View Full Version : HELP with red hair algae
98bishopmal
03/05/2015, 08:03 AM
The red hair algae started on my sand bed, this i removed and now has spread to the live rocks the tank is about 4 months old and looks nasty now, any tips on how to remove this so it does not come back?
I have a RIO 180 with sump, filter sock and skimmer, lights are standard that came with the tank put have put in marine bulbs.
any help would be great
dkeller_nc
03/05/2015, 08:12 AM
Red hair algae is somewhat unusual (the green kind isn't). Can you provide us with a picture?
Generally speaking, all tanks will go through one or more algae phases as they mature, but nutrient control tends to help prevent the algae outbreaks from taking over the tank. Nutrient control means careful stocking, effective skimming, use of Granular Ferric Oxide to control phosphates, Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) to scavenge non-skimmable organics, and water changes.
Have you done any water testing for nitrates/phosphates, and if so, what are the values?
98bishopmal
03/05/2015, 08:24 AM
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This is what the tank looked like and now looks like
98bishopmal
03/05/2015, 08:28 AM
from my readings nitrates is 0, I currently don't have a a phosphate kit
Looks like cyanobacteria---bacteria, not algae. It responds to light, since otherwise it eats carbon and water, two things we can't prevent it getting. If you have a fair skimmer, get it good order, and turn out your lights, putting the tank on room light only (draw the curtains in that room) for 3 days, then turn on the blues for 1 day; repeat this monthly until you're rid of it. It's common in new tanks.
98bishopmal
03/05/2015, 01:11 PM
Thanks for your reply, here is some better pictures, please let me know what you think
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dkeller_nc
03/05/2015, 02:42 PM
Cyano.
Yep, definitely.
98bishopmal
03/05/2015, 02:50 PM
Thanks very much, I am now doing a blackout to kill it and will check levels after 3 days
julie180
03/05/2015, 06:44 PM
Better to siphon out as much as you can before doing lights out.
98bishopmal
03/09/2015, 02:08 PM
Siphoned out, water change of 40% 3 days lights out and it's starting to come back with red spots on sand bed :( any idea
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