Confirm this is cyanobacteria or?

[FernBluffReef]

Been 23 years or so since I had a reef. Prior reef was all Fiji Live rock and I don't remember ever having Cyno.

I think that is what I have here, cyno, but not certain??? Had this gunk for maybe 2 months. Oh the woes of dead rock to start a tank.

The red "cyno" is only surrounding my torch farm, in the lighted areas around the torches where they block the flow - Par here is in the low 200s. Seems to be slowly spreading on the rocks. Nothing all that bad but want to get ahead of if I should be worried.

Tank is about 9 months old now.

Parms as of this A.M. (All Hanna)
Temp = 76.5F
Salinity = 34.4
PH = 8.3
ALK/KH = 7.8
CA = 413
MG = 1480
Nitrate 7.6
Phos = .06

ALK/KH is a bit low as I recently got a maxima clam and after ~2 weeks of acclimation started to consume lots of ALK and CA so rebuilding. Just added a Dersa today so will be rebuilding the levels longer

Nitrates has been running 7.5-15 and Phos .11-.16, so nothing outrageous but I have been working to bring down just a bit. Per the above parms today, I have brought down a bit and expect to stay in range of Nitrate 5-10 and Phos .05-.1

Best way to address this cyno if that is what it is? Leave it and it will work its way out, try to syphon it?

 

[KrisReef]

Tank looks good and the parameters are fine. Increase water movement and see if that’s enough? A siphon to remove growth during a water change and keep the alk ca up for the clams.

 

[dieselkeeper]

Nice tank. I would make sure it is cyano. I fought what I thought was cyano, it ended up being spirulina. A simple test with a cup of tank water with a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide, add some cyano/spirulina, if water turns red, it's cyano. If it does not turn red, it's spirulina. Only way to get rid of spirulina is with chemi clean. Best of luck

 

[FernBluffReef]

Nice tank. I would make sure it is cyano. I fought what I thought was cyano, it ended up being spirulina. A simple test with a cup of tank water with a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide, add some cyano/spirulina, if water turns red, it's cyano. If it does not turn red, it's spirulina. Only way to get rid of spirulina is with chemi clean. Best of luck

Interesting. Looking up, I believe you’re referring to Spirulina cyano. So a variety of cyano that is apparently somewhat uncommon but harder to get rid of. I’ll try and syphon some off this weekend and try this test. Curious…. Thx for the thoughts.