Red ALgae

[Sailfin26]

This algae is so annoying. I have it mostly on my sand and I do water changes and I sift through the sand daily when I see it.My parameters seem to be good I just do not know what they are at this moment. ALso I got thos algae on my glass that i always scrub. I only have 5 fish in the tank and I got good flow I got one magnetic pump and a good flow of water coming up from the sump. Any ideas please let me know?

Marc Stegman

[erbio]

It's not algae. It's cyano bacteria. Use RO/DI water instead of tap water.

[rush07]

Also, make sure you have good flow. Too little allows the cyano to grow. Chemipure also helps.

[gem]

I had a cyano issue a while back. I cleared it up doing exactly what you're doing, frequent water changes and syphoning it off the sand. I also use ro/di water. But in addition to that, I run a phosban reactor now and that combined with what I was already doing seemed to clear it up quicker. If you don't have a reactor, you can also run the phosban in a filter bag in an area in your sump that gets some flow.

[faze07hd]

you might want to check your lighting in addition to the other things too. My cyano started from my old t5 bulbs. Turns out that a year is way too long for them.

[Sailfin26]

I do have T5's on my system but the bulbs are only 3 months old. I just totally increased my flow by adding a koralia magnet pump to my tank and i fixed a problem I was having with my return lines to my tank from the sump. There was a crack in the y adapter. Now that this is fixed there is tons more flow. I know I do not like my T5s at all. The whole t5 system i bought sucks. IT was made by nova extreme or something like that. If anyone ˙as a good place to buy good T5s (a 4 bulb system) should be good for my 70 gallon tank please let me know. I will look into the phosphen idea. That might work wonders for me. I just did a huge cleaning of everything in my tank sand,rock,glass and overflow where all this cyano was and I did a 12 gallon water change in my sump. So i hope all this might start with a good fix to my problem.


ANy other ideas please keep them coming.

Thank you all.

Marc Stegman

[Sailfin26]

I also use Ro/DI water in my house. I have a whole system tapped in to m fish tank from my water line. I also meant to say phosban filter pack... not phosphen.


Marc

[davenia7]

If this is a newer tank, it's normal. Increase flow to those areas and give it time. It should dissipate on its own. If not, THEN worry about it.

[Sailfin26]

Newer meaning how long..I meant it has been up for about 7 months. I already got fish in it and they are doing great. The few corals I have in it are doing well as well. I just want to see more of a colorization from the corals..I think that is my T5s that suck. Do you know of any good T5 bulbs that are out there..I have he actinics now andNI am not liking them. The daylight bulb makes the tank look to yellowish. The night time bulb is cool but not good enough..not as blue as I wanted it. I do not think actinic lights have a good enough par for what I need with corals. I really dont like T5 bulbs but if i can find the right ones that give off more wattage and good par then I might reconsider.

The more help and advice I get the better I will be with it. I learn from others advice who are more experienced then I am. I have come along way but still like looking for more info...guess thats why people come here.

[hawkfishman]

flow, flow, flow & good water ro di

[Sailfin26]

I think I got good flow. It goes in a circular motion. I got two valves that come up from my basement and up from the sump and into the overflow then my lines split to the right and left and if you are looking at the tank I have on the right side a Koralia 3 magnetic pump ...so my line on the right side points to the koralia pump which points to the other side of the tank to the other line on the left side of the tank reating a circular flow. The Koralia circulates 600 gallons of water per hour. Do ou think that is enough flow for my 70 gallon bow front?

Marc