red alga all over the sand

[rockfish]

Hi all,

my freinds tank have red algae all over the sand bed looks like coraline agle but it grow too fast and the reddish look make then tank looks a bit ugly ..

anyone can advice .. ?? or wat is that .. ??

will post a pic tonite foru u guys to identify ..

[Tanzy]

Sounds like cyanobacteria.

I guess the tank must be overstocked and have very little water movement.

[rockfish]

here's the picture.. anyone can tell me wat is that and how to get rid of it .. ?

[typrobin]

confirm cyano ah....use a powerhead to blast your sandbed permanently...

otherwise, use a few powerheads to create more water circulation as advised be tanzy...

[giantbicycle]

use rowaphos/contra/biophos to lower down your P04...as it may be the cause..less feeding , lesser photoperiod too

[rockfish]

thank you guys .. will try that ..

[siglap]

reduce your feed.

reduce lighting time.

add phos guard.

reduce bio-load

[fooyl]

Hi,

any live stock eats cyano?

Thanks

regards-fooyl

[neokn]

Check this thread

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

bro. just do a major water change , add Rowah or Bio Phos and circulate your water well and all the cyno will go away.....

[Navyblue]

Yup... as long as one of phosphate or nitrate became a limiting factor it will go away.

Did you test for phosphate and nitrate?

What I do is to use my fingers to crush the layer everyday and prevent it from forming a film (sounds crude I know), the same theory as using a powerhead but IME the power head will create some unsightly holes hehe...

[neokn]

Yup... as long as one of phosphate or nitrate became a limiting factor it will go away.

Did you test for phosphate and nitrate?

What I do is to use my fingers to crush the layer everyday and prevent it from forming a film (sounds crude I know), the same theory as using a powerhead but IME the power head will create some unsightly holes hehe...

Alternative method, buy the 3ft fork thingy from the LFS and disturb the sand once in a while (like 1 to 2 weeks a time).

*Note: Make sure your skimmer is working and filter media is clean before you do that as all the "@#$%^&*" will start floating in the water.

[JuzzMarine]

I may be wrong.......

Last time when I use 10K PL tube over my tank I always got cyno and diatom all over my sand bed.

Ever since i switch to 14K MH, the cyno is gone, though diatom exist, but minimum.

Can I conclude that higher color temperature prevent cyno growth? Or is it bcos of MH that do the wonders?

[Navyblue]

I may be wrong.......

Last time when I use 10K PL tube over my tank I always got cyno and diatom all over my sand bed.

Ever since i switch to 14K MH, the cyno is gone, though diatom exist, but minimum.

Can I conclude that higher color temperature prevent cyno growth? Or is it bcos of MH that do the wonders?

Yup... Generally speaking, the bad algaes prefer lower colour temp. Better one actually prefer bluer light, like coralline