Red cyano, GHA how can i get rid of it

flatreefer

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Hello again,

I'm just curious as to what all this stuff is and how get rid of it?

Green hair algea (I think) growing on the bottom, back, front glass and rocks,
Just curious should I scrubber it all off? It's to small to grab and rip of, or another methods of removal I'm not aware of ? I tried to suck a bunch out while doing a water change today

Next question is this red looking stuff cyano? (See pictures)

Nitrate was 2.5ppm
Phosphate was .03ppm
Both salifert test kits

I have 5 ninja star snails and 2 blue legged hermits

1 clown and 1 baby scopus tang
1622497864514457467720960461650.jpg
1622497905120216718676336949603.jpg
16224979488482682632832376750961.jpg
16224980182791403309161780245677.jpg

The tank gets a film on the glass in 1 day pretty much,

Should I lower light intensity? I only have one monti cap

Bare bottom tank been running for 1.5 months

Ask me if you need more info
 

MnFish1

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Hello again,

I'm just curious as to what all this stuff is and how get rid of it?

Green hair algea (I think) growing on the bottom, back, front glass and rocks,
Just curious should I scrubber it all off? It's to small to grab and rip of, or another methods of removal I'm not aware of ? I tried to suck a bunch out while doing a water change today

Next question is this red looking stuff cyano? (See pictures)

Nitrate was 2.5ppm
Phosphate was .03ppm
Both salifert test kits

I have 5 ninja star snails and 2 blue legged hermits

1 clown and 1 baby scopus tang
1622497864514457467720960461650.jpg
1622497905120216718676336949603.jpg
16224979488482682632832376750961.jpg
16224980182791403309161780245677.jpg

The tank gets a film on the glass in 1 day pretty much,

Should I lower light intensity? I only have one monti cap

Bare bottom tank been running for 1.5 months

Ask me if you need more info
This is minimal/normal. you can scrape it off the glass. Your tank looks good
 

MnFish1

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PS some of the algae does not look like cyanobacteria. It looks like coralline. Could you get some algae eating fish?
 
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flatreefer

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This is minimal/normal. you can scrape it off the glass. Your tank looks good
Wow thanks maybe I'm just being to critical,

PS some of the algae does not look like cyanobacteria. It looks like coralline. Could you get some algae eating fish?
The deep red on the third picture doesn't look like cyano? Phewf

Some of the coraline is growing back I lost a bunch when I had no lights for 2weeks at the beginning, I was lucky to get some cultured rock from a lfs,

And I figured a baby tang would go nuts for it but Roy (the tang) seems to go for the algea on the rocks not the bottom or back of the aquarium
 

MnFish1

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Think I should use vibrant? Or just get what I can off and let it go?
I would let it be. I do not know if that one red patch is cyano. If it were a mat expanding - and then going away after darkness - perhaps. Either way. I think it looks ok.
 

Sam816

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I might be wrong but usually they don't come together. Looks like coralline to me too. move your lights' spectrum to more blue and less white. see if that helps in growing the red parts and reduced the green parts.
 

WallyB

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Don't change anything. Everything looks perfectly fine. I don't think you have cyano, and even if you do if you don't overfeed, or over light, it will fade out.
You tank is aging naturally.

The multi colors you see maybe be coraline on your rocks. Coraline isn't just purple, it can be pink and many other shades.

The more junk you put into your tank (ie additives, treatments) the worse it will get. Those products are last resort only if you get a significant problem that has gotten out of control for a long period of time.
The more you try and change things the more you will offset stability and bio-balance.
If you want any minor algae under control and be ahead of the game, get some mix of snails species, and more of the small blue legged hermits. Avoid the bigger Hermit, since they get even bigger, and end up killing your snails for their shells and meat.
 
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flatreefer

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Thanks for the support boys!

I'll grab some more snails and blue hermits tomorrow, and a algea scrubber on a stick to get it off the bottom,

At the end of the day the tank is only 1.5months maybe I'm trying to rush a established system
 

jeffchapok

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Sit back, relax, and watch nature do its thing. Natural reefs have all sorts of algae and stuff growing on them, and yours eventually will too. You never see pristine white rocks in the wild. If you did, that would probably mean it's an inhospitable environment for life.
 
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flatreefer

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Sit back, relax, and watch nature do its thing. Natural reefs have all sorts of algae and stuff growing on them, and yours eventually will too. You never see pristine white rocks in the wild. If you did, that would probably mean it's an inhospitable environment for life.
I'll try haha in the back of my mind I always think I'm doing something wrong lol
 

WallyB

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Thanks for the support boys!

I'll grab some more snails and blue hermits tomorrow, and a algea scrubber on a stick to get it off the bottom,

At the end of the day the tank is only 1.5months maybe I'm trying to rush a established system
Just 1.5 months. LOL

Get ready to see some more ugly stages before things get better. Few months at least, but up to a year.
When those ugly stages come, relax and know it's nature doing it's thing. Keeping things clean with regular maintenance will help, but not stop the cycle.

Besides the extra hermits & snails, down the road when the tank can handle more fish consider fish that eats algae. One algae eatting fish can do much more cleanup than a ton of snails. For example a small Algae Blenny fish. But you can't get one till there is enough algae growing so he has enough food to stay alive.
 
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flatreefer

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Just 1.5 months. LOL

Get ready to see some more ugly stages before things get better. Few months at least, but up to a year.
When those ugly stages come, relax and know it's nature doing it's thing. Keeping things clean with regular maintenance will help, but not stop the cycle.

Besides the extra hermits & snails, down the road when the tank can handle more fish consider fish that eats algae. One algae eatting fish can do much more cleanup than a ton of snails. For example a small Algae Blenny fish. But you can't get one till there is enough algae growing so he has enough food to stay alive.
I know I know, I'm kinda a perfectionist, but I realize with reefing I gotta take things slow, it doesn't happen over night,

I have a baby tang I figured he'd clear out the algea but he only picks off rocks not the bottom or sides of the tank
 

WallyB

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I know I know, I'm kinda a perfectionist, but I realize with reefing I gotta take things slow, it doesn't happen over night,

I have a baby tang I figured he'd clear out the algea but he only picks off rocks not the bottom or sides of the tank
You have a tang, then you will be fine.

Once he polishes off the rock algae he will move on to alternative grazing.
Even more so once he get bigger, and his appetite increases.

Just don't expect him or any creature to eat the slime algae that may come at some point.
That kind of algae just take time to run it's course, and fade out natually.

Best advice I can give you during this next while, is don't overfeed your fish, and do add coral food liquids or powders.
THe best food for corals is natural fish poo.
 
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flatreefer

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You have a tang, then you will be fine.

Once he polishes off the rock algae he will move on to alternative grazing.
Even more so once he get bigger, and his appetite increases.

Just don't expect him or any creature to eat the slime algae that may come at some point.
That kind of algae just take time to run it's course, and fade out natually.

Best advice I can give you during this next while, is don't overfeed your fish, and do add coral food liquids or powders.
THe best food for corals is natural fish poo.
I only have one monti cap so not planning on feeding it anytime soon,

Thanks for the help man,

I just continue weekly water changes 10%

And scrubbing the crap outta the glass
 

WallyB

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I only have one monti cap so not planning on feeding it anytime soon,

Thanks for the help man,

I just continue weekly water changes 10%

And scrubbing the crap outta the glass
No Problem.

As far as your tang, he probably eats everthing you throw at him. However he does need veggies in his diet. Some of the veggie can be pellets or flake content.

Doesn't hurt to suppliment his diet with some (Seaweed) Nori on a clip. That way he grow up nice an healthy.
You don't need to buy expesive Marine Product sea weed. Just go to your local supermarket and get a Sushi Nori flat pack. Maybe $2 for 20 Huge Sheets that will last you a year if you keep the package sealed.

TangNoriOnAClip.jpg


Every week or every few days, clip a small folded piece of nori on the clip. He will learn to eat it from the clip. Other fish and crabs will also enjoy the treat.

No need to buy some expensive reef product clip. Buy the cleapest Magnetic type or make you own like I did.
 

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Think I should use vibrant? Or just get what I can off and let it go?
I had a small patch GHA, thought to treat with Vibrant, which took N03 and P04 both to 0.00. Then GHA took over. Now I really have fight. Would not advise product for now. Your phos and nits"appear" to be OK. I just ordered Reef Flux, keeping my fingers crossed. I'll continue to follow your progress
 

WallyB

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Will I be fine to scrub all this off and let my filter sock catch it then swap out socks after the algea storm clears
If you do you are fighting natural aging and the biological film that's building up on your rocks (healthy film).

The other problem you will face is when you scrub off the small patches of algae and they shred into tiny algae pieces, they will settle and attach all over the place and then you'll have more algae patches starting all over your rocks.

Like what happened to me years ago. 1 Year old tank.

BeforeGHAOutbreak.jpg


This wasn't just casued by scrubbing, it was too much feeding of corals and fish over a long period of time.
After-GHA-Outbreak.jpg

That was Green Hair Algae out of control. I tried every possible critter (Snail, hermits, Sea Hare) nothing would get rid of the outbreak.

I had to remove the rocks, scrub them, rinse and put them back. Twice.
Finally I got rid of the algae for good.
AfterGHAscrubbing.jpg

Same rocks, just new arangement.

I would avoid scrubbing at this point, you tank is way too young.

Enjoy your tank go thru a natural phase 1 out of many more to come.
If you want a sterile perfect looking tank, then load it up with plastic rocks and remove all the water. LOL.
 
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