What is causing my Cyno Problem

[clown-lover]

i've tested my tank and i took water to my lfs to get it tested, everything came out perfect....except for calcium....it's a little high. they said that if high calcium levels is my only water problem, it won't cause problems for my livestock.
but i have cyno, not too bad, but it's there, what could be the cause?

 

[bang guy]

How's your water flow on the sandbed?
Cyano consumes a LOT of Nitrate & Phosphate. Often when it's in bloom you will test zero for these compounds because the Cyano is consuming it.

 

[clown-lover]

hmmm....well how do i know if the sand bed is getting enough water flow?
i moved my power head so it wouldn't stir up the sand, i had it in a place that all the sand got moved over a period of days to where i could see the bottom glass, i didn't like that too much so i put the sand back and moved the power head
the cyano problem is mostly on my walls, the sand bed has a little but it's been worse before, now it won't leave the walls though

 

[clown-lover]

i wrote in on another thread, and i was told to find out what the cause of my problem is, like i said, the water conditions are good but clacium is a little high,
maybe another powerhead would take care of it?

 

[joemack]

Growing Macro algae was my wonder drug but I think that more flow would help out like Bang said. I was noticing some cyano in my low flow areas before.

 

[clown-lover]

yeah, last time i remember the problem that was on the sand bed....it was in the right coner, now that i moved the powerhead to the other side, it's gone from the right and now starting to grow on the left.....i better get another powerhead....that's gotta be it
thanks for the help....
how do i grow good algae??? and how do i know that when it grows, that it's good....??? Macro is good right?

 

[jonthefb]

what type of filter are you using, and what type of tank is it (reef, fish only, etc?)
these are teh main causes of red slime algae:
1. overfeeding
If we get carried away feedign our tanks, and dont have either a clean up crew or filter system strong enough to support eh overfeeding, other life forms, such as algaes begin to consume these gasses.....ie. hair and rede slime algae......cut back on your feeding or beef up your clean up crew!
2. lights shifting spectrum
AS your lights burn over your tank they will gradually comsume the gasses inside of them, and thsu will not be as intense or as colorful as when you originally purchased them...this shift in spectrum and intensity allows other organisms a chance to grow, and they usually grow rapidly! cyano bacteris(red-slime algae) is notorious for this...to remedy this problem if you have NO, HO, VHO, or PC lights, change them every 6-9 months.....if you have halides change them every 9 months to 1 year!
3. Poor circulation
AS bang stated above and as you probably can already tell from the stuff int his post so far...red slime algae is a very opportunistic algae....therefore, if you have an area of your tank that has a very slow current you might see a buildup of redslime algae in this location....try redirectign or purchasing a new powerhead so that that area is no longer stagnant.....theres lots of other problems that can come about from having "dead" spots like this in your tank as well
4. Water source
although your tank may test at zero for all the gases named above, test your source water as well, be it tap, distilled or ro/di.....you might have an extremely high amount of nitrate/phosphate in this water, which you are introducing to your tank with top off and water changes....try to test the water and if it shows high, work on getting a different source for your water.
5. Algae cycle
After all we have talked about causation of red slime algae, it could very well be part of the algae cycle in a new tank and will wax and wane with age...usualy in a new tank after you complete your ammonia cycle, you will go through an algae cycle the first of whcih appears is diatom algae.....then red slime.....then hair........then coralline whcih is good and we actually want more of! If your tanks is brand new....let it sit....cut back your lights, dont feed (unless you have livestock in the tank) and wait it out...it usually disappears!
hope this helps soemwhat
good luck
jon