Algae ID

[cjpitt80]

Hello experts! Can anyone help ID this algae? It looks like a slimy substance with bubbles trapped in it with strings coming off the slime. That's the best I can describe it other than it being very ugly.
Thanks!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KeNnZicqMW99qez58

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XKRQJJCbCKf47Voy5

[kevin21]

Looks like cyanobacteria to me. Reducing nutrients by lowering light schedule (or a temporary blackout), more frequent water changes, and manual removal should take care of it. I know some swear by red slime remover, but your issue revolves around excessive nutrients and needs to be fixed regardless.

[cjpitt80]

Yeah I'm currently doing a 3day black-out to help. In theory, reduced lights=reduced algae regardless of species, right? Cyano is bacteria is it fueled by light? I think I may also try some chemi-clean or something like that as well.

[mcgyvr]

Yep.. That is cyano..
Siphon as much of it as you can out during a water change then go 3 days lights out.. Then siphon whats left..
Repeat as needed every couple weeks until its gone..

Or go chemi-clean but realize that there can be some risks associated with that and often the cyano may come back and it almost forms an immunity to chemiclean..

As the algae is photosynthetic it needs/uses light.. So the lights out for 3 days really weakens it..

If you don't have any other critters that need light (like corals/nems) then just keep the lights off till its gone.. Fish don't need light..
No need to 100% wrap/blackout the tank just make sure it doesn't get sunlight or anything stronger than room ambient lighting..

[cjpitt80]

Yeah I have a four euphyllia, (torch, octo, frog, hammer) and a monti cap and the rasta zoas. Hardest part is getting is off the damn rocks. I use a toothbrush to try to at least get it on the sand then use a gravel vac best I can.. Is cyano a nutrient level for sure? My nitrates have never been above 2ppm with Red sea test and last time I had a Triton test, my phosphates were at .03 or so

[kevin21]

Your nitrate and phosphate probably won't be testing high because the cyano is soaking up those nutrients from the water column.

[cjpitt80]

Your nitrate and phosphate probably won't be testing high because the cyano is soaking up those nutrients from the water column.

I've been thinking bout this for a while. Doesn't that make it somewhat "useless" to test for nutrients? In essence, my tank has developed a balance with nutrient input from feeding, fish/coral poo etc, and uptake by algae, right? The issue is that this balance includes some really ugly algae (or bacteria) in the display which is feeding on these nutrients. SO...starve the algae of nutrients, add good nutrient uptake algae in the fuge (chaeto) and I should be good. Man getting a perfect balance is HARD ugh

[kevin21]

It sure can be sometimes. How frequent do you do water changes? Performing them weekly/bi weekly can really help reduce these problems significantly. You can also look into carbon dosing with a product such as Nopox, but you need to make sure you skim well during this periods in order to keep the o2 levels in the tank high enough during the dosing.

[cjpitt80]

It sure can be sometimes. How frequent do you do water changes? Performing them weekly/bi weekly can really help reduce these problems significantly. You can also look into carbon dosing with a product such as Nopox, but you need to make sure you skim well during this periods in order to keep the o2 levels in the tank high enough during the dosing.


I'm doing Triton method to avoid water changes. However, since my algae issues I've been doing about 15%/ month since Nov.

What does skimming "well" mean? I've used chemi-clean before and just took the cup off and let it foam up. In general my skimmate is medium tea level, but I see some folk get it coffee level.

[mcgyvr]

Is cyano a nutrient level for sure?

Cyano is not something that happens only because your nutrient levels are high..
You can have a tank with high nitrates and phoshates with zero cyano and a tank with at or near zero nitrates and phoshates just covered in cyano..

Some think its a response to VERY specific imbalance of the 2 yet there really isn't much information on that..
It may be related to DOC/TOC levels..

I have not seen any concrete information on why cyano is present in a tank..

Cyano just happens... And for the most part we can make it go away..

Remember.. Nitrates and phosphates are actually beneficial nutrients REQUIRED by all marine life..
Just like fertilizer for your yard (which ironically is N/P/K.. coincidence..nope)
Too high of a nutrient level (too much fertilizer) and your grass gets burnt,etc... Too little of a nutrient level (lacking fertilizer) and your grass isn't lush and green..

[cjpitt80]

Completed a 3-day blackout and used Chemi-Clean. Scrubbed what I could with toothbrush sucked out what I could with a gravel vac. Few spots remain on the sandbed. I'll probably redo the gravel vac this weekend. I don't want to redo the Chemi-clean right now because it makes the skimmer go ape ish crazy. Also added more flow from the back of the tank with a couple tunze powerheads. Still have some green hair or bryopsis type stuff on the rocks. I'm running carbon now to get rid of the rest of the Chemiclean then I'll probably do another round of fluconazole. I also plan to up the clean up crew a little and maybe add a Lawnmower algae blenny. Overall, it's looking better.

[jlmawp]

Sounds like you have it under control, and doing all the right cyano things. Best of luck.