Red Algae

[chefstylez]

I know this problem has come up many a time and i've read many a thread but im still going to ask. Whats the best way other than a big water change and small ones there after to lower nitrates?
Is there a problem with the t5s that i have in the front part of the tank because thats where all my algae is on the front 1 1/2 inch of the sand bed. Are my powerheads placed in the wrong directions?

I have pics on my I phone that I can send via email if someone could post for me please pm me your email.

Thanks in advance
Mark

Water Params:
Nitrate 30ppm
Phosphate 0.25
Temp 80.2
Salinity 1.020

Water change:
30%
Nutrisea Water and distilled water

Equip:
Phosban reactor
2 month old 29 high gallon perfecto
Brand new Proclear fuge w/ chaeto and rio 2100 return
Coralife 65 skimmer with rio1100 pump pulling about half a cups worth of skimmate every 3 days.
Maxijet 600 back right pointing to front left
Maxijet 1200 w/ hydor deflector front left pointing back right

Lights:
Coralife 30 in. Lunar light delux pc. 130w in the middle
coral life 24in. t5 dont know wattage, in front

Livestock
3 clowns
3 chromis
Hammer,5 hairy mushrooms, 2 toadstools, zoo rock, 7 stalks of xenia, bicolor bta

Cleanup crew:
8 hermits
2 margarita
3 turbo
2 regualr snails
1 cleaner shrimp
2 peppermint

 

[NYreefNoob]

red algea

change water flow or add more, you hit it with doing water change's and feed less. and i would say it has nothing to do with the t5's. { i use 6 bulb t5 on a 62g. and cut back on light time. also make sure tank isnt getting sunlight before your regular light's come on

 

[chefstylez]

Pics:

 

[chefstylez]

More pics:

 

[NYreefNoob]

red algea

it's cyano sp ? try to syphon out as much as you can and like i said change water flow and do water change's. your skimmer looks like it is running alittle on the wet side

 

[chefstylez]

any other ideas on how to get rid of this eye sore?

 

[fritz]

Cyano is caused by excessive phosphates in the water (PO4). Removing the phosphate will remove their food source and wallah, no more cyano. Adding flow will just inhibit where it can grow but not solve your problem as it will always find a spot with less flow where it can grow. Water changes will help but the real solution is to find out how they get in your tank and do some preventive medicine. You want to treat the problem (PO4) not the symptom (cyano).

Make sure you change the phosban in your reactor at least every month if not every three weeks. Frozen food should be thoroughly rinsed before using as it is high in phosphates. Liquid phyto is also super high in phosphates. Tap water is another source of PO4 so keep doing as you are with the distilled and store bought. You may want to invest in a RO/DI filter. They pay for them selves very quickly when you compare the cost of distilled and store bought sea water.

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Category=167&Sub=166

There's also a product out there that will kill cyano bacteria but be advised that cyano exists in the air we breath so it will come back quickly unless you remove its food source. Using the "red slime remover" will only rid your tank of cyano for a few days / week tops. Removing the PO4 they feed from will keep it gone for good.

Also how old is this tank? Often new tanks will have several algae blooms until everything stabilizes and matures.

 

[chefstylez]

Thanks for the reply but my phosphates have been at 0.125 for the last few times I've tested them. My nitrates are high at 20ppm. I understand that cyano blooms because of p04 but they aren't that high. My phosban reactor is brand new maybe a week and a half old. The system is 2months old. I understand algae blooms for this young of a tank is expected. The type of test kit I use is the api reef master test kit, liquid drops. I feed my tank a lot less than I did before but now it seems there is more of a bloom. I siphoned out most of it last night but now its on the rocks even

 

[Deanos]

Thanks for the reply but my phosphates have been at 0.125 for the last few times I've tested them.

You can either believe the inaccurate test kit (.125 PO4) or the actual evidence (cyano bloom). Regardless, what number the test kit shows, your phosphate is high enough to support the algae. In understanding algae blooms in an immature tank, you also should understand that with time, your tank will be able to process excess nutrients before the cyano can use them to proliferate. For now, I'd take the advice given by Fritz and enjoy reefing!

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Water change, run carbon and get more flow on the algae covered areas. What are your test readings on everything? Calcium Alk Mg Nitrate Phosphates PH Etc etc etc.

 

[Dj Orion]

I have an FOWLR with triggers and puffers and they are the worst when it comes to making a mess. I had a really bad cyano problem just like yours. I found that when doing my water changes I thoroughly vaccumed the sand bed consistantly every week (used the vaccum attatchment on 1/4" hose and dug into the sand), and cut back on feeding and lighting. If you remove the excess DOC's from the bottom of the tank you should have relief. I used the red slime remover (2 different brands) and the slime returned a week later. Your best bet is to bust out the hoover on your sand bed every week as part of your new water changing routine. At least that is what worked for me to this day. This is no way cured me oh my phosphate issues, just got rid of the cyano that was on my sand bed and live rock.

 

[lazyreefer]

if u try everything and everything fails, you can shut off you lights for 2-3 days.

 

[nsiegel5]

Definately go with shutting down your lights for a few days, I shut them down for 5 days when I had a problem with no adverse affects to any of my corals. Rid your tank of the phosphates water changes vacum and watcht the over feeding. It will pass just try to keep it away from your corals