Reboot. Reset. Nuclear War. Let's Begin.

[EricTMah]

I've fixed many tanks with similar issues as yours, Mike.
After removing all your corals to a safe home you can start.
You'll need three separate buckets of tank water and one large empty one.
Pull the rock one piece at a time. Place in empty bucket and use a metal bristle brush from Canadian tire or princess auto. Scrub as much as much and hard as you can. Then dip and rinse in the first bucket. Repeat the scrub again and rinse in second bucket. Rinse one last time in the last bucket of tank water, then back into your tank. Once all rock is done. I'd do a lights out for three to five days. Keep skimmer going as it's going to pull a ton of crap out. After the lights out. Get your lights on a reduced lighting schedule. Say 50$% of original amount of time. After a few days with lights back on. Check the rock. If it needs another go. Do it again. Usually once or twice doing it like this followed by darkness then reduced lighting for a couple of weeks should solve all your algae issues. With obviously fixing any no3 or po4 issues along the way as well

Sony Xperia Z3

 

[heath]

ok, so we have opinions on how to get rid of it now, does anyone have any idea where or how it got in our tanks or is this just a natural part of a young tank...

 

[reef keeper]

It either came on a frag plug, or came on the USED rock. I cured it for 2 months, but maybe it didn't go anywhere. I dunno. Guesses?

 

[EricTMah]

ok, so we have opinions on how to get rid of it now, does anyone have any idea where or how it got in our tanks or is this just a natural part of a young tank...

Most likely transfered from a frag or rock. With higher no3, po4 and lots of light. This stuff takes hold very quickly. I have even seen false readings of no3 and po4 due to turf algae because of it consumption rate. Once you begin to get it under control. Keep up on testing as I'm sure your no3 and po4 readings will climb as the algae stops consuming them


Sony Xperia Z3

 

[Kman]

The red stuff is hard to get rid of. You just have to chip away at it. They key is to damage it enough to use up the energy stores with the lack of photosynthesis and having to repair itself all the time. Just keep at it and you will see results. With all those algae eaters if you keep damaging the tough outer cell membrane on the turf they will be able to pick away at it. It is when it is not broken they don't touch it. Same goes with bubble algae. Break the bubble and the leftover cell walls will get eaten.

Don't get me wrong this is going to take a little time to go away. My parents tank was covered in turf and finally after months of scrubbing it is almost gone. Reducing the light does work but if you have corals it is not always the best option. Now if you took out all the corals and reduced the light you will cut the time down a lot to get rid of it.

Take some positive out of this. Look at scrubbing as sweat equity. The more effort you put into your tank the more you get out of it. Plus next time you get the itch to dump a lot in at once, think of the time you had to scrub the crap out of your tank to get rid of it. You will think twice. We are all guilty of getting impatient and buying things we should not have so don't feel bad. Even after all these years I still do it from time to time. I have just learned to control the itch is all.

 

[Nonuser]

Hydrogen peroxide is very effective at killing Algae in rock work but not great for inverts or Corals IMO. It gives you a good start but the stuff I had came back.

 

[EricTMah]

Peroxide will only help control algae but won't be enough to fix the issue in the concentration that's safe for the tank.
You would need a very high concentration. If you're going that route. You may as well just nuke the rock.
But I'm also a firm believer in fixing rather than a tare down

Sony Xperia Z3

 

[Nonuser]

good to know. I don't recommend it

 

[AdInfinitum]

Most of the pest small/micro algae species are pretty commonplace in most established tanks. (Little spots here and there) When things get out of balance or they get introduced to young systems with developing ecosystems they have an opportunity to bloom and then the sheer scale of the colony in a confined space makes it difficult for competing species to establish themselves.

 

[EricTMah]

Most of the pest small/micro algae species are pretty commonplace in most established tanks. (Little spots here and there) When things get out of balance or they get introduced to young systems with developing ecosystems they have an opportunity to bloom and then the sheer scale of the colony in a confined space makes it difficult for competing species to establish themselves.

Winner winner chicken dinner!

Well said

Sony Xperia Z3

 

[Skim]

From what I read and understand from some Biologists on some Videos I have watched Cyno is driven by a Bacterial imbalance and I believe that's why I had I had success with using Brightwell Aquatics Microbacter 7 and Microbe-Lift Special Blend, Now it did not happen overnight but it worked, use Bacteria to fight Bacteria and regain balance. The other thing that worked for me about 20 years ago was Chemi-clean from Boyd enterprises makers of Chemi Pure. it melted the Cyno away fast but turned water red and skimming is useless because it just overflows, so large water change ( full Tank ) and carbon. So there is a couple of choices one is fast but much work involved and one is slower. If it was me I would try the Microbe-Lift first you would need 2 large bottles and be forward the stuff stinks I meen I opened the bottle and it stunk up the whole basement for like 2 hours. Smell wise, have you ever shut down a canister filter and left it for a few days and then opened it well wooooweeee that's what I'm talking about clean the sinuses right out. If I had to pull all my rock no way I am scrubbing for days or soaking it in an Acid bath only to worry later if some will soak into the tank, nope out to the Garden it goes and get fresh rock or I would be mounting the Corals and frags to the bare bottom and back and sides of the tank and let it grow.

Good Luck!

Skim

 

[Skim]

Are you sure 100% that its Cyno because look at the photo bart84 took something does not seem right. your one frag is growing onto to it a both have none on them not a spec. you sure it's not Coralline Algae, I have been looking at some photo's and some are pretty close. Dose it come of when you touch it blow on it with a pump something should come off. The other Big thing with Cybno is when Lights are of it will almost disappear and come back when lights turn on.

 

[Cliff]

I think it is red turf algae

 

[bart84]

It's not cyano. I tried to wipe it off the rock and you can't. It feels like velvet and is bonded to it. I even tried scrapping with my nail and can't even get a little bit to come off. A wire brush might work and yes would take a lot of work and time.

 

[Nighthawk26]

Are you sure 100% that its Cyno because look at the photo bart84 took something does not seem right. your one frag is growing onto to it a both have none on them not a spec. you sure it's not Coralline Algae, I have been looking at some photo's and some are pretty close. Dose it come of when you touch it blow on it with a pump something should come off. The other Big thing with Cybno is when Lights are of it will almost disappear and come back when lights turn on.

?? DId he ever say he thought it was cyano? Pretty sure he's been thinking red turf algea, no?

 

[Skim]

Sorry if I boobed on that one. Hope it did not confuse anyone, but 90% of the time Red or Maroon coloured Algae is some form of Cyno. After looking around on the net I believe it is Peyssonnelia sp. it's a form of Coralline Algae. If you Google it sounds like exactly what you have and is not bad and is considered an excellent Algae, common in all Oceans and furious depths and seems to like light and moderate flow.

 

[reef keeper]

Trust me. It ain't coraline. If it was I'd be teaching reefing instead of being schooled.

Anybody is welcome to come by and look.

 

[Nighthawk26]

Are you SURE it's not Coraline? Just sayin'.

 

[rockworm]

I may have missed it as I read through the thread, but have you tried mexican turbo snails? I had an infestaton of black turf algae in my 220. I bought 3 turbo snails and put then in my tank. I also started closer monitoring of my tank. By that, I tried to reduce my nitrates and phosphates using vinegar dosing and phosphate absorption. It took a few months, but the turf algae finally disappeared.

I did a search on red turf and some say that these turbos work with them. It might be worth a try.

I have not had much of a problem with bubble algae, but do have some.

Trust me. It ain't coraline. If it was I'd be teaching reefing instead of being schooled.

Anybody is welcome to come by and look.

 

[AdInfinitum]

Trust me. It ain't coraline. If it was I'd be teaching reefing instead of being schooled.

Anybody is welcome to come by and look.

Regardless of what it is...and this may not be the popular direction....but is it harming your corals? Is it overgrowing and smothering them or preventing them from encrusting? If not why worry about it?

BTW I used to have beautiful dark red coralline as well as teal and deep blue but the regular pale purple stuff always ends up taking over...I will probably be going down to see BigShow on the weekend. If you're going to be around maybe I'll stop in...