Purple Agae -What is it ?

[imcosmokramer]

is it "solid" or does it look slimy?

[catshanon]

Most likely its cyano, as I also have the same stuff.. My sand bed got totally covered and I had to scoop it up and remove it. Its really slimy and stays in sheets.

[ALang]

Coraline chips off, and is brittle. Cyano is like sheet of skin, ugh!

[DiverDude]

Yeah, this is like velvet -or skin !- when it comes off. it's not on the sand or the rocks, just the glass and it's fairly recent. I do weekly water changes so I'm a little surprised to see this.....

Cause of this is.... ?

Let me guess "excess nutrients" ?

[NU-2reef]

increase water flow to areas where you notice the algae. and continue regular water changes and manual removal.

[mark]

I also get a purple film (not really sheets and not all that noticeable until the Easy-blade comes out) but don't think it's Cyano by how the Tangs eat it up. Seems they just love it by how they'll follow around the scraper.