Brown/Red Algae in sand

[jimmypencil]

I have a red/brown algae that grows mainly on the glass beneath my sand line. I scrape it off when I clean the glass but it always comes back within a week. What is this? Never had this issue in any of my other tanks. This stuff mainly like I said grows on the glass beneath the sand line, not on top of the sand or on the glass.

This is a SPS dominated tank so par is really high around the tank probably 250+ even at the bottom and 500+ at the top of the rock work. I had Dino’s several months ago that took forever to go away. They were in the sand. Is this still Dino’s?

Nitrates 8
Phos .08

 

[code4]

Kind of looks like dinos. There is a long thread on Dinos that explains how to tell if it's Dinos without using a microscope.

 

[Subsea]

I think Cyanobacteria. I have the same red line in my 25 year mature high nutrient filter feeder lagoon.

PS: Incidentally, your tank is absolutely stunning.

Because you mentioned Dinoflagellets & I mentioned Cyanobacteria, which often rear their heads when inorganic nutrients, especially phosphorus & nitrogen, are limited, I have linked this paper:

Discovery of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria in corals - PubMed

Colonies of the Caribbean coral Montastraea cavernosa exhibit a solar-stimulated orange-red fluorescence that is spectrally similar to a variety of fluorescent proteins expressed by corals. The source of this fluorescence is phycoerythrin in unicellular, nonheterocystis, symbiotic cyanobacteria...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

“Colonies of the Caribbean coral Montastraea cavernosa exhibit a solar-stimulated orange-red fluorescence that is spectrally similar to a variety of fluorescent proteins expressed by corals. The source of this fluorescence is phycoerythrin in unicellular, nonheterocystis, symbiotic cyanobacteria within the host cells of the coral. The cyanobacteria coexist with the symbiotic dinoflagellates (zooxanthellae) of the coral and express the nitrogen-fixing enzyme nitrogenase. The presence of this prokaryotic symbiont in a nitrogen-limited zooxanthellate coral suggests that nitrogen fixation may be an important source of this limiting element for the symbiotic association.”

 

[code4]

@jimmypencil I see you are using 4 vortech pumps. How long is your tank? Your corals are so happy and stunning. What program are you using for them? Or did you make your own? I have the same pumps. But only using 2. I am considering adding my two spares after seeing your tank.

Shelley

 

[jimmypencil]

@jimmypencil I see you are using 4 vortech pumps. How long is your tank? Your corals are so happy and stunning. What program are you using for them? Or did you make your own? I have the same pumps. But only using 2. I am considering adding my two spares after seeing your tank.

Shelley

Thank you! It is a 4ft tank (waterbox infinia frag 125). I have the 4 wave makers on random mode at 55% intensity. I have two of them on the right side synced and the 2 on the left side are anti-synced. I’m happy with the flow!

 

[jimmypencil]

Still dealing with this. Is there really no one that has experienced this?

 

[jimmypencil]

apologies, i forgot that @Subsea gave a very helpful reply. Do you suggest that i dose chemi clean to get rid of the cyano? Or just raise nutrients?

 

[breathing underwater]

As others have said, your tank is beautiful! I'd go easy as you fight it (but understand that it has been months).

My tank is very similar to yours with bright light, high flow, acros and low but measurable nutrients, and I too have been battling nuisance algae that seem rooted in the sand bed. I did try chemiclean and it knocked out the cyano with no issues to anything else. I've seen a resurgence of diatoms and film algae which is unsurprising as now there's one less competitor. Sand is now brown instead of red . But I will at least say my fish and cleanup crew actually eat the new stuff so hopefully it'll work itself out to a new balance eventually.

But ymmv so don't just dose based on my one experience! Good luck!

 

[Subsea]

apologies, i forgot that @Subsea gave a very helpful reply. Do you suggest that i dose chemi clean to get rid of the cyano? Or just raise nutrients?

Chemi Clean works well when use as directed. Considering your previous Dinoflagellets infestation, I would raise nitrates as well.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

#reefsquad

 

[Rocks reef]

As mentioned, Chemiclean can be useful in a situation like this.
As @Subsea also previewed, raising nutrients will help as well.
Another thing, I would siphon those sections of sand quite well, mix the sand up and then use Chemiclean. Stir the sand in those areas a little while using to expose as much of the cyano as possible.
Good luck and keep us posted.
I will end this with your tank is stunning!!

 

[Subsea]

I have a red/brown algae that grows mainly on the glass beneath my sand line. I scrape it off when I clean the glass but it always comes back within a week. What is this? Never had this issue in any of my other tanks. This stuff mainly like I said grows on the glass beneath the sand line, not on top of the sand or on the glass.

This is a SPS dominated tank so par is really high around the tank probably 250+ even at the bottom and 500+ at the top of the rock work. I had Dino’s several months ago that took forever to go away. They were in the sand. Is this still Dino’s?

Nitrates 8
Phos .08

“This is a SPS dominated tank so par is really high around the tank probably 250+ even at the bottom and 500+ at the top of the rock work. I had Dino’s several months ago that took forever to go away. They were in the sand. Is this still Dino’s?“

Jimmy,
How did you eradicate your Dinoflagellet infestation?