Weird algae on my rocks

[Alamo]

I have this strange purple algae that is growing in my tank, its thick, kinda 1/8 of an inch when it gets going good, i can peel it off with my fingers, and has a texture like slicing off a section of a ripe plum, anyone seen this stuff before ?

[SinisterLou]

Looks like you have some black sponge there.

[bfoleyiii]

Cyanobacteria is my guess. Does it come off in sheets when you hit it with a powerhead or a baster?

[Alamo]

Nope its purple, and its thick, not a film like cyno, like i said its has a ripe fruit feel to it, and i dont think its a sponge... very light hungry, when hit with prolonged periods of darkness it stops growing and begins to peel away from the rock, i cooked my rock for 6 weeks and scrubbed it clean but its coming back.

nother pic

[tebstan]

Cyano can be purple, green, red, black...

Looks like cyano. Just a thick variety.

Sponge wouldn't respond positively to light.

[polarbear]

I agree with tebstan. I have the same stuff on a couple of rocks in my tank. I talked to louis at elegant reefs about it. He suggested that I boost my good bacteria in the tank since low levels seem to cause it. It also does the same regarding when the lights are on or off.

[polarbear]

And just in case I found this for you. This stuff ranges in color as you can see in the bold part.

Commonly referred to as "red slime" algae, the name cyanobacteria literally means "blue-green" algae. Despite the naming, only about half of these organisms are actually blue-green in color. Most forms foundin saltwater are other colors, ranging from blackish green to blue-green, fromorange-yellow to reddish-brown, and often appear deep purple to fully black in color. Starting out as small patches, it spreads out from there as a mat of sheeting covering.
What Makes Slime Algae Grow and Solutions For Eliminating This Problem
We suggest that you don't try to put all of these solutions into action at one time, because if you do, when the problem subsides you'll never really know where the problem was coming from and which solution worked to fix it. Start with one solution and see what results you get, and if that one doesn't work, try another one, and so on, until the problem is resolved. Now, in order for all forms of algae to grow, they require only two things; light and nutrients.

• Lighting: The use of improper bulbs, lack of maintenance, and extended lighting hours are contributors that can lead to all sorts of algae problems. While these organisms do well in the 665 to 680 nanometer (nm) wavelength range, they are quite active bewteen the 560 and 620 nm range as well.
  
  • Solutions: Only use bulbs that are designed for aquarium use, run the lights 8 to 9 hours a day, and following the basic wattage rule of thumb, try different types of bulbs to increase the intensity and the spectral qualities of the light in the aquarium, particularly when it comes to any type of full-spectrum or color enhancing tubes being used.

• Nutrients: Phosphates (PO4), DOCs (Dissolved Organic Compounds), and nitrates (NO3) are primary nutrient food sources for red and other slime algae.
  
  • Phosphates (PO 4 ) are commonly introduced into aquariums by means of using unfiltered fresh tap water, and through many aquarium products that may contain higher than normal concentrations of this element, such as sea salt mixes, activated carbon, KH buffers, foods, and many other sources. Also, for established reef tanks the long-term use of kalkwasser precipitates phosphates out of the water, and these phosphate based compounds can settle on and in the live rock and substrate.
    
    • Solutions: Use RO/DI filtered make-up water, a high quality sea salt mix, and be aware of the elements contained in other common aquarium products you may be using.

~And just in case I found this for you. This stuff ranges in color as you can see in the bold part.

Commonly referred to as "red slime" algae, the name cyanobacteria literally means "blue-green" algae. Despite the naming, only about half of these organisms are actually blue-green in color. Most forms foundin saltwater are other colors, ranging from blackish green to blue-green, fromorange-yellow to reddish-brown, and often appear deep purple to fully black in color. Starting out as small patches, it spreads out from there as a mat of sheeting covering.
What Makes Slime Algae Grow and Solutions For Eliminating This Problem
We suggest that you don't try to put all of these solutions into action at one time, because if you do, when the problem subsides you'll never really know where the problem was coming from and which solution worked to fix it. Start with one solution and see what results you get, and if that one doesn't work, try another one, and so on, until the problem is resolved. Now, in order for all forms of algae to grow, they require only two things; light and nutrients.
Lighting:
The use of improper bulbs, lack of maintenance, and extended lighting hours are contributors that can lead to all sorts of algae problems. While these organisms do well in the 665 to 680 nanometer (nm) wavelength range, they are quite active bewteen the 560 and 620 nm range as well.
Solutions: Only use bulbs that are designed for aquarium use, run the lights 8 to 9 hours a day, and following the basic wattage rule of thumb, try different types of bulbs to increase the intensity and the spectral qualities of the light in the aquarium, particularly when it comes to any type of full-spectrum or color enhancing tubes being used.
Nutrients:
Phosphates (PO4), DOCs (Dissolved Organic Compounds), and nitrates (NO3) are primary nutrient food sources for red and other slime algae.
Phosphates (PO 4 ) are commonly introduced into aquariums by means of using unfiltered fresh tap water, and through many aquarium products that may contain higher than normal concentrations of this element, such as sea salt mixes, activated carbon, KH buffers, foods, and many other sources. Also, for established reef tanks the long-term use of kalkwasser precipitates phosphates out of the water, and these phosphate based compounds can settle on and in the live rock and substrate.
Solutions: Use RO/DI filtered make-up water, a high quality sea salt mix, and be aware of the elements contained in other common aquarium products you may be using.
~And just in case I found this for you. This stuff ranges in color as you can see in the bold part.
Commonly referred to as "red slime" algae, the name cyanobacteria literally means "blue-green" algae. Despite the naming, only about half of these organisms are actually blue-green in color. Most forms foundin saltwater are other colors, ranging from blackish green to blue-green, fromorange-yellow to reddish-brown, and often appear deep purple to fully black in color. Starting out as small patches, it spreads out from there as a mat of sheeting covering.
What Makes Slime Algae Grow and Solutions For Eliminating This Problem
We suggest that you don't try to put all of these solutions into action at one time, because if you do, when the problem subsides you'll never really know where the problem was coming from and which solution worked to fix it. Start with one solution and see what results you get, and if that one doesn't work, try another one, and so on, until the problem is resolved. Now, in order for all forms of algae to grow, they require only two things; light and nutrients.
•Lighting: The use of improper bulbs, lack of maintenance, and extended lighting hours are contributors that can lead to all sorts of algae problems. While these organisms do well in the 665 to 680 nanometer (nm) wavelength range, they are quite active bewteen the 560 and 620 nm range as well.◦Solutions: Only use bulbs that are designed for aquarium use, run the lights 8 to 9 hours a day, and following the basic wattage rule of thumb, try different types of bulbs to increase the intensity and the spectral qualities of the light in the aquarium, particularly when it comes to any type of full-spectrum or color enhancing tubes being used.

•Nutrients: Phosphates (PO4), DOCs (Dissolved Organic Compounds), and nitrates (NO3) are primary nutrient food sources for red and other slime algae.◦Phosphates (PO 4 ) are commonly introduced into aquariums by means of using unfiltered fresh tap water, and through many aquarium products that may contain higher than normal concentrations of this element, such as sea salt mixes, activated carbon, KH buffers, foods, and many other sources. Also, for established reef tanks the long-term use of kalkwasser precipitates phosphates out of the water, and these phosphate based compounds can settle on and in the live rock and substrate.■Solutions: Use RO/DI filtered make-up water, a high quality sea salt mix, and be aware of the elements contained in other common aquarium products you may be using.

[Alamo]

Thank you PB now THAT was informative I just replaced all the filters and got a new membrane on my RODI a few weeks ago, i will try adding buffer and see if this doesn't help out ty ty

[polarbear]

No problem. Ive been needing to get mine under control so I've been looking things up