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Cultivated Reef

HELP - red cottom algae


plankton

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OK, I thought I was finally getting this nano tank down (lots of macro algae growing in refugium, coraline algae on rocks), then BAM - fuzzy, cottom-like red algae starts popping up all around. Zoanthid polyps retract next to it, it will grow back in days after physically picking it off.

 

Anyone ever have this before and can offer suggestions in getting rid of it or at least controlling it!!!

 

Thanks.

 

PS I think it may be called 'Polysiphonia sp'.

 

Plankton

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it can just be considered part of the algae cycle. once nutrients get under control, mine pretty much stayed in one place. very easy to siphon off when doing water chages. use nitrate and phosphate water and you should be okay.

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I take it you mean use nitrate and phosphate FREE water and I'll be OK. I actually use RO/DI water (near 0 conductivity if that means anything), don't get any diatoms and no slime algae. It's just this red cottom algae that is driving me crazy.

 

OK will try siphoning off the next time I do a water change.

 

Thanks.

 

Plankton

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sorry, yes i meant free. how long has your tank been running? did anything just die? just noticed you've been here nearly a year. didn't know that the fuzzy stuff would wait so long to pop up.

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EtOH_is_good,

 

This tank has only been up for 2 months now and someone PM'ed me and said that it is typical to get some 'stringy cyano' for 3-6 months; then it just goes away. Others have posted and said that if you reduce the phosphate in your water (water changes, rhophos), that will help get rid of it.

 

Plankton

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Did you get this stuff with Cheato? I know most of the Cheato in my local area is grouped with some red cottonball like macro algae, that seems to just not be able to seperate.

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Yeah, the red cottonball-like algae (which I'm told is actually stringy cyano) was on the Chaeto. So, prolly a good idea to pull it off and keep it out of your main tank especially.

 

Just added some roaphos (spelling) to see if lowering the phosphate in my tank does the trick.

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Update: not sure exactly what the reason is but the 'red' stringy cyano is loosing its color and basically receeding. I did add ROWAphos about 2 weeks ago, so maybe that did it.

 

Thanks to all who responded.

 

Plankton

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I've got the same problem right now and have found, like balla816 that my turbo snail really helps at cutting it back.

My astreas also eat at it but not as much as the turbo

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