Red algae/scum
Hi, everyone! This is my first post (I think). I have had a 29-gallon saltwater tank for about 3-4 years now. Through trial and error (a LOT of error) I'm beginning to get everything settled in.
However, I am having a problem with a red algae. I'm assuming it's algae. It grows on the sides of the tank, and when I clean it off, it settles on the sand on the bottom of the tank.
I've had my water tested and most everything seems to be within normal limits.
Can anyone enlighten me on this stuff? Whether it's a bad thing, not a bad thing, just a problem to be dealth with, etc.?
I'm a very BASIC aquarist; don't have a lot of fancy equipment, and I only have 3 fish: a clown fish (orange), a small yellow tang and a blue chromis; one large cleaner shrimp my neighbor dubbed Hannibal (because he loves to eat shrimp!), and numerous blue legged crabs and some snails.
I have quite a bit of live rock with some little polyp looking creatures growing out of them. They wave in the water and are circular and are a nondescript color.
Any and all comments will be welcome!
"Tanks" Carol
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Red algae/scum
What I believe you are describing is commonly refered to as cyno bacteria. It is basicly a bacteria that requires light to grow. Its color range can be between red to brown to green. It is one thing tht many of us just have to learn to deal with as it is nearly impossible to completly eliminate.
>From my research on the subject some things that spur its growth are ligting where there is lot of light in the red end of the spectrum. This is especialy with bulbs that are 6,500K or 10,000K. Also higher Kelvin bulbs after they get old will shift there light spectrum and produce more red light. On the other end 6,500K bulbs do promote faster coral growth, while 20,000K bulbs produce better coral color.
The other two big factors are nitrate levels and phosphate levels. When a tank is cyling these can peak causing a bad outbreak in cyno bacteria.
One thing that I found works wonder is having a good snail population. I mantain a level of one Cerith Snail per gallon in my tanks and since doing so have not had an issue of the cyno bacteria creating an eye sore. Yes it still exists but only in a limited amount generaly out of view.
Dennis
--- In SaltWaterAquariums@yahoogroups.com, "Carol" wrote:
>
> Hi, everyone! This is my first post (I think). I have had a 29-gallon saltwater tank for about 3-4 years now. Through trial and error (a LOT of error) I'm beginning to get everything settled in.
>
> However, I am having a problem with a red algae. I'm assuming it's algae. It grows on the sides of the tank, and when I clean it off, it settles on the sand on the bottom of the tank.
>
> I've had my water tested and most everything seems to be within normal limits.
>
> Can anyone enlighten me on this stuff? Whether it's a bad thing, not a bad thing, just a problem to be dealth with, etc.?
>
> I'm a very BASIC aquarist; don't have a lot of fancy equipment, and I only have 3 fish: a clown fish (orange), a small yellow tang and a blue chromis; one large cleaner shrimp my neighbor dubbed Hannibal (because he loves to eat shrimp!), and numerous blue legged crabs and some snails.
>
> I have quite a bit of live rock with some little polyp looking creatures growing out of them. They wave in the water and are circular and are a nondescript color.
>
> Any and all comments will be welcome!
>
> "Tanks" Carol
>
------------------------------------
*~*PLEASE REMEMBER TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT LINE WHEN THE SUBJECT CHANGES*~*
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<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
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<*> To change settings online go to:
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<*> To change settings via email:
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Red algae/scum
Also Cyano-bacteria can be easily taken care of with certain types of snails and crabs. There's no possible way to get rid of it except by killing everything in your tank. Cyano is present in almost every body of water imaginable. Drinking water does not have it because it is so highly chlorinated and filtered. A little cyano is good for your tank and helps with Nitrate binding, but too much can be hazardous.
--- On Tue, 7/13/10, Dennis b
wrote:
From: Dennis b
Subject: [SaltWaterAquariums] Re: Red algae/scum
To: SaltWaterAquariums@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 5:51 PM
Carol:
What I believe you are describing is commonly refered to as cyno bacteria. It is basicly a bacteria that requires light to grow. Its color range can be between red to brown to green. It is one thing tht many of us just have to learn to deal with as it is nearly impossible to completly eliminate.
>From my research on the subject some things that spur its growth are ligting where there is lot of light in the red end of the spectrum. This is especialy with bulbs that are 6,500K or 10,000K. Also higher Kelvin bulbs after they get old will shift there light spectrum and produce more red light. On the other end 6,500K bulbs do promote faster coral growth, while 20,000K bulbs produce better coral color.
The other two big factors are nitrate levels and phosphate levels. When a tank is cyling these can peak causing a bad outbreak in cyno bacteria.
One thing that I found works wonder is having a good snail population. I mantain a level of one Cerith Snail per gallon in my tanks and since doing so have not had an issue of the cyno bacteria creating an eye sore. Yes it still exists but only in a limited amount generaly out of view.
Dennis
--- In SaltWaterAquariums@yahoogroups.com, "Carol" wrote:
>
> Hi, everyone! This is my first post (I think). I have had a 29-gallon saltwater tank for about 3-4 years now. Through trial and error (a LOT of error) I'm beginning to get everything settled in.
>
> However, I am having a problem with a red algae. I'm assuming it's algae. It grows on the sides of the tank, and when I clean it off, it settles on the sand on the bottom of the tank.
>
> I've had my water tested and most everything seems to be within normal limits.
>
> Can anyone enlighten me on this stuff? Whether it's a bad thing, not a bad thing, just a problem to be dealth with, etc.?
>
> I'm a very BASIC aquarist; don't have a lot of fancy equipment, and I only have 3 fish: a clown fish (orange), a small yellow tang and a blue chromis; one large cleaner shrimp my neighbor dubbed Hannibal (because he loves to eat shrimp!), and numerous blue legged crabs and some snails.
>
> I have quite a bit of live rock with some little polyp looking creatures growing out of them. They wave in the water and are circular and are a nondescript color.
>
> Any and all comments will be welcome!
>
> "Tanks" Carol
>
Red algae/scum
Is there a picture. What are your water paramater like?
Cheers!
Alan Lo
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
email: alan_lo@rocketmail.com if in case this email does not work try the
following
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________________________________
From: Carol
To: SaltWaterAquariums@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, July 9, 2010 1:53:09 AM
Subject: [SaltWaterAquariums] Red algae/scum
Hi, everyone! This is my first post (I think). I have had a 29-gallon
saltwater tank for about 3-4 years now. Through trial and error (a LOT of
error) I'm beginning to get everything settled in.
However, I am having a problem with a red algae. I'm assuming it's algae. It
grows on the sides of the tank, and when I clean it off, it settles on the sand
on the bottom of the tank.
I've had my water tested and most everything seems to be within normal limits.
Can anyone enlighten me on this stuff? Whether it's a bad thing, not a bad
thing, just a problem to be dealth with, etc.?
I'm a very BASIC aquarist; don't have a lot of fancy equipment, and I only have
3 fish: a clown fish (orange), a small yellow tang and a blue chromis; one large
cleaner shrimp my neighbor dubbed Hannibal (because he loves to eat shrimp!),
and numerous blue legged crabs and some snails.
I have quite a bit of live rock with some little polyp looking creatures growing
out of them. They wave in the water and are circular and are a nondescript
color.
Any and all comments will be welcome!
"Tanks" Carol