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Morrisons
03/06/2015, 01:02 PM
Hi, I have noticed some of this algae on my live rock before but did not think it was a very big deal until a week later when I see how fast it grows! I am worried about it overtaking my tank, I left some pictures of it below. does anyone know what type of algae this is and if there is anything that eats it like any fish or crabs, or even a supplement to kill it? all of my levels are stable as you can see below. I do weekly water changes of 10% (Using RODI water with kent marine salt) and I have 60lbs of live rock in my 55gal with 50lbs of live sand. Please look at pics, ANY advice helps thanks!
Alkalinity:9.5
Calcium:440
Magnesium:1270
Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:0
PH:8.2
Salinity: 1.025 to 1.026
Temp: 78.5

tidus10
03/06/2015, 01:05 PM
Looks like green hair algae.. typically caused by high phosphates.. do water changes maybe lower the length of time your lights are on for..

You can try a lawnmower blenny or just pluck it off with your hands and do a WC..

Morrisons
03/06/2015, 01:21 PM
ok thanks! I wanted to get a lawnmower blenny so I will look into that. for the mean time I will do a WC

FraggledRock
03/06/2015, 01:24 PM
looks slimey... might be cyano. any pics without purple bulbs ?

FraggledRock
03/06/2015, 01:25 PM
water parameter readings will be skewed when dealing with nuisance algaes, as they are consuming phosphates and nitrates.

when you see nuissance algaes you HAVE phosphates and nitrates.

Morrisons
03/06/2015, 01:44 PM
ok I added 2 pictures of the algae with my blue lights off. it does look very slimey. on some other parts of the rock it looks like short long strings of slime coming off the rock. I did just look at my lights tho and realize that they are on 11 and a half hours each day not including the 30 min sunset and sunrise with the blue lights. can that play a factor? maybe I should set my lights for only 10 hours each day?

FraggledRock
03/06/2015, 01:47 PM
ok I added 2 pictures of the algae with my blue lights off. it does look very slimey. on some other parts of the rock it looks like short long strings of slime coming off the rock. I did just look at my lights tho and realize that they are on 11 and a half hours each day not including the 30 min sunset and sunrise with the blue lights. can that play a factor? maybe I should set my lights for only 10 hours each day?

if it is red and slimy, it is more than likely cyano.

yes extended light times during the day will feed nuissance algaes.

what is flow like?

cyano will grow in low water movement areas.

Morrisons
03/06/2015, 01:51 PM
Yes that explains. I have low flow where my bubble coral is and that is where I see it grow. I am afraid to increase flow there because I read that if the bubble coral has too much flow then the rubbing of its bubbles against the skeleton can harm it and infect it and lead to its death. not sure if that's true but I did read that if they get infected than its hard to save them.