Help With Algae ID.

[FinsToTheLeft]

I have a 75 gal tank. 10 Months old. For the last 4-5 months I have had this algae growing everywhere. I use RO/DI water. Only residents in the tank are 2 clown fish, 5 turbos, 5 mexican turbos, and 6 nassirius. And about 8 hermits. Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 5.

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn273/Fins_photo/IMG_4738.jpg_
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn273/Fins_photo/IMG_4737.jpg

Any ideas as to what it is? How to treat it?

Thanks.

[jterrell]

Looks a bit like dinoflagelets. Can you pull it off the rocks or does it float to the surface?

[FinsToTheLeft]

It can be pulled off rather easily but grows back quickly. When pieces come loose it gets blown around by my power-heads. Could be dinoflagllets. Hard to say. But it grows everywhere, rock, glass, and sand. Even on some of the snails.

[jterrell]

If you have a microscope you could ID without a dout. Dinos have a very distinctive cell pattern.
Another test.... turn off all flow and see if it floats to the surface.
Here are some good links for dinos
www.reefcentral.com/forums/printthread.php?threadid=687378&pe...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=687378&perpage=25&highlight=blackout&pagenumber=1
reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/rhf/index.php
reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/eb/index.php
The last two links are the best.

[natan]

I'd say its Ciano.

[FinsToTheLeft]

It does not float to the surface when the flow is turned off. What would that mean? It is so hard to find the right ID on these things. I never really see pics that match it exactly. I think maybe I am dealing with more than one kind of algae. I don't know. :(

[jterrell]

If it doesn't float to the top chances are you don't have dinos. My next guess would be cynobacteria. You can syphon it off and change the water to bring down nutrients. It can be trying but cyno is much easier than dinos!

[FinsToTheLeft]

If its is cyno, then what fuels it? I use RO/DI water. I have eliminated alot of it by following some directions in one of those links jterrell posted (Thanks!). I removed what I could then I shut the lights for 3 days, now increasing them a little at a time. I add filter floss into my fuge. I just want to make sure it does not come back.

[bluenassarius]

it looks like cyano to me

[jterrell]

It seems cyno is fueled by almost any nutrients in the water. I notice some cyno in my tank when I get a little lazy with water changes or over feeding etc. Just keep removing what you can and keep up with water changes and you will get a hand on it (sound like you already have)