Need ID and Advice.

[RalphTheOscar]

Was doing some research and reading others posts, I think I might have 2 different outbreaks of Cyano.

This one is a light red'ish color


This one is a dark brown or almost black in color.


Are these both cases of Cyanobacteria? Neither of these have any oxygen bubbles and they are mostly on the sandbed. I dont feed too much(just a few pellets a day for my shrimp) I will admit I have my light running a lot. I have an LED Current light(I like to use the setting that simulates sunrise and sunset)

How can I battle these without using chemicals?
Ive read of people turning their lights off for 3 days(I wanted to avoid that if possible) I have Soft and LPS corals. My tank also has a decent amount of Feather Caulerpa that ive grown to like and didnt want to kill it off.

Any suggestions or ideas? Im getting a Lawnmower Blenny soon, will he help at all because he will stir my sand around?

Sorry for the long post and Happy Thanksgiving

 

[gone fishin]

They both look like cyano to me. Try adjusting your power heads to get a bit more flow in those areas. you can use a turkey baster to pull it off the sand bed. If this is a new tank, it may just come and go.

 

[shesacharmer]

Cyano has been an ongoing battle for me. Increasing flow, turkey basting, lights out, and chemiclean have all made it better but none has solved it. A Blennie will not solve it as I have that too. The thing that has helped the most is multiple water changes per week. GL

 

[Dozer1one]

Def cyano, the blenny will do nothing as its a Bacteria not actually an algae, I see your theory, however if the sanded gets stirred up without actually removing the cyano by syphon it will only make it spread, increase water changes and syphon out what you can and maybe cut back on your light schedule or keep them off for three days, and cover the tank so no stray light gets in