Algae id and battle plan

[jcrawford]

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/justin_crawford2/Mobile%20Uploads/20140825_175334_zpsluhy2yde.jpg

 

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/justin_crawford2/Mobile%20Uploads/20140825_175345_zpsrrsorxwq.jpg

 

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/justin_crawford2/Mobile%20Uploads/20140825_175345_zpsrrsorxwq.jpg

 

 

 

 

I have some algae in my nano that I can't quite id, although I'm leaning towards cotton candy or cyano.

15 gal tank

6 cree neutral white led at 10/255

6 cree royal bue at 50/25

Ph 8.2

calcium 420

Ammonia 0

nitrite 0

nitrate 0

phosphate unknown

Aqua clear 70 hob fiter with sponge, carbon, purigen, phosguard

No fish, just inverts

lights are on coralux storm controller.

 

Inhabitants are

6 cerith snails

4 nasarius snails

1 peppermint shrimp

2 anemone crabs

Misc zoas

metalic green torch

closed brain

Candy coral

mini carpet anemone

[jservedio]

It looks like Red Hair Algae to me, but it isn't a very detailed pictures so it could very well just be a really brightly colored cyano. If it is RHA, it is basically the same as treating any other hair algae - keep up with water changes, reduce nutrients, reduce detritus, and manually remove what you can during WCs.

 

Buy, beg, borrow or steal a Hanna ULR meter to test your phosphates - you definitely have them otherwise the algae wouldn't be growing. You can use GFO to remove the phosphates, but don't go crazy with it and I would strongly suggest not using it unless you can test your phosphates. A drastic reduction in phosphate can be just as bad as other spikes and instability so don't go overboard and be patient.

[opaquelace]

Try some Astrea snails if it's an algae. It doesn't look like cyano to me. Astrea snails can tackle algae like lawn mowers.

[evanski]

You can also look into other methods by searching here...blackout, nutrient reduction, manual removal, augmented CUC, peroxide (local/systemic application), etc.

 

Good luck!