Problems with red algae

[kriswd40]

I'm having a problem with red algae (cynobacteria I think) in my tank that I just cannot seem to resolve. I have a 75 gallon tank. I thought perhaps that the issue was water flow so I added a second power head but I still am getting this growing all over the tank. If I leave the lights off for a few days, it dies off mostly but as soon as I turn them back on it comes back. And quickly too so I don't think it's a matter of having my lights on too often.
I have cleaned it out of the gravel as best I can (not easy) and off my rocks, but it just comes back again. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[mr. limpid]

You need to test your nitrates and phosphates and post results. How old are your bulbs. What foods do you feed and how often and how much? What fish do you have in your tank?

 

[kriswd40]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Limpid http:///t/394653/problems-with-red-algae#post_3512782
You need to test your nitrates and phosphates and post results. How old are your bulbs. What foods do you feed and how often and how much? What fish do you have in your tank?
I'll run some tests soon and post the results.
The bulbs are both under 1 year. One is probably 8-9 months old and the other is 4-5 months old.
I feed my fish daily, enough so that they usually eat it all. Not sure how to quantify that. I just used the dry flake fish food stuff.
I have two clown fish, a royal gramma, a green wrasse, and three yellow finned damsels. I also have a red spiny starfish, a chocolate starfish, and an emerald crab.

 

[mr. limpid]

Quote:
Originally Posted by kriswd40 http:///t/394653/problems-with-red-algae#post_3512785
I'll run some tests soon and post the results.
The bulbs are both under 1 year. One is probably 8-9 months old and the other is 4-5 months old. could be the problem T5 last 6month to year depending on type, do you know the type you have. Older bulbs light spectrum changes causes cyno.
I feed my fish daily, enough so that they usually eat it all. Not sure how to quantify that. I just used the dry flake fish food stuff. flakes have problem releasing phosphates into the water I suggest feeding frozen foods, such as mysis and other blends. These foods are also better for them then flakes.
I have two clown fish, a royal gramma, a green wrasse, and three yellow finned damsels. I also have a red spiny starfish, a chocolate starfish, and an emerald crab. you are not over crowded, good.
I would change your bulbs change the food and run your lights only when you are home, (unless you have corals). Forgot do you use RO/DI water in your top off and water changes?

 

[saban2013]

Cynobacteria can be the worst headache in the world for you tank. One idea, that I had used years back in my reef tank, is to use Erythromycin. You can get this at your local fish store. I'm sure you will get mixed feelings about this, since it has been debated for years. I had researched this myself for months before I used it, as I did not want to harm any of my corals. I treated once, and within two days all of the algae was gone completely. You will want to do a water change after you do this, if you decide to, to remove any remaining chemical and the dead algae. You do need to check your water quality. Poor water quality is believed to be the most common cause for Cynobacteria, but is not known for sure. Hope this helps.

 

[flower]

Hello...and welcome to the site.
Mr. Limpid is correct on what you should do. The problem with using the red slime remover that Saban offered is that if you don't get rid of the reason WHY you have cyano, so it will return. Using the chemical too often will eventually make it immune to the medicine, and then you have the equivalent of a super bug that can resist everything.
You need good water flow to all areas, and cyano feeds on the extra nutrients in the tank, so overfeeding is also a concern. If you do a phosphate test you will get a false negative reading because the cyano is feeding on it. So after you get as much of it out by hand as you can...do a big water change (50%) then do a small weekly or daily water change...the more often you do a water change, the less water you need to change out each time. Doing that should put all parameters back as it should be.
I would switch to frozen foods (thaw and rinse in a fish net before use) and not use the flake stuff at all. A skimmer takes out the extra organics out of the water, and would help as well. (Just my opinion.)

 

[saban2013]

Right on Flower. My previous post is merely a way to eliminate it immediately, but will not fix the WHY. It is handy to keep your corals and such from being overwhelmed while you fix what is wrong.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Saban2013 http:///t/394653/problems-with-red-algae#post_3512926
Right on Flower. My previous post is merely a way to eliminate it immediately, but will not fix the WHY. It is handy to keep your corals and such from being overwhelmed while you fix what is wrong.
Yep, I have used it myself...but I always made sure the "why" was taken care of first. I have no patience for doing the right thing, and then waiting for it to go away...I would fix the cause, and then get rid of the stuff ASAP...in the years I have kept SW tanks...I have used such a thing maybe 3xs....I must admit, it works... it also makes the skimmer go crazy.

 

[kriswd40]

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. I'd certainly like to figure out the cause of this so that it goes away for good. I've been pretty diligent at times about cleaning it up but it never stays away.
I unfortunately discovered today that my testing kit doesn't include a phosphates test but I did test out Nitrites (zero), Nitrates (zero), Ammonia (zero), and PH (test colors didn't match up well with anything but I'd guess 8 or 8.2).
I hadn't realized bulbs need replacing before they burn out, good to know. I suspect one of the two bulbs is old by a few months, could that cause this too?

 

[mr. limpid]

Quote:
Originally Posted by kriswd40 http:///t/394653/problems-with-red-algae#post_3512944
Thanks for the thoughts everyone. I'd certainly like to figure out the cause of this so that it goes away for good. I've been pretty diligent at times about cleaning it up but it never stays away.
I unfortunately discovered today that my testing kit doesn't include a phosphates test but I did test out Nitrites (zero), Nitrates (zero), Ammonia (zero), and PH (test colors didn't match up well with anything but I'd guess 8 or 8.2).
I hadn't realized bulbs need replacing before they burn out, good to know. I suspect one of the two bulbs is old by a few months, could that cause this too? yes
Bulbs light spectrum degrades as soon as they are lit. Only after the 6 months to a year (depending on bulb) for T5's will they degrade enough to cause problem for corals and cymo growth. It is good to have the bulbs on different change out schedule so coral do not get blasted with full spectrum change at once.

 

[kriswd40]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Limpid http:///t/394653/problems-with-red-algae#post_3512994
Bulbs light spectrum degrades as soon as they are lit. Only after the 6 months to a year (depending on bulb) for T5's will they degrade enough to cause problem for corals and cymo growth. It is good to have the bulbs on different change out schedule so coral do not get blasted with full spectrum change at once.
Maybe this is a silly question, but I have two bulbs and I know one is older than the other, but I have no idea which is which. Is there a way visually that I can tell?

 

[mr. limpid]

While the light is off look at the ends of the bulbs the darker the ends are usually means its older.

 

[flower]

Good idea Mr. Limpid......

I would just replace both at the same time, and note the date....Then when you are ready to change them again, you know to change both .......or tag each light so you know in the future the date it was replaced. I used 2 canister filters and toggled them for cleaning...I used to tag the canister filter as to which one would be the next to be cleaned up. With your lights...For the future, just put a piece of masking tape under the stand with a date and note of which one the date refers to..