Red Hair Algae

MichaelA18454 · Jan 12, 2024

Hi,
The suggested name "Red Hair Algae" Is only my interpretation of what it looks like.
I am plagued with a bright red growth that reproduces faster than 10 times it's volume per day.
It easily brushes off the substrate and rocks, so not encrusting.
I've tried to completely clean the tanks, but it only needs one cell to come back with vengeance.
The substrate is very shallow, and flows around with the wave pumps.
The main filtration has 40W UV, the main pump is 10,00 Litre per hour, the tank is 550Litres.
I have run a 1micron absolute filer in conjunction for a few days.
I turned the lights out for 2 weeks, that stalled the growth, but as soon as the lights were turned on, the next day.... boom!
Parameters are all very low, as I only have 5 fish and one mushroom coral. The coral doesn't appear as being
vibrant, the fish are just fine. The water appear clear through 5'

The images are x100 and x400
I used my mobile to capture the images through the eye piece.

I can't move on until I irradiate this pest
Anyone seen it and know how to get past it?

Cheers
Michael

Dan_P · Jan 12, 2024

MichaelA18454 said:
Hi,
The suggested name "Red Hair Algae" Is only my interpretation of what it looks like.
I am plagued with a bright red growth that reproduces faster than 10 times it's volume per day.
It easily brushes off the substrate and rocks, so not encrusting.
I've tried to completely clean the tanks, but it only needs one cell to come back with vengeance.
The substrate is very shallow, and flows around with the wave pumps.
The main filtration has 40W UV, the main pump is 10,00 Litre per hour, the tank is 550Litres.
I have run a 1micron absolute filer in conjunction for a few days.
I turned the lights out for 2 weeks, that stalled the growth, but as soon as the lights were turned on, the next day.... boom!
Parameters are all very low, as I only have 5 fish and one mushroom coral. The coral doesn't appear as being
vibrant, the fish are just fine. The water appear clear through 5'

The images are x100 and x400
I used my mobile to capture the images through the eye piece.

I can't move on until I irradiate this pest
Anyone seen it and know how to get past it?

Cheers
Michael

Cyanobacteria

MichaelA18454 · Jan 13, 2024

Dan_P said:
Cyanobacteria

That's an interesting comment, Cyanobacteria according to WIKI appears as the rods are segmented, you might like to not the images I provided do NOT show segmented characteristics. So I am quirious how you determined that the images I provided are in fact Cyanobacteria. Thank you

Dan_P · Jan 13, 2024

MichaelA18454 said:
That's an interesting comment, Cyanobacteria according to WIKI appears as the rods are segmented, you might like to not the images I provided do NOT show segmented characteristics. So I am quirious how you determined that the images I provided are in fact Cyanobacteria. Thank you

I arrived at the proposed identification based on your description of the organism being a red hair algae (this would be very uncommon in an aquarium), and the microscopic width of the filaments (very uncommon for algae, very common for cyanobacteria that annoy aquarists).