red algae?

[sean87]

My sand is covered in this red stuff in one section of the tank. It looks as if it has been dyed that color (sorry that is the best description i can give). It looks very unsightly and is such an eyesore. What is it and how can i rid my tank of it?

[Woodstock]

Starve it to death

It feeds on phosphates, low oxygen, poor spectrum lighting (old bulbs) and nitrates.

Siphon it out daily... twice daily if possible. Export those stored nutrients!
Refugium - a lit refugium growing macro algae will compete with the nusiance algae for nutrients.
ro/di - use clean water for all water changes and fw top offs. Most tap water is not good since it can have high nutrient levels.
phosban reactor- get a phosban reactor with some phosban/rowaphos media.
Skimmer - upgrade your skimmer if needed. A good skimmer will remove disolved nutrients very well.
Do not overfeed your tank. Fish/coral foods are usually high in phosphates and add a lot of nutrients.
Water changes- perform frequent water changes to keep the nitrAtes under 10ppm.
Light spectrum- replace bulbs before they age and begin shifting their colors.
Flow- make sure you have adequate water flow (10-20 x turnover)to prevent low oxygen levels. Good surface aggitation will help gas exchange.