Rust colored algae problem

[searobert]

I have developed rust colored (algae?) covering my sand and developing also on rocks and elsewhere. It seems to be poisoning or bothering my polyps as they are staying closed now. I also have some algae forming on the glass and hardware with lots of bubbles. I have a 55 gallon tank with hard and soft corals, some fish, 7 turbo snails, 50 baby blue leg crabs, 15 cerith and 8 narrarius snails and a emerald crab or two. I have 350 watts of T5 and PC flouresants and a canister filter. My phosphorus is undetectable, nitrate about 10, Ph about 8.0. I have let my calcium drop to 250 but I am boosting up again. The only other thing I've slacked on is water changes. I was changing 5g a week but over the last couple months I've only changed 5g evry third week. I'm going back to 5g a week but does anyone have any other suggestions as to how to get rid of the rust and bubble algae?

 

[AdrianBryce]

I don't have tons of knowledge, but I would get the water changes weekly and i would do ten gallons at a time.

also what kind of water are you using to do a water change
';'

 

[commonstranger]

You need more flow directed towards your sandbed and that will help. Not so much flow that it blows your sand around but just enough to give flow towards the bottom of the tank. Make sure you vacuum the sandbed to get as much algae as you can out before you do your water changes. For a 55 gallon tank I would take out 20 gallons total a month or however you want to break it down. I would also toss the canister filter and get a sump (atleast 20 gallons). You may have a good reason for not having one but if it was just by choice then I would say get yourself a sump. You probably want to cut back on your feeding a little. If you do get a sump you can put microalgae of some type in it to help keep phosphates and nitrates in line a little better. Hope this helps.

 

[andywe]

Yes, the canister filter offers some filtration but does not offer any real organics filtration, and therein lies a big part of your problem. You need a skimmer on your system. Even if it has to be an HOB one, get a decent skimmer.

Rhett is dead on with the flow, water changes, and sump recommendation as well.

 

[CeeGee]

unless you are cleaning that canister filter every other day ditch it. They are nothing but a nitrate factory and without proper husbandry it will do more harm than good.

Did you test for phosphates using a test kit? If so it is wrong. You need to use a hannah meter or something similar.

The algae you are seeing is probably cyano. It shouldn't be too hard to find plenty of threads about that stuff if you do a search. Good luck!

 

[HowardCath]

I don't know what it is, but I feel certain that I had (and still have) the same thing. It would get on rocks and sand. It would easily blow off, but be back in 24 to 48 hours. I used Chemi-Clean for presumptive "red slime" cyanobacteria, but i can't really say if it made a difference. I change 25 gallons once per month in my 125 gal tank. Never got rid of the problem, but it seems not to be taking over -- just remains at a persistent low level.

See my post, http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1485720

 

[undertcontrolj]

Is there any chance that the rust colored algae looks like this. Here is a link below. I though that I had an algae problem for a while and ended up having flat worms. Easy fix if that's what it is. But they spread like crazy and can pretty much only be gotten Rid if with chemicals.


http://www.masa.asn.au/masawiki/images/f/f2/Aceol_flatworms_2.jpg