Cyanobacteria in a reef tank. Treatment and prevention. Exploring the world of red slime algae and how to get rid of it. Saltwater tank troubleshooting.

www.reefhacks.com

AquaGemCorals · Jun 21, 2022

definitely red cyanobacteria. chemiclean red cyano remover worked for me

doubleshot00 · Jun 21, 2022

If you say air bubbles that could be dinos and looking at your parameters its most likely.

Is it on the rocks? If so see if it can be blown off.

mike_hooper · Jun 21, 2022

doubleshot00 said:
If you say air bubbles that could be dinos and looking at your parameters its most likely.

Is it on the rocks? If so see if it can be blown off.

It’s hardly on the rocks. Where it is, I can blow it off.

When I take it off the substrate, it clumps up.

Lavey29 · Jun 21, 2022

Based on your bottomed out parameters it is probably dinos but I think there is some cyano there also. With a nano tank you may want to consider rip clean and then work on maintaining better water parameters in the future.

sixty_reefer · Jun 21, 2022

You have Cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates, the reason they bloomed in your tank is mainly by the zero phosphates and nitrates, this should be the first thing to address