Odd alge growth

[dr exum]

Any tips or suggestions? UV filter? Probably too much light?

 

[Fishpony]

looks like cyanobacteria, i think you can treat it with manual removal and there are some commercial cyanobacteria treatments for sale

 

[aquaticanimalspecilist]

you could manually remove it, dim the lights, feed the tank less, or give the tank a light-out ( it's when you shut the tank's lights off and cover the tank for a period of time, 3 days normally does the trick)

 

[Zanzag]

Isnt cyano from excess food usually?

 

[Fishpony]

Isnt cyano from excess food usually?

I think it shows up from just excess nutrients and poor flow if I remember right

 

[Zanzag]

For me it always pops up if food gets stuck in plant leaves but poor flow could cause detritus to accumulate as well and both are just nutrients. Either way gravel vacuum more frequently and cut back on food left sitting and it should clear up

 

[Hendre]

Is cyanobacteria, suck it out with an airline whenever it popped up and keep water changes going. That's how I got rid of mine..

 

[celebrist]

I think some here have used rid-x or something similar to out compete it. What is your filtration

 

[RD.]

Cyanobacteria can flourish even with massive amounts of water flow. Cyano tends to thrive under certain light wavelengths, sometimes just changing the lighting can help reduce and/or eliminate outbreaks. Good luck

 

[duanes]

Agree with RD, its all about light wave length (and nutrient load). And it is not really algae, but a bacteria somewhere in between plant and animal.
UV only kills what goes thru the unit, so only free floating cells are eliminated by it.
It will have no (or minimal) effect whatsoever on sessile growth (Growth on glass, rocks substrate).
I had a problem in one tank, of 5 on a chain to a sump, that tank got certain filtered western sunlight in the late afternoon.
What worked for me, was adding a probiotic competative bacteria (Rid-X) to the sump.

above 6-22 -13
Below 7-27-13

I would also vacuum it out in slimy sheets, almost daily, and I believe the extra daily water changing, helped reduce it, by reducing nutrients.