what kind of algea is this?

[sickfish89]

So I just got back from a week vacation and see this in the sand bed. Tank has been up and running for 3 months....and what can I do to get rid/keep from coming back.

 

[dendrite]

looks like cyanobacteria. Increase flow,blow off and siphon out what you can, decrease lighting, decrease food/ nutrients, increase water changes. If all else fails, chemi-clean has worked for me in the past, but you have a new tank and I would probably not complicate things with additional chemicals.

 

[Arkayne Reefer]

+1 dendrite. It's cyano.

 

[hotelbravo]

I also agree its cyano which is NOT an algae its a bacteria colony.

 

[CafeReef]

Looks like dinoflagelletes to me, not cyano.

 

[Reef Man Dan]

I agree with CafeReef. Looks like Dinos to me.

 

[hotelbravo]

Cyano does not have to be red.

 

[CafeReef]

Cyano does not have to be red.

Never said it does, dino's will release gases and cause stringing bubbles like is being shown in the picture. Not saying it is for sure not cyano, but looks more like dino's to me

 

[LuciDog]

Never said it does, dino's will release gases and cause stringing bubbles like is being shown in the picture. Not saying it is for sure not cyano, but looks more like dino's to me

Some strains of cyano do too.

Looks like cyano. Suck it up.

 

[whosurcaddie]

Cyano will release gas as well.

dynos

 

[whosurcaddie]

To me it actually looks like a mixture of the two. Like cyano growing on the dyno's.

 

[DubiousMaximus]

Either way, cyano or dyno bloom on a tank less than 12mon is a combo, decrease nitrates (water changes) and letting them finish their cycle, once their food supply is used up, they'll usually disappea

Adding cerith or other cleanup crew members that eat dyno/cyano (Hawaiian bumblebee snaills??)

 

[dendrite]

+1 dubious maximus. Trying to make the diagnosis from a small picture is difficult but there is an old expression in medicine ," When you hear the sound of thundering hooves, don't think of zebras." I'd go with cyano and treat as above.

 

[sickfish89]

Thanks for all the help guys. I went ahead and scooped out the big patch of it and bought 2 new power heads after realizing how 2 600gph powerheads weren't doing to much. Been holding back on feeding as much also, so we'll see how it goes from here.