Algae on my Algae?

[Todd]

Can anyone tell me what is going on with my macroalgae. It seems to get red stringy growths on it almost daily. It seems to effect the older stuff first but then onto the new stuff as well. It is in a fairly high flow area, and the macro is the only place this other stuff is found (on two types of it too). It comes off pretty easily if I blast it or brush it off.

Here is a picture:

[Snappy]

Looks like cyanobacteria to me.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Snappy

Looks like cynobacteria to me.

A little reaseach and cyano seems to be the culprit. Thanks for the ID, now to get rid of it.....

[Snappy]

You can scoop out what you can and with more regular water changes it should gradually disappear. It often grows when either a tank is still new and/or cycling or if the bioload is too large. Poor water quality is a cyano magnet. You can also use Chemi-clean if you want to get rid of it in a hurry. Also IME some hermit crabs will eat it as well as some conches. Don't use a sea hair, they will likely eat it but often die from it poisoning them.