Algae ID and irradiation

[evan-beachouse-45]

What type of algae is this and how can I beat it?

 

[brandon429]

It should be hand cleaned off the rocks outside the tank

The top layer siphoned up and cleaned out, rinsed and put back if needed

Walls cleaned and water change...always do the manual removal first


Then lower the lights and the whites for sure until corals require it and continue the hand cleaning and guiding until it matures

Bright white lights are the greater cause here. Also make sure the topoff water is zero total dissolved solids

I would not ID those as dinoflagellates it's something else in my opinion

 

[evan-beachouse-45]

It should be hand cleaned off the rocks outside the tank

The top layer siphoned up and cleaned out, rinsed and put back if needed

Walls cleaned and water change...always do the manual removal first


Then lower the lights and the whites for sure until corals require it and continue the hand cleaning and guiding until it matures

Bright white lights are the greater cause here. Also make sure the topoff water is zero total dissolved solids

I would not ID those as dinoflagellates it's something else in my opinion

How can I clean the rocks without destroying my bacteria? And would a black out help at all?

 

[brandon429]

http://reef2reef.com/threads/the-of...ead-aka-one-against-many.230281/#post-2681445

Not trying to flood you with long links lol but that's a fair question and we have some work to show for it

This is as much a marine bacteria thread as it is a sand rinse thread. Tanks are literally parted and cleaned to the bone

Aquarists have circulated ideas about bacteria that just aren't the case, even if you rinsed those rocks in scalding hot tap water it wouldn't kill the bacteria, they would still be fine filters

That thread shows us nothing harms your bacteria (incidental losses don't count, we have excesses in our tanks) except antibiotic medications. No form of aquarium work will!! Hope that helps

Your tank will develop coralline and mature surfaces over time that lessen your work. Those white bright lights are top cause in my opinion

The blackout isn't to remove it all, a blackout is post manual cleanup 100%

Depending on size of tank if this is easy nano, you could blast rinse that sandbed too and not harm anything. If large tank, siphon out top layer for cleaning is fine