Sandbed Algae

[jwreffner]

I have a 55 FOWLR which has had red algae covering the sandbed for the past 2 months. I vacuum it up during water changes, have reduced feedings and all my water parameters are within good ranges:

Nitrate: 8
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: .01
pH: 8.1
Alk: 3.0

I have 4, 65watt CF bulbs (2, 10k and 2, Atintic). Run carbon, UV, Phosban and my AquaC Skimmer continuously. It is only on the sandbed and doesn't disturb the LiveRock. I have a few snales and hermits but not too many. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Jay

 

[SW1TCH]

How long has the tank been set up? It might just be going threw a algae cycle.

 

[jwreffner]

It was setup in March of 2005.

 

[raw88gt]

add more current to the bottom of the tank, it sounds like cyano. i cant spell. lol but i know it hate current. good luck

 

[jwreffner]

Just added a powerhead pointing towards the sand. Regardless, that isn't fixing the root problem of why it is there in the first place. I would prefer to fix it at the root cause. Any ideas on how to determine that root cause?

 

[Petstorejunkie]

go out and but a utbe of chemi clean or red slime remover and be done with the nasty stuff for good. i have used re slime remover in the past with great success

 

[jwreffner]

I am not a fan of algaecides for the reason of gradual immunity to them. I don't want to create a super-algae.

Again...wondering what the root cause is. If I can figure out the root cause, I can fix the problem where it should be fixed.

 

[stykthyn]

what kind of water are you using? possibly silica bloom? maybe some hermit rabs in the bottom of the tank will help?

 

[jwreffner]

I have RO/DI water from a kent marine RO/DI unit. Doesn't diatoms bloom from excessive silicates? Diatoms are brown. My algae is red matted hair algae on the sand.

I've got hermits both red and blue legged ones. They don't seem to enjoy the algae too much.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks,
Jay

 

[stykthyn]

mostly brown, but i have seen it into the reds....hmmm....maybe a lawnmower blenny, it will devour the green stuff, but I have never had red slime in my reef. The only time I ever got it was in a nano and I could never get rid of it. I got it right after using some Mark Weiss products. Not that it is great stuff, but my system was just too small to handle the nutrient load. Try using a phosphate remover and vacuum daily. Possibly cut back some of the feedings and improve water flow. Cyano will only grow in areas of low current. Blast away and I hope it clears up for you.

 

[capt. insano]

I firmly believe that tanks just go through cycles in their maturation. I had a very similar explosion of cyano and a weird thick purplish algae that only grow in the sandbed. My parameters were all perfect, I did weekly water changes, used r/o, etc. Then inexpicably, it cleared up over the course of a couple of days and never returned.

FWIW

 

[SW1TCH]

When i had my lawnmower blenny he ate it but than my 6 line wrasse killed the blenny.

 

[jwreffner]

I am using phosphate remover. My phosphate is zero. Guess I will keep vacuuming it and hope for the best.

Thanks,
Jay

 

[cjvolitan]

it's part of the natural cycle process it will go away on it's own if not add more snails till it's all eaten.
had some in my tank but it eventually went away

 

[hdtvguy]

jwreffner


Get your Coraline algae growth more in the tank. This will starve the nuisance algaes of nutrients.

 

[jwreffner]

Yeah...my bali rock is covered with the stuff...about 80% coverage.

 

[ACBlinky]

Have you got any large turbos in the tank? I had a cyano bloom soon after my FOWLR was through cycling and I suspect my zebra turbos are part of the reason it disappeared so quickly.

You said "My algae is red matted hair algae on the sand.", does it peel off in sheets when you vacuum it out? It sounds like it may not be cyano, in which case there may be another fish/critter that will eat it. A picture would help to ID it if you're not sure what type of algae you're dealing with.
Regardless of the type of algae, keeping NO3 and PO4 as low as possible should help clear it up.

 

[jwreffner]

Yes it peels off the sand bed when siphoning. I will get a pic of it tonight. My PO4 is at .01 and my NO3 is around 8. I'll post a pic tonight.

TIA,
Jay

 

[huff2]

cyano bloom

cyano bloom

i share your pain i have this in my tank as well i have i had it for 3 months now i just can not get rid of it tryed everything on every post i read still no go i am thinking of a tear down as next step.
Have a look at my photo is this what you have.

 

[jwreffner]

Huff...where is the photo?