red algae on sand?

[daidevo]

My tank finished cycling a while ago with live sand, live rock, etc. I have some fish in there, water parameters and everything has been fine but I am getting a build up of red/brown algae on the sand. Ive tried sifting the sand but the algae comes back in a day or two. My lights are on about 8-10 hours a day and i dont overfeed. Any help would be appreciated

 

[mogurnda]

Sounds like cyanobacteria/aka red slime algae. Often blooms in new tanks. Increased circulation and time usually take care of it. What are your nitrate and phosphate levels right now?

 

[Decz]

What size of tank?

You could try adding a clean-up crew... My favourite variety for a clean-up crew is a handfull of hermit crabs, a slightly smaller handful of snails and a small red brittle star. I find the red brittle's to be an amazing part of the clean-up crew, mine have never failed me, and they will even come out and eat while the lights are on!

 

[stoneage]

Bad news, you are potentially in for a long ordeal here, I am still battling a red slime outbreak which has been going on for nearly six weeks. I have finally got it so the slime takes nearly two weeks to re-appear and its now confined to the sand bed.
First of all reduce feeding, get your phosphate and nitrates down to zero and remove all the slime using siphoning when ever it occurs. Also it probably a good idea to get a good skimmer and invest in a RO filter unit.

 

[brovo2zero]

better water flow and less light hours untill it cleans up is what i did to solve it

light and food = algae remove eaither light or food and it wont last for to long

so look at nitrate and phosphate levels