slimy red algea

[7328]

i've recently gooten Dark Maroon algea growing on the live rock in my tank. Any help is appreciated. Is it good, bad, or the ugly?

 

[beth]

https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=73002
Sorry to say that it is usually not good. A little bit of "cyanobacteria" is pretty common in most reef or FOWLR tanks, but like anything, it has the potential to become a plague if the tank enviroment is not right.
Take a look at that link I provided which is in our Archives forum. Welcome to Saltwaterfish.com!

 

[sbsb]

Lower phosphate and nitrate with water changes. I have used D**K Boyd's Chemi-Clean after the aforementioned, to got rid of it. The thing I have noticed is that if your water conditions are bad it will flourish and take over the tank. A while back, I started with a small spot of it and within a few days it was everywhere. After enough water changes, with water and salt that contain no phosphate or nitrate, you may have to use a commercially available nitrate and phosphate absorbent material in your filter to completely eradicate it. If you don't get rid of every speck it will come back. Your nitrate and phosphate may be do to over feeding or bad water or salt to begin with. I would test your mixed saltwater before you add it to the tank to see if these substances are present. If so, test your tap water for them. If either are present you will probably need a R/O unit or buy premixed saltwater from your LFS, that you should test as well.

 

[7328]

Beth and SBSB. Thank You for the information. I'm new to the hobby and appreciate ALL advice. I'll give it a try and post the results. 7328

 

[beth]

You should take a look at your own setup and think about if there is anything there, and there usually is,that could be causing the problem. If you need further help, post back!