Help? Is this cyanobacteria?!

[SauceSBC]

I have noticed some red slime/hair type algae. It is long, like hair, maybe up to 3/4 inch (what sways with water growing up from sand bed. It's more Maroon in color. (Brownish Red).
I also notice a grease type opaque in color film floating at the top of my water when I feed. I'm guessing this is from the food- not sure if this is related. I Do have high Nitrates, about 60ppm. I know my other counts are good, except phosphates- I don't have tester for that.
This is (Below listed Tank #2) a 55 gal FOWLR I bought from someone claiming the tank was healthy. When I was setting it up, I noticed there was a good amount of green hair algae on some of the live rock. At least that's what I assumed it was. I put it in my refugium sump for my reef tank (to help it get established) about a month ago and now I'm scared. I hope this doesnt spread into my Reef tank now. Here are pics, please help with ID and solution.
Does the Vodka method work for this? If so, I haven't done that yet so Ill need instructions. (I have looked all of this up, but I keep getting conflicting info, so I came here for knowledgeable help)
I wanted to try the vodka method in my reef a while ago, for high Nitrates, but I wasn't sure if it was reef safe. I'm not nervous to try this in my FOWLR tank.

I don't know why my tank info isn't showing up, but I'll write it in:
This tank is a 55gal FOWLR, RedSea Prizm skimmer, Jebo 4 stage canister filter, 550 powerhead, ~50lb LR, Aragonite sand bed. Animals: baby V. Lionfish, a Niger Trigger, a small Blue Line Grouper, a Choc chip starfish, and a Coral striped shrimp. (I am aware I will need a bigger tank when my fish grow up)

 

[dookie67]

Yep, that's the stuff. I am still fighting with a bad case of it I've had for a while. Here's a link to my thread. Many good suggestions. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2172972

 

[dookie67]

My next step is lights out and cover the tank for 3 days (do this monthly). I'm having a hard time with this step since I have a reef tank so I can see it:rollface: I hate to cover, but that is what I'm doing tonight. I just have to remember it will be all over in time for the weekend!

 

[SauceSBC]

Won't a 3 day black out really upset nems and some corals?

 

[Sk8r]

The lights-out procedure will not harm a reef: it's like what happens when a hurricane rolls in. OTOH, do a 4th day of low light (actinic) to let the corals wake up slowly.

 

[SauceSBC]

I did take care of it long ago. I kept siphoning it out and did water changes. Though it does still exist in my refugium sump. once in a while, I;ll see a small spot in my DT & nip it in the bud.
I'll try the lights out in my sump so it doesnt return. Will that kill my good algae in my fuge as well?

 

[joekidwell]

I would add another powerhead, reduce feeding and the photo period, increase the water changes. A blackout will only reduce the symptoms until it gets unbearable again. I've had it under controll for a while using this method.

 

[coralsnaked]

Or just kill it with ChemiClean and move on to reducing the trates and phates. Or you can do all the other hard stuff trying to keep it in check, but don't pull all your hair out trying LOL

 

[sponger0]

My next step is lights out and cover the tank for 3 days (do this monthly). I'm having a hard time with this step since I have a reef tank so I can see it:rollface: I hate to cover, but that is what I'm doing tonight. I just have to remember it will be all over in time for the weekend!

But see you have to do it monthly, so you arent solving the problem. Flow and nutrients are going to be the reason for having cyano

 

[doosiec]

I would recommend total darkness for 3 days, then actinics only for the next 2-3 days.

Once all gone, you can return to the regular light routine.

Another thing you can do is provide sufficient flow in those dead zones.
At least it's red and not black, black is bad...

 

[Shorty Harris]

I would recommend total darkness for 3 days, then actinics only for the next 2-3 days.

Once all gone, you can return to the regular light routine.

Another thing you can do is provide sufficient flow in those dead zones.
At least it's red and not black, black is bad...

Not to hijack the thread but what is the black stuff you mentioned? Last week I had some black stuff grow on my star polyps in a matter of a couple hours. It was a small patch and I siphoned it off; has not come back since. I had just fed a small amount of plankton to a couple other corals before the black stuff showed up.

 

[Anemones007]

Jackie, you know what this is.

Jackie, you know what this is.

It's a virus Jacqueline. Good find.