Rusty looking algae

truetexas60 · Nov 11, 2023

I have a redish rust colored algae growing in a portion of my tank on the rocks. Gets a dusting on the glass too if I don't clean it for a few days. It isn't thick like a mat. A brush causes it to come off like dust almost. I know the pic does not show the color well but can someone help identify this please so I know how to treat it? I have been dosing nitrates because they were near zero always. Running about 2 now. And My Phosphates are about .04. PH 2.1. Any ideas? When I clean it off with a brush, it comes right back in the same area in a week or 2. Thanks for your ideas.

Reeflix · Nov 16, 2023

Pics under white light? could be cyano if it is red. also what do you mean by your ph 2.1?

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Nov 16, 2023

truetexas60 said:
I have a redish rust colored algae growing in a portion of my tank on the rocks. Gets a dusting on the glass too if I don't clean it for a few days. It isn't thick like a mat. A brush causes it to come off like dust almost. I know the pic does not show the color well but can someone help identify this please so I know how to treat it? I have been dosing nitrates because they were near zero always. Running about 2 now. And My Phosphates are about .04. PH 2.1. Any ideas? When I clean it off with a brush, it comes right back in the same area in a week or 2. Thanks for your ideas.

How long has the tank been running? Sounds like diatoms to me, which can take a while to go away. What type of herbivores/ cuc do you have?

truetexas60 · Nov 16, 2023

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal said:
How long has the tank been running? Sounds like diatoms to me, which can take a while to go away. What type of herbivores/ cuc do you have?

The tank has been up and running for about a year or just near that. It is only a 20 gallon however I have a 10 gallon refugium on the floor beside it which houses the microalgae, heater, skimmer, etc. I do not have any hermit crabs in there, only snails for the glass and some of the rock. It has 1 fire shrimp, i clown, 1 royal gramma, 1 tail spot bleeny, and 1 blue... something. haha The only reason I did not put hermits in there was because I have had them eat my snails in the past. Maybe I do need some. What are your sugestions?