Hey everyone!
Well, I guess a little bit of background would help here (I have been posting about it in other topics I started, but I will sum it all up quickly in case something was missed)......
I have had no real algea issues thus far in my tank at all other than what was expected to naturally happen. I had posted some questions about a decent amount of green algea that was growing on the back glass of my tank and eventually turned to a redish/purplish color. The algea only grew within the top 8 inches or so on the back of my tank and I simply left it alone for quite a while.
However, from some things I read and based upon some advice by you guys and other friends of mine that have salty tanks, I scraped all of the algea off the glass during my last water change. It all came off pretty easily and I got probrably 95% of it out of the tank by using nets and some paper towel to remove any that was above the water line before I put the new water back into the tank.
Two days ago, I noticed one small spot of this same algea growing on my substrate. I used a little shovel tool that I have to remove it with a small amount of the substrate that same day. Today, when I got home from work, there is quite a bit of this same algea growing on the live sand and in an area the size of a small plate on a large peice of my live rock (was base rock, not cured live rock when I started out).
The algea is also growing on the glass, at the front of the tank, under the substrate.
I like to think of my self as being somewhat dutiful as to keeping the tank clean and healthy...I do regular water changes with cured saltwater, I clean the substrate frequently with a little shovel that I have which removes larger particles and leaves the sand in the tank, and I do very well, in my opinion, with avoiding overfeeding.
However, I was without any hermit crabs to pick up any leftover food for about two weeks and now I have 25 small hermits in the tank which I got about a week ago now.
I have read the cycnobacteria sticky article multiple times...
I do have bioballs in my sump...could this be a source of DOC for cyno?
I also have a sponge in my sump...could this be a source of DOC?
Is there anything I can add to the tank that will eat/remove this red algea? (I have snails, none of which spend ANY time on the sand)
Will reducing my periods of light help..keeping in mind that I do have one coral in the tank that is apparently thriving in the current conditions?
What short term steps can I take to stop this growth?
What long term steps should I take to avoid this in the future?
