reddish algae on sand

[Maybaer]

I changed lights on my 100g about 2 weeks ago (4 x 96w pc). saturday, I took out the LR to catch the darn damsels that I inherited. Now I'm noticing a reddish algae growing on the sand. Will it eventually go away or should I try to do something more aggresssive now to get rid of it? What should I do?

 

[dtaranath]

the tank is just cycling. that will go away on its own. there are chemicals for it, and I have found that my snails and crabs eat it away, but the bottom line is, it will go away on its own.

 

[Abysswater]

sound like cyano bacteria. some will tell you to step up your flow pump and power heads. It helps! And due 20% water changes.

I did all of this, and the only thing that worked to me (lastly) was Chemi Clean by Boyed Enterprizes. Three scoops of this enzimne and it will be gone in two days. Then you have to do a 20% water change after treatment. Do not run skmmer, carbon, or ozone when doing treatment.

 

[Maybaer]

Okay... Thanks for the suggestions. I have to say that the tank was an established tank that I bougt from somebody. He had it going for a year with only a 2x65 pc hood. Does this make a difference or is it going through some new cycle?

When I purchased it, I'm sure that I had a lot of die-off in the sand as the sand cooled off a lot. The LR was okay because we packed it in coolers. The tank has been running for a month and a half. Everything seems fine other than the algae. I do think that i need to put a couple of power heads in besides the SQWD that I'm running. What do you think?

 

[Syon]

we put a dragon goby in a display tank with red algae on the sand - his sifting action didn't necessarily destroy the algae, but he kept it from clumping in groups and made it hardly noticeable

 

[dtaranath]

it's a new cycle. Everything is new once the tank is taken down and restarted. Are you using RO/DI water? If not, you probably have phosphates in the water which are feeding the algae.

Did the guy you bought it from use RO/DI? YOu might have a lot of algae nutrients hidden in the live rock as well.

 

[Maybaer]

Yes, we're using RODI water and the last guy was as well. I'm gonna make a 10% water change and vacuum the sand. Then a blue cheeked gobi might be the trick.

 

[3S1K]

I kept sucking up the slime during my water changes and that helped alot.It took a 2-4wks to get rid of it but it did.

 

[capefear]

use your hand to brush it away for a while it will go away

 

[Maybaer]

Thanks everyone for all the help!