Bad algae or good?! It's showing up!

[Vibemyreef]

I've just started to notice a dark red algae spotting on rocks I'm not sure what it is but I pray it is not red slime... Here what it looks like

 

[jgraz]

Try to blow on it with a baster. If it blows away it probably red slime. If it fuzzy but doesn't blow away it probably red turf algae. If it hard like the rock, then it a type of corraline. IMO that's what I think it is.

 

[Vibemyreef]

im buggin it cxame right after my water change...

 

[Vibemyreef]

i just blew it with a syringe and it didnt move... i then scratced it with my finger and it came off but was a lil tough but when i ran my finger over it, it had a velvet feeling to it... very smooth.

 

[Vibemyreef]

Bump help!

 

[Jessnuts]

I have this in my tank, never covered coral and my hippo eats it. never bothered to look up the name tho

 

[Vibemyreef]

So I'm assuming it's ok in there?

 

[sunny]

It is cyano. What are your phosphate and nitrate readings? Cut down on feeding and do some water changes to bring the nutrients down.

 

[Vibemyreef]

Haven't done phosphate but nitrate was at 20-30ppm the other day i only feed every other day and lights are on 9 hours a day last hour being blue atinic only. What else can I do? Notices it after a water change two days ago, should I water change again? I read it is common to see an outbreak of cyano at the 3-4 month period which I am in.

 

[fishman1069]

Jssut keep on with weekly water changes and lite feedings. If of continues to get outta control then you can try chemi-clean.
Btw, you trates are pretty high. How big are the water changes that your doin and how often do you do them?

 

[Vibemyreef]

10% every week so about 2 gallons. And that was measured the day after my change

 

[fishman1069]

Try jumping up to 15% and see if that helps lower the trates

Sent from my HUAWEI-M835 using Tapatalk 2

 

[nanoreefer22]

Looks like red coralline to me...if its not blowing away with a baster or if you can't rub it off, almost certain that's not cyano.

Does it grow a lot during the day and then receed in the night? For example when you wake up in the morning is there a significantly less amount of it?

 

[PeteTheGreek89]

im pretty sure its coralline

 

[Vibemyreef]

Looks like red coralline to me...if its not blowing away with a baster or if you can't rub it off, almost certain that's not cyano.

Does it grow a lot during the day and then receed in the night? For example when you wake up in the morning is there a significantly less amount of it?

To be honest I'm not sure, I wake up at 4am for work so my lights aren't on but I will give it a check tomorrow and let u kno. But as for it blowing off it doesn't I use a syringe and tried several times to blow it away and it doesn't budge . As for rubbing it off I can rub it with my finger and it doesn't come off but if I use my nail I can take some off. Like I said its velvety to the touch so idk if that where the reference to "slime" comes into play but that's sorta what it feels like. It came abruptly (or so I think) so I have a hard time seeing it being Caroline (as much as I would hope) I also made the mistake of not using rodi whater for changes and I mentioned that to someone and said that could be the reason for the outbreak. It hasn't smothered anything yet anyone have the same experience?

 

[nanoreefer22]

If you have to use your nail to scratch it off, you have nothing to worry about. It's coraline, just a different color/morph (whatever you want to call it )

Cyanobacteria (red slime) will come off VERY easily.

 

[Vibemyreef]

It def does not come off with ease if I could post a video I would lol

 

[nanoreefer22]

Hahah I wouldn't worry a bit about it.

 

[Vibemyreef]

Great thanks a bunch

 

[Awibrandy]

I also believe it is coraline, although to be 100% sure I would have to see/feel it for myself, and that is not going to happen as you live way to far.

Right now I would be more concerned with the those trates being a bit high for a reef. Work on getting those down as close to 0 as possible. I would not starve the animals, but definitely bump up your water changes (ro/di water) until you get them down.
I have a 155 gallon bow front, I feed my animals liberally daily. To counter act the pollutants I do 30 gallon water change weekly, I also run GFO & GAC as well as felt socks. I also turn off the return pumps while feeding, and leave them off for an hour afterwards. The socks I try to change them out every other day. All of the above is what I believe helps me to keep my trates at 0.