Red slime problem
- Thread starter milk
- Start date
arcanjo
New Member
Hi Milk,
Usually the recommendations for it are:
- Good flow (to prevent the accumulation of detritus);
- Water changes (siphoning the slime, every day until it disappear);
- Lights life (usually shouldn't be much more than 8 months old, see the recommendations for each type );
- Rocks should be in a way that allows a good water circulation;
There are those who use UV and ozone devices (not my experience), and also some that put potassium nitrate (assuming that if you have algae, you must have PO4, even if the readings say you don't, there are organic an inorganic PO4).
Apart from it i think there might be some unbalance, that's when red slime usually comes.
What i took from my experience with my last sps aquarium was that the consume of Mg, Ca and Kh causes unbalance if they don't meet the required values. So in the new aquarium i keep those parameters on control and though i had some spots of red slime, there were always in control.
I hope you understand my english, good luck.
smkndrgn142
Member
hmm, those t5s should still be good for another few months, but I agree that you've got a nutrient issue. The problem with red slime is that it can create the conditions to support itself. You've got to get as much of it out of your tank with you WCs as you can. If you still find that your fighting a losing battle, there are products out there that can help. I've used Blue Vet Red Slime Control with great success, but I suggest using it, or anything like it as a last resort.
smkndrgn142
Member
I don't know about the others out there, but the Blue Vet that I used is reef safe. Take that with a grain of salt, but I was keeping LPS and softies at the time and didn't lose a thing...don't know how sps would do though.
Keep in mind that you MUST address the problem and not the symptoms. Even if you use a "Chemical" attack if you don't address the ROOT CAUSE first it will come back. Many people have learned this the hard way and some of them left the hobby because it was just too much of a battle. Often times when the "Solution in a bottle" is used when this junk comes back it's stronger and more aggressive than before.
Read this post I just made about the same "fix".
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...sion/63899-hair-algae-problem.html#post875687
I'm not saying smkndrgn142 is wrong in any way I'm just saying you need to really know what's happening and address the issue from all angles before using the "Quick fix".
Read this post I just made about the same "fix".
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...sion/63899-hair-algae-problem.html#post875687
I'm not saying smkndrgn142 is wrong in any way I'm just saying you need to really know what's happening and address the issue from all angles before using the "Quick fix".
smkndrgn142
Member
I did say to use this only as a last resort in my first post. I hope I didn't come across as advocating this course of action. You really need to get it out with your water changes. They do usually work.
SeaSquirt05
Member
try running your lights for about three hours a day for a week and it should be all gone...it worked for me!
That's exactly right. This is an ANCIENT bacteria that has survived every natural disaster there is and able to thrive in conditions that almost nothing else can live in. It's extremely efficient and will utilize one of many different sources for food. I jokingly say that sometimes I think it's able to break down H2O in order to feed itself :LOL:
No you said it very well. I might have seemed harsh up there but you said it well.
I devised a "Light Deprivation" devise one time that I used to keep all light (tank lights, room lights even ambient light) out of the tank for a WEEK! My coral didn't thrive but Cyano did and I think I caught it "flipping me off" and laughing at me one day during the lightless period. :LOL:
About a year ago when my tank was just beginning I had the same problem, the red slime was covering everything in my tank. I spent days upon days trying to find a solution to this problem. Until one day it all just disapeared. My tank hasn't had a nuisence problem since (knock on wood). Just give it time and it will eventually go away. Do water changes every week and try to lower your feedings.
To me this seems like a part of the tanks cycle. Well thats just my 2 cents. I'll be following along. Hope all turns out well in the future...
Oh and if its bothering you too much you can just take of chunks during your weekly waterchanges. And don't buy zoanthids until the cyano has gone away. It seemed to bother mine alot. (they never opened until a month after the cyano went away)
To me this seems like a part of the tanks cycle. Well thats just my 2 cents. I'll be following along. Hope all turns out well in the future...
Oh and if its bothering you too much you can just take of chunks during your weekly waterchanges. And don't buy zoanthids until the cyano has gone away. It seemed to bother mine alot. (they never opened until a month after the cyano went away)
Thats a BIG part of the game. Stay on it and keep getting it out DAILY (if not more). I found a net one time that had a fairly open mesh to it (I think it was for kids to catch butterflies in) and was able to use it to get the RS scooped up out of the sand without taking much "incidental" sand with it. I would scoop the top 1/4" of sand a couple times a day. Do NOT dig down into the sand.
GrendelPrime
Well-Known Member
i dont think the age of the tank was ever asked, it might just be part of the pita algae cycle, how long has ur tank been up and running?
fishhead
Active Member
I have a 90 gallon reef , 60 gallon fuge, and a 30 gallon sump. I too am having a cyano out break...only in the fuge! Weird. So the water in the DT is clear and cyano free (to the eye), same with the sump. Both of which have a lot of water movement...thousands of gallons per hour. The fuge however, has less current. The DT has lots of over flow AND pwerheads, the sump moves all the water back to the tank, so it must be ripping. Since it is all the same water, I have put a 1200 GPH powerhead to circulate the fuge a lot. Maybe that will help. The tanks are about 13 years old too. Weird.
-Greg
-Greg
Of course, all the previous information about red slime also applies to refugiums.
In addition, you tend to have much slower water flow through a refugium. Here are a few things to check.
Has your refugium become a dirt trap? This is easy to do if the source of water is from the display tank's overflow, but it can also happen if the water is supplied from the main return pump and not completely clean.
Are you using a DSB or "mud" in the refugium. In some cases this can be a source of nutrients.
The type and color of the lighting in a refugium can make a big difference also. You may need slightly different lighting.
Good Luck.
In addition, you tend to have much slower water flow through a refugium. Here are a few things to check.
Has your refugium become a dirt trap? This is easy to do if the source of water is from the display tank's overflow, but it can also happen if the water is supplied from the main return pump and not completely clean.
Are you using a DSB or "mud" in the refugium. In some cases this can be a source of nutrients.
The type and color of the lighting in a refugium can make a big difference also. You may need slightly different lighting.
Good Luck.