Brown/Red Stringy Algage on Sand new to saltwater need an ID

quik95lt1

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Hi, I'm new here but not new to tank keeping, well newish to saltwater tanks. I've got a 47 gallon column setup with 50lbs of live rock and 40 lbs of live sand within the past week or so I have this growing on the sand and I'm trying to figure out how to control it or even what it is? I have some purple and green coralline growing but id hate to see this stuff start to take it over........parameters below.....this corner of the tank does get some sunlight in the day that's the only thing I can come up with.....but I really cant move the tank...cyano? Just trying to figure out if its like the diatom thing and I just need to ride it out or if I need to take action.

20160819_081547_zpsn4uprkx0.jpg


20160819_081543_zpswt5vu5bq.jpg


Temp 77*
PH 8.0-8.3
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate Virtually undetectable <1
Calcium 420
Magnesium 1200
Phosphates virtually undetectable
SG 1.024

RODI water being used TDS are around 3 with IO Reef Salt

Tank is about 2 months old, has what seems to be an instantly paired set of clowns in it along with a fluval 406, two koralia 600 powerheads and a tunze 9004 skimmer.....lighting is a edge led setup which I do know ouputs 6-9k which is wrong for the tank, gathering a few bucks and hopefully ordering a AI 26HD next week for it..........any input would be appreciated I would like to start perhaps adding a couple of softies to the tank.

Thanks!!!
Mike
 

sa6hir

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A new tank will go through this phase it's normal and soon enough all the algae will be a thing of the past! From what I see I don't think you have enough flow either, high flow helps to reduce/eliminate the algae. I would also try and make sure my water is 0 tds. But I'm pretty sure your water turn over rate is way below what it should be. My new set ups have gone through this phase but nothing compared to what you have! It's nothing to worry about but il let someone else shine some light on it for you!
 
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quik95lt1

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jasonb87

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You really can't measure TDS with our standard meters after adding salt. It will be off the scale.
Your right, just the way i resd the above note on the OP TDS reading 3 with IO salt.

To the OP your want 0 TDS i know your tank is new but how old are your RODI filters?
 

twilliard

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ok thanks, I will try that test later......from doing some reading linked off that thread it seems that I have the spirulina cyno, step 2 will be getting it gone without hurting any of my inhabitants!!
Must be sure it's spirulina
If indeed it is chemiclean is what would be used and not h2o2
 
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quik95lt1

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A new tank will go through this phase it's normal and soon enough all the algae will be a thing of the past! From what I see I don't think you have enough flow either, high flow helps to reduce/eliminate the algae. I would also try and make sure my water is 0 tds. But I'm pretty sure your water turn over rate is way below what it should be. My new set ups have gone through this phase but nothing compared to what you have! It's nothing to worry about but il let someone else shine some light on it for you!

really? I figured I had more than enough lol the fluval moves 360gph and the heads are 500 each but I do have an extra head I bought, ill pop it in and turn the flow up!

Are you reading TDS before or after adding salt?

before after would be way off....

You really can't measure TDS with our standard meters after adding salt. It will be off the scale.

yup I measure before
 
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quik95lt1

quik95lt1

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Must be sure it's spirulina
If indeed it is chemiclean is what would be used and not h2o2

understand I am going to vacuum tonight and do that test to see for sure......great piece of info there on that test :D

Your right, just the way i resd the above note on the OP TDS reading 3 with IO salt.

To the OP your want 0 TDS i know your tank is new but how old are your RODI filters?

fairly new i bought it when I got the tank so about 2 months tops....its a small rodi unit im in an apartment for the time being till I finish my house up which will be shortly.....so I couldn't go with a large setup....hid this one under my sink with a slew of fittings from the depot....figured the apartment people wouldn't like me ripping apart their plumbing too much lol
 
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quik95lt1

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while we are at it any suggestions on aiming for water movement in the tank if we do in fact think I have a low flow issue? being a 47 gallon column its 20x18 but deep enough to put you in up to your shoulder to reach the sand....wasn't my first choice but the wife didn't want to take up too much floor space lol
 

twilliard

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while we are at it any suggestions on aiming for water movement in the tank if we do in fact think I have a low flow issue? being a 47 gallon column its 20x18 but deep enough to put you in up to your shoulder to reach the sand....wasn't my first choice but the wife didn't want to take up too much floor space lol
I would have caution at this as it will spread throughout the tank. Want to avoid getting any cells into the pores of the rock.
 
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quik95lt1

quik95lt1

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I would have caution at this as it will spread throughout the tank. Want to avoid getting any cells into the pores of the rock.
gotcha, ok I mean I have about 1400gph of movement right now between 2 550gph koralias and the fluval 406.......in the front of the tank the current pushing down the glass seems quite strong (clowns like to surf in it its a hoot to watch lol) but beyond that I figured flow was decent, I have ALOT of surface agitation...I even oddly have a power head pointed right where the stuff formed...the more I look at it that corner gets the most light and the rest of the sand is clean as a whistle...im really wondering if it was the sunlight now.....but I can always add another PH later after the algae/cyano is gone.....im going to vacuum tonight and do the test you showed me and we will go from there!!
 
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quik95lt1

quik95lt1

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heres a pic you can see the PH pointed right at that area, figured if it was flow that would be the LAST place it would form
20160819_081550_zpsreffxeab.jpg
 

sa6hir

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Ok the next thing to do is turn off all the flow and use a airline tube to sypon out all the stuff with out moving the substrate to much! It will return but after afew days then do it again, worked for me when I had my boyu set up!
 
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quik95lt1

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I would have caution at this as it will spread throughout the tank. Want to avoid getting any cells into the pores of the rock.

so I tried the test its defiantly cyano.......what I did do was vac it all up and I ditched my edge light for the AI 26HD I also closed the curtain on the sliding door near the tank and it seems to have stunted the growth of the cyano dramatically, with any luck I can get it sorted without any chemicals.......over the weekend im on to the next thing, I have two clowns I added both juvies about 5 weeks apart from each other that for the first 5 days were best friends and have now decided to start scuffling here and there :doh: !! hoping its just the normal pairing dominance bickering but Ive never paired clowns before just don't want any casualties
 

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I have had Red Slime even though I had Great Flow, Parameters were all Good Used RODI water, Radions on and on, Try some Ultralife Red Slime Remover it's a little different then Chemiclean, if you follow instructions to the book it will work, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS!
 

twilliard

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As a side note there is no need to spend the money on fancy named products to rid of this cyanobacteria.
H2O2 dosed at 1ml per 10 gallons every 12 hours for 14 days is a lot cheaper.
 
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