Algae of Sorts

[tspors]

Curious as to some Algae issues. I have noticed a Blackish Blue /Brown type hair algae in the sand. Also some Brown Algae on rocks. Lights are maybe 5 months old. Added Korilia 4 . Tried Algaefix all it does is put the snails to sleep. Do consistant 10% water change weekly. Parameters all Zero ex except Nitrate are at 20. This is not CYno been through that many months back. I know know you want a picture. ANy suggestions?

[tspors]

Here are pics this is going on a few weeks now.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f345/tspors/P1050712.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f345/tspors/P1050722.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f345/tspors/P1050718.jpg

[nukemdanno]

I'd say that is lighting that is not up to par, a nutrient problem, or circulation maybe. Could we have a little more info on your euquipment? Skimmer, Lighting type etc?

[Aquarist007]

IMO it could be red algae or cyano--in any case here is a blog of information that might help:

http://www.reefcentral.com/wp/?p=288

[tspors]

150g, Berlin Skimmer, 4 96 dual Act. lights, 3 150 MH lights. 1 Korilia 4, Gen-x Pump @ 2200ghp, knocked back to about 1600 with Head loss.

[nukemdanno]

Well now I am leaning to Cyano......Even though your test readings come back with 20ppm your cyano is consuming the rest. When your doing water changes are you blowing off the rock to get the detrius back into the water column? I change 15gal every two week which includes using a mag drive to blow out the inside of my rock work. My filter sock gets changed out everyweek and the skimmer neck is cleaned every 3 days.

Check the water circulation inside the tank. Look for dead spots where detrius can settle. My tank has 1 rio 2 seio powerheads all pointed at eachother.

Where is your top off/new water coming from. Tap water can be high in nitrates. Test your new water mix before you add to your tank.

Are you over feeding your tank?

Things like dirty sponges on the skimmer/return pumps, leaving a filter sock in to long, over feading can all lead to phosphate and nitrate production. It's usually husbandry techniques that could be improved that will stop this. I do all of the above and my nitrates are .02ppm and Phosphate is undetectable.

My begining years as a refer I wasn't the greatest at doing this stuff and I always had cyano/diatom blooms. I as developed my husbandry techniques all this stuff went away.

[jenglish]

a 3 day total black out will knock back cyano (which is what it looks like to me) but if you don't get nitrates and phosphate lowered it will come back. my .02

[johnmaloney]

some cyano, some hair algae (short though), and even some diatoms in that picture it looks like. Your nitrates are a problem, bet you got phosphates too. (Well with cyano I am sure - not all cyano looks the same). Clean up crew + nutrient competition (macro algae or the mechanical/chemical way) + good husbandry (WCs etc.. which you already do - do you stir the sand and siphon the mess?) = clean tank

[tspors]

My phosphates are 0 Zero! Water comes from RO/DI All filters are changes out every week. Water changes every week 10% religeously. Was not sure if it was Cyno because the carpet hair area is more blackish. Talkes and showed photos to my LFS guy, single owner long time and trustable he was leaning at cyno also.

[nukemdanno]

Then I would look at some of the other factors, overfeeding , circulation, detrius build up. Try eliminating all of the above. Something is feeding the cyano.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13888560#post13888560 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tspors
My phosphates are 0 Zero! Water comes from RO/DI All filters are changes out every week. Water changes every week 10% religeously. Was not sure if it was Cyno because the carpet hair area is more blackish. Talkes and showed photos to my LFS guy, single owner long time and trustable he was leaning at cyno also.

quite often nitrate and phosphate levels are undetectable with cyano and algae--it can mean the cyano and algae is consuming them as fast as they are being introduced to your tank.