just want to ask a few questions

So. Yeah. Algae. I hate it.

I just wanted to make sure my thinking is correct on a few things..

This is what I have to do to get rid of this thick, brownish red (cyano?) algae:

1. less light.
2. less food.
3. more circulation.
4. protein skimmer?
5. add some kinda macro algae?

Is there anyway I can just keep a container (almost like a plastic mesh) with some macro algae of some sort hooked onto the side of my tank, so that it robs the cyano of the nutrients?

My tank is about 2.5 months old. and full of the stuff.

Thanks in advance.

Brett

 

There are a few things that can assist. My neighbor use this:

Ultralife Red Slime Remover

He has had remarkable good luck with it and has had no ill effect. Do you have a RO/DI unit? If not that can assist in your water quality. Other items:

1) Frequent 10-15% WC each week
2) Check your Nitrates, if they are high you may want to try a product such as Kent's Nitrate Sponge (just make sure you use a 800 Micro bag).

Depending on how large your tank is you can put in a CPR in tank refugium, it will not be pretty but will work and uses your tank lights (which should be more than enough for Chaeto).

Good luck!

 

all of that stated above, and water changes with ro/di saltwater every 1-2 weeks. agressive manual removal. if that doesnt work, you can try chemi-clean. cyano isnt a algae but a bacteria that likes ogranic compounds and phosphates (i believe).. WC will help lower ogranic compoundsd,nitrates,etc..

 

At 2.5 months old this is expected. There will be several other algae outbreaks over the next 4 to 6 months as the tank matures.
You dont list what else is in the tank but your list is accurate. for now I would work on the items in the list and maybe get a few mangroves that you can put in the back edge of the tank, they will remove nitrates and phosphates pretty quickly, and for now manually remove as much of the cyano algae as you can by hand (if you leave it 2 or 3 days bubbles will collect under itand lift it up for easy pickings)

 

That stuff works great!! I had red slime, then I used one dose, which took care of it, and I haven’t seen anymore.