Who Else?

[tank o tang]

Curious how many others in the group are dealing with this reddish/maroon cyano looking stuff in their tanks? Also what salt are you using? Getting any nasty stuff in your mixing container?

I'm using Reef Crystals and have both but thinking of switching over to Oceanic or Brightwell. Any thoughts?

 

[Kdocimo90]

I used to have a lot on my sand beds, now I have none.
What I did:
-kept up more often with my water changes
-siphoned it out ALL out when draining my tank to do a water change
-if it got way out of hand after my water change I would turn my lights off for ~3 days.

Not too long after I started siphoning out, I had stopped needing to turn off the lights. I also have a diamond watchman goby that keeps the sand "circulated".

I'm not necessarily saying it will work out for you, or anyone else this way.. just my experience.

 

[mike33]

Chemi-cure worked well for me. I'm using seachem and pretty pleased overall. I think I'm going to start buying the brightwell pending the cost.

 

[scolley]

I've got it. But while it looks like cyano, I'll wager it is not. Here's why:

1. Mine LOVES high flow. Cyano does not.
2. It ONLY grows where there is a silica source. Since my sand is not silica based, there is none there. Instead... it's all on the tank walls - all glass.
3. Mine only appeared AFTER I recently let my PO4 to rise beyond 0.03 ppm. Nitrates have been relatively stable.
4. Unlike most (but not all) forms of cyano, mine does not care much about light. High light, low light, next to no light... any place on the glass with high flow is fine.

All of the above point to something other than cyano (regardless of it being maroon in color, and bubbling at the end of the day), and are evidence that it could be a form of diatomic algae. If we are to suspect the recent batches of Reef Crystals (of which I am using) as a source, that would be supported by the fact that the residue from that mix recently found (and tested and documented in other threads) has been found to be diatomic in nature, and high in silicates.

IMO - it ain't cyano. Just looks like it. It Is diatomic. And is likely stimulated by silicates in Reef Crystals.

PS - There's no other obvious source of silicates in my aragonite sand, RO/DI water tank.