What is this and how do i beat it...

[Scorchx1245]

I have this red/purple algea/bacteria growing in my tank.... its not cyano as I have a small pocket in my frag tank. (Same system) this purple red algea makes bubbles all day long... its hard to scrub off and won't suck off with a siphon.

Tank is a 125 with sump, 3 xr-15s and 4 t5 blue plus. Nitrate 5, p04 is 0.01, alk 8.5, calcium 420, mag 1340. No carbon dosing only adding Red sea ab+ every other day.

Back story, moved apartments, upgraded to the 125 from the 40....the 40g was a bit neglected as I was moving and working afar. Some GHA and a bit of cyano showed up. I scrubbed and rinsed new rocks before the transfer. There live rock in this system probably 40lbs that was in my 40 and I had another 50 of Carib sea dry rock. This new algea took over soooo quick say a week. After I added fish and corals etc.

 

[rubertoe93]

Forgive me If I’m wrong but is that bubble algae? If so a emerald crab will love that!

 

[Scorchx1245]

No the bubbles are air. Like real air bubbles. Definitely not bubble algea. I also do have an emerald crab.

 

[38bill]

Dinoflagellates?

 

[Scorchx1245]

That was a thought...I hope not.

Dinoflagellates?

 

[ThePurple12]

Dinoflagellates?

OP said they're hard to remove with a siphon, so that rules out dinos.

 

[ThePurple12]

Unless it's dinos growing on a different type of algae? That happens all the time.

 

[Mark Gray]

Does it seem to go away at night? If you don't think it's bubble algae maybe a form of Dinoflagellate

 

[john90009]

The cyano bacteria producing oxygen. Plenty of bacteria in our tanks and when the lights on and flow may be slowed you will get the air bubbles visible.

 

[LeftyReefer]

Why do you think it's NOT cyano?

 

[Scorchx1245]

Why do you think it's NOT cyano?

It doesn't come off the rocks...and I have cyano in a different tank....here's cyano. No bubbles....

 

[john90009]

The last cyano picture you have also has bubbles, they are just underneath the red

 

[john90009]

If you take a turkey baster to it and really really blow hard on the rock, does it all float away?

 

[Scorchx1245]

If you take a turkey baster to it and really really blow hard on the rock, does it all float away?

No.

 

[ThePurple12]

Does anything at all float away?

 

[Scorchx1245]

It almost comes off as like a leathery sheet. Like velvet.

 

[ThePurple12]

So the bubbles go away and leave behind algae? It sounds like dinos covering a different type of algae. Those are what come off when you blow on them.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Heavy leather sheet describes Cyano in which cyano is not always just red.
You can do a low form of dino/cyano treatment which will correct this. Blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster. Force it to filters or net the loose particles.
Turn off white lights for 5-7 days and during the day add 1ml of liquid bacteria such as Bacter 7 per 10 gallons.
At night- add 1-1.5 ml of hydrogen Peroxide per 10 gallons. Each day blow the stuff loose or siphon up. Clean filters daily.
DO NOT FEED NoPox TO THE TANK OR CORAL FOODS TO THE CORAL DURING THE WHITE OUT.
ALSO: Check your phosphate and nitrate levels to assure theyre not elevated.
Cerith snails and margarita snail may consume this stuff also

 

[ThePurple12]

I agree, it could also be a different species of cyanobacteria.

 

[Scorchx1245]

It's like course like a leather shoe. I always pictured cyano as....snot? I could literally take sheet of this and chew it like jerky.