Diatoms or cyano

[Sregnar35]

I've been fighting this brownish green hair for 2 months or so, my tank has been cycled since mid december 03. I have maybe 10 hermits and 15 snails in my 75, as well as a sea cucmber. My temp is stable at 78-80, my nitrates, nitrites, ammonia are at 0, my calcium is around 400, my 260 pc lights are on approx 10 to 12 daily, with 1.5 to 2 hours of actinic only. My question, is the stuff in this pic cyano or diatoms. There are small spots in my tank that are def cyano, low flat red sheets of slime, the stuff in the pic is brownish, does come up a bit in sheets, and is everywhere? Is it cyano, just not as distinctive as the aforementioned?

 

[OrionGirl]

Looks more like hair algae to me than either diatom or cyano. Diatoms are brown--no green, at least, none I've noticed. Cyano looks smooth and soft, rather than having the hairy look you have.

 

[Sregnar35]

Here's another pic with my aquatic crew hgamming it up. Orion, what would you recommend, an emerald crab?

 

[OrionGirl]

Emeralds are somewhat unreliable. While some will dig in and get rid of algae, others prefer to scavenge meatier meals. I'd probably look into some cowries or snails. I think turbos are good for hair algae--you'll probably want several of them. The cowries are cool, and will eat hair algae, but they aren't as speedy as the turbos.