Identify Red Algae ???

[Jim Olson]

Hello AGAIN folks. One corner of my tank has this reddish looking algae growing. Its been there a month but was just a small spot. Now it seems to be starting to spread. Can you guys tell what it might. There is also brown diatom outbreak going on throughout the tank. and the water is clear.
Could it be the red slime algae?

75gal tank on started 8/11/17
BRS Pukani(70 lbs)
Caribsea Aragonite sand
Red Sea Coral Pro Salt
Octo1000 HOB skimmer
Aquaflow 110 with Chemi-pure Blueand Poly filter
Jebao PP8 Powerhead (2)
2 Starfire led lights (with 3 channels)
RODI water

Ok, all the tests I have results after 20% water change 4 days ago:

pH… (Diliss Digital) ……... 8.4
kH … (Hanna) ……….…….. 6.9
Amonia … (Red Sea) …….. 0
Nitrite … (Red Sea) ………. 0
Nitrate… (Red Sea) ………. 0
Salinity … (Milwalkee) ….. 1.024
Phosphate … (Hanna) …. 0
Calcium …. (Salifert) ……. 330
Magnesium (Salifert) …. 1320
Temp …………..…………….. 79.5

Seems the Caicium and kH are low but would these lead to my problems? Beginning to wonder if a salt brand change is in order.
I'm beginning to get so discouraged as it seems I'm doing things right but still have problems.
I did notice tonight when doing the pH test that the yellow probe was showing a lot of tiny specs of black particles floating by. Also notice there seems to be a lot of scum floating on the surface. Would a power filter help get rid of the gunk?
I'm at a loss. What do I need to do?

My local PetSmart carries the Marineland Magnum 360 and the Fluval 406 canister filters. Would one of these be good for periodically removing the surface scum and the fine black particles I have floating in my tank if I hold the intake close to the surface?
I'm just reaching out for ideas here! LOL

 

[DaveK]

The red algae your seeing is most likely red slime or cyano. This is common in new tanks. Keep after it and don't panic. Above all, don't go crazy and start using all sorts of red slime removal products. The brown diatoms are also something typical in new tanks. Give it a few weeks and most likely the brown diatoms will go away on their own.

Your calcium and KH are low, but again this is something you don't want to panic over. About the worst thing you can do in a reef system is chase numbers trying to get the readings "just right". Still you do want to do something about it. As a one time calcium boost, you can use one of the Turbo Calcium products and slowly raise the level to where you want it. These are products that are almost 100% calcium chloride. Do not use this to maintain the levels long term.

Long term you will need to find out why the calcium level is going down. It could be your brand of salt, so test some newly mixed SW to see if that's an issue. Calcium can also be consumed by livestock, especially corals and clams. If that is the case, and you can't keep up with the calcium demands of your system, you'll need to supplement it one way or another. This usually isn't a problem in a new tank.

The scum and specks you see are not unusual in a reef system. They bother some people more than other. A canister filter can do a great job of mechanical filtration and can remove the specks, but a canister filter can also introduce a whole set of other problems in a reef system. Keep in mind that with any mechanical filtration device, the material it collects is still in the system. It's not removed until you clean it. This is why you need to clean a canister filter at least once a week. This prevents the filter from becoming a nitrate factory. While we are on the subject of canister filters, you only need to use the mechanical media and maybe some various chemical media. You don't want to use the biological media at all. That's why you have all the live rock in the system. That is the biological filtration.

I'm not a big fan of canister filters on SW reef tanks, but if you still want one you have a couple of choices. You could get a SunSun from an online supplier. They are a great value at about $75. You can find them on Amazon. The other alternative I'd consider are the Eheim Classic series or the Pro Series. These are going to be a lot more expensive, but they will last almost forever and replacement parts are usually available.

 

[Jim Olson]

Thanks for the long reply. I will just monitor and keep going. I think I'm trying to micro-manage and just need to let things go for awhile. All my livestock is doing great, I just get worried when I see the diatoms and possible cyano. I know, just relax and enjoy! LOL

 

[Uncle99]

Not going to cover what Dave did above.
That small patch of red "dust" on your sand is nothing on a new tank.
Just keep up the good work you have done and let nature take its course.