Cyanobacteria or red hair algae?

[Mcgeezer]

I've started seeing algae on my sand bed that resembles hair algae, but idk if it's really hair algae or just Cyanobacteria? It actually has hair like filaments that move with the flow and it's a reddish brown hue on the sand.

It's odd because I run phosguard in a reactor and I don't believe that I am over feeding my fish. I only feed my corals once a week. Obviously nutrients are coming from somewhere ( I think it's my Yellow Tang since he craps so much)

Using my regular gravel siphon which I use for water changes doesn't have enough suction to remove it from the sand and I prefer not to use tubing to siphon it because I'll lose a lot of sand that way.

I know people suggest lights out for a few days every month....my question is will this affect the health of my corals at all???

Also I have a Derasa clam. Is the lack of light going to be detrimental to it?

 

[jeperry3]

Need a pic. If it has bubbles, it could be dinoflagellates. Example:

 

[shesacharmer]

A pic would definitely help. Let's hope for Cyano.

 

[Mcgeezer]

Definitely not dinos. I'll take a pic tomorrow cuz lights are out now. I'm leaning towards Cyanobacteria

 

[Mcgeezer]

Not the best pic but its a dark red hair like algae that flows with the water movement. It isnt out of control so id like to starve it out with lights out for 48 hours minimum. Will it effect corals or my derasa clam with no lights for that long?

<a href="http://s72.photobucket.com/user/coglitosway/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-09/0928141237_zpsgcwdyfiy.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i175/coglitosway/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-09/0928141237_zpsgcwdyfiy.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 0928141237_zpsgcwdyfiy.jpg"/></a>

 

[Mcgeezer]

Sorry here's the pic

<a href="http://s72.photobucket.com/user/coglitosway/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-09/0928141237_zpsgcwdyfiy.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i175/coglitosway/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-09/0928141237_zpsgcwdyfiy.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 0928141237_zpsgcwdyfiy.jpg"/></a>

 

[shesacharmer]

I'm having the same thing. Started out as definitely cyano but has gradually developed these red hair like filaments...not everywhere but I see more of them daily. My tank is still fallow for two more weeks...I have one rock with turf algae that I'm hoping the the fish will attack as well once I get them back in there. It's only on one rock but it's a base rock which will cause many problems to physically remove.

I've been manually cleaning the cyano a few times per week with the turkey baster...just sucking it out and I do lose a little sand that way. I've been reluctant to do lights out since I'm home enjoying my tank so much but I might need to bite the bullet and just do it.

 

[shesacharmer]

Not sure if you can see the hairs but they are flowing in the breeze.

 

[Zer0.]

i have the same thing going on on my largest piece of LR i got from my LFS ^