[underseaworld]

Well I am sure that most of you have heard of this problem. I have search the site about the red algea. Is this a problem? I have a 200 gl trickle filter on my 125 gl tank. also protein skimmer and ehiem cannister filter. Two power heads in the sump cap 1500, rio 1700 on the protien filter, and rio 2100 in the tank, New lights just put on for the new reef system, I also had this algea in the tank when it was just a fish only tank. All readings are good. I blow the algea off the live rock using a turkey baster. Should I do that? What else can I do to get rid of this algea? I do not have it in my 48 gl bow front.

[Sueet]

Originally Posted by underseaworld

Well I am sure that most of you have heard of this problem. I have search the site about the red algea. Is this a problem? I have a 200 gl trickle filter on my 125 gl tank. also protein skimmer and ehiem cannister filter. Two power heads in the sump cap 1500, rio 1700 on the protien filter, and rio 2100 in the tank, New lights just put on for the new reef system, I also had this algea in the tank when it was just a fish only tank. All readings are good. I blow the algea off the live rock using a turkey baster. Should I do that? What else can I do to get rid of this algea? I do not have it in my 48 gl bow front.

What you have is most likely Cyanobacteria (try a search on that) ... Yes it is good to blow it off the rock, however, you should try to catch the pieces if you can, and remove them, or they will just land somewhere else and grow there. Usually increasing flow will put an end to cyano, since it doesn't attach to anything very strongly..... a high flow prevents it from getting to grow well. I've had people tell me that this critter or that critter will eat cyano..... but so far, IME, none of them do... maybe they will only eat it if there is nothing more appetizing in the tank. There may be other ways of dealing with it, but I always just use higher flow, and it goes away within a few days if not sooner.

[Rod Buehler]

Cyano bacteria is strongly related to nitrates. All of your filters are producing nitrates. Your tricle and canisters have oxygen rich water passing over them. Oxygen rich water helps the arerobic bacteria colonize. Aerobic bacteria is very good in converting ammonia to nitrite, and nitrite to nitrate, but thats where it stops. Anaerobic bacteria which colonize deep within live rock, and in DSB, are capable of converting the ammonia to nitrite, and nitrite to nitrate, but it goes 1 step further by converting the nitrate into a harmless gass that blows off into the atmosphere. If you are using Live rock, you are the 2 types of bacteria will compete against eachother. Removing all of the filter media, will allow the anaerobic bacteria within the live rock to "do its job " better.
Good Luck