Dark Burgandy Algae?

[SeaBee]

This stuff is like dark red paint on the rocks, with a few long hairs and air bubbles in it. What is it and what do I do? Thanks.:death:

 

[yote]

Sounds like cyano-bacteria.
Siphon out as much as possible and do a decent sized water change.Then kill the lights for 3 or 4 days.Then the day before you turn the lights back on,do another decent sized water change.
It'll also help to increase the flow.

 

[SeaBee]

I can get a whole oatmeal cookie in my mouth at once!

What is a decent size water change on a 55? 20%?

 

[yote]

I'd go 30% at least.

 

[parrotchute]

I had a cyano problem and what really helped was adding a HOB fuge and filling it with chaeto. It really took off in the fuge and outcompetes the cyano for nutrients...

According to a book on algae I have, blue legged hermits will eat it, but I certainly never witnessed mine taking a bite of it.

 

[SeaBee]

I'm waiting for my sump to be made, size issue under the stand. Can you buy weld on at a hardware store? I have everything else. So it feeds on what?

 

[SeaBee]

I can get mangroves at the lfs, will that help?

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

Cyano feeds on excess nutrients in your water column. You'll notice it kind of goes away at night, that's just the bacteria going into the water column again, spreading even more.

 

[parrotchute]

I think mangrove would help; anything that can outcompete for nutrients.
Try repositioning your powerheads onto the problem area as well...

 

[SeaBee]

I have a 55, its 4 ft wide and 1 ft deep and about 19" tall. I had a Korilla 1 and 2 in each corner. I now put in a #3 in one corner, its like a hurricane in there. Blowing straight down the top like longways. I cant turn it towards the algae directly, it starts to blast the sand. But there is now a LOT of water moving around. I will do a 10 g change tomorow, and cut the lights. Do the actinic lights need to be off as well, or just the white?

 

[parrotchute]

I know it seems like too much flow, but that's not too much. Your corals & fish will appreciate it.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of cutting the lights - it seems like once you put the lights back on, if the conditions are met, the algae will eventually be back.

 

[yote]

I'd cut em all off.
The algae will come back if the conditions are right for it.But you've got to get a head start on it before you can kill it out.Cyano,like any other algae can and will produce its own nutrients.So cutting the lights kills some of it out,which will help limit some of the nutrients that it produces.

 

[SeaBee]

Did you guys see that Mike Rowe Thing on sheep castration? omg, sry yote, but when you said cut em off, I thought of it. Lets see if this works.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-udsIV4Hmc]YouTube - Dirty Jobs' Mike Rowe on Lamb Castration, PETA, and American Labor[/ame]

ok, watch that.

Oh, I got 10 g salt water today, and I am going to change it out. Then I have the lights off all day, only on a little at night so I can see em.

 

[SeaBee]

Ok, this stuff seems to dissappear at night, even with the lights off. So I am now changing 10 gallons of water. I am cleaning the sand and trying to suck it off with my siphon.

 

[parrotchute]

Yeah it'll disappear like that and reform in the morning. It can be really frustrating dealing with it, but eventually, you can win. Part of the fun.