Red slime algae EVERYWHERE!

[KodiakBear]

I have been battling a large algae bloom for almost a month now. I've been the victor against all of it, except the red slime algae (which the only book I have that has anything similar to this calls it Cyanobacteria, and shows it as a decorative covering on a rock). Despite the RO water changes that have lowered my PO4 to lower than my test can detect, and physical removal of as much of it as I can get, it is thriving. So much so that it is nearly covering the sand in the entire front of my tank, and at least two LR's. I break it up and remove as much as I can every time I do a water change (10% every 5 days), yet the next morning, it seems like it's back just as thick as before.
My ammonia and nitrites = 0, nitrates 2, ph 8.3, temp 79F, and I use a CoraLife lighting fixture with 2 96W bulbs (one daylight, one actinic) that is only a couple months old.
Does anyone know how I can get rid of this stuff? (sorry about the pics. I'm not as good a photographer as my wife)

[panmanmatt]

Cyano is fairly common in newer tanks. It is usually caused by poor flow and excess nutrients. The nutrients you are addressing with the water changes and the use of RO water. Are you also using a DI filter along with the RO? You can try increasing your flow in the tank and leaving your lights off for a few days. That should help clear it up.

[KodiakBear]

I currently am cycling about 4X my capacity through my sump, and have an additional rio power jet to aid in flow. Problem is that most of the flow is only in the top 1/2 of my tank (slime is all in the bottom). Any suggestions for increasing flow in the bottom without losing my surface agitation?

Not using any DI right now, still looking into it. As long as I keep my RO filters clean, all my chemistry seems to do fine... I'll try shortening the duty cycle for my lights, and see if that helps. I'm concerned for shortening it too much as I have some photosynthetic corals.
(see? my wife's a much better photographer. This is the same coral that's in the above pictures)

[lcstorc]

Sounds like you are doing the right things. Have you tried a phosphate reducing media like Phosban or Rowphos? Even though you test 0 phosphates they are still there just being absorbed by the cyano. Cyano is actually a great exporter of phosphates, so every time you remove it you are removing the phosphates it has absorbed. Do you rinse your food with RO water prior to feeding? If not I suggest you do. Most fish food is loaded with phosphates as a preservative. Are you sure you are not overfeeding?
Keep up with the water changes and perhaps up the quantity of water you change each time. Keep removing as much as you can and if possible get another powerhead and put it lower in the tank to increase the flow at the bottom of the tank.
HTH

[Warnberg]

Looks to me like what you have there is cyno bacteria and not algae. First increase flow in the tank, reduce feedings or amount fed, get a turkey baster and blast it off the rock or when doing a water change vacuum it up. Is this tank fairly new? It is normal to go thru cycles of cynobacteria when a tank in newer, also you should also be shooting for 0 nitrates.

[lgerold]

What Phosphate test are you using? Most of the tests do not read low enough.

Salifert has a reliable test, which reads as low as .03 ppm.

I'd consider using Rowaphos.

I've been where you are!

[sasquatch]

I think you already stated the problem"Problem is that most of the flow is only in the top 1/2 of my tank (slime is all in the bottom)." once cyano attaches to something it sticks, get a couple cheap powerheads and aim them down, not to disturb the sand but to get the flow into those areas where its hanging up, as its not climbing all over your rock I suspect that spores are remainig in the sand, so vaccuum it up and get some flow down there. Steve

[cheeks69]

Cyano is a hybrid, a mixture between plant and bacteria. It has therefore plant, as well as bacterial characteristics and is considered the evolutionary link between plants and bacteria. The “algae-bacteria” is always present in each setup. Cyano is unicellular. It cannot be detected even when using a common microscope. What can be seen as slime are thousands of cells bound together by a protective slime coat, while some break away floating freely in the water.

Cyano, being a hybrid, is difficult to remove. Factors for growth are multiple and dealing with the algae-bacteria needs to be on multi levels in order to be effective.

Growth factors include, light, nitrogen-nitrate, dissolved organic carbon, and CO2. All of these factors are basically interchangeable, meaning that one or two factors can be limited, but it won’t stop the algae-bacteria from utilizing the remaining factors, nor will it stun their growth. For the sake of completeness, some limiting factors influence the shape and appearance, but not the occurrence itself.

Light might be an obvious factor as Cyano is able to photosynthesize, but eliminating or reducing the light will not stop the growth. Recalling that Cyano is a hybrid, it will rely on bacterial characteristics to produce energy for growth. Reducing the access to carbon as an alternate approach has no effect by itself either, since the algae-bacteria can use CO2 as a sole carbon source.

Robert Fenner:

It should, must be stated that even given the usual measures of nutrient availability showing low concentrations you may still run into Cyano problems… they’re actually fueled much more by DOCs, dissolved organic carbon compounds… hence the careful cleaning and use of a decent protein skimmer as a first line of defense, limiting DOCs in your water. And, ahem, where do these celebrated DOC’s come from? Principally (over)feeding. Be especially leery of liquid invertebrate and gelatin based frozen foods… these are notorious sources of DOC...
...Filtering water involves all we do to modify its make-up chemically, physically and biologically. This being stated, by doing your best to remove excess nutrients like phosphates and nitrates (through periodic use of chemical filtrants like activated carbon, keeping your skimmer optimally clean and operational). This is a key approach to BGA prevention as "higher" photosynthetic life forms are far more able to survive and outcompete Cyanobacteria at lower nutrient level concentrations.

Aeration/Circulation

Cyanobacteria thrive in low circulation, poorly aerated conditions. Hence the call for vigorous water movement and near-saturation levels of dissolved oxygen. Providing powerheads, small submersible pumps, mechanical aerators and directing discharges from outside filters and pumping mechanisms are the best way to accomplish optimized circulation and aeration. Direct these devices to eliminate stagnant areas.

BGA Control

Despite their best plans and actions aquarists frequently run into some Cyanobacteria problems, especially when their systems are going through initial cycling and settling in. There are a few appropriate responses to these situations, and one that is often employed that you should (and will) be advised against. Here are the suggested controls.

Elbow Grease:

Gingerly wiping the slimy colonies from the tanks sides, regularly removing the mass of the BGA from the gravel and décor surfaces goes a long way to removing the BGA and their ill-effects.

Cyanobacteria

[KodiakBear]

My tank is still fairly new, only about a year old now. The sump portion is only 3 months old, which may have contributed to the algae cycle I'm trying to recover from.
I use phosorb as a phosphate remover, and I use Red Sea Test Labs Phosphate kit (lowest range is 0.1ppm, but it's the lowest ranged kit at the LFS's in my area). My nitrates have been lowering over the last 10 days since I started removing my bioballs (decided those were the cause of high nitrates after reading a discussion on this site)
For feeding I use a mixture of cyclopeeze (every 2 days) and DT's plankton (every 3 days) and do my best to remove any uneaten food after 5 minutes... I have not rinsed the cyclopeeze prior to feeding (nor can I think of a good way to do this as it is so fine)
I use the turkey baster prior to changing the water in my tank to help get as much off the rocks as I can (even attached a hooked 3 inch piece of tubing to the end of the baster to help get into the hard-to-reach places). Sounds like the only thing really left for me to do is sacrifice some of my surface agitation for flow in the lower portions of the tank. I'll also be looking into getting another power head, or changing the way my sump feeds back to the tank (maybe build a multi-port outlet system).

Thank you for all the information and ideas for how to treat it. I guess I was just wishing for a miracle cure that would have it gone as quick as it arrived. Again, thank you for your help

[KodiakBear]

I looked at the salifert website for their PO4 test kit... It says it reads as low as .015mg/L How does that convert to in PPM?

[sasquatch]

For feeding I use a mixture of cyclopeeze (every 2 days) and DT's plankton (every 3 days) I would lay off these items for a while, they are way rich and I doubt they are being consumed enough at this point except by your algae

[lcstorc]

Your right you can't rinse either of those. They are both really small. I was more of the other frozen or flake foods. What all are you feeding in the tank? How much of these things are you feeding? Unless you have fish you are feeding too much. Cut back and keep doing the water changes with removal of all the cyano you can. It will go away eventually it takes patience like most things in our systems.

[KodiakBear]

Well, changed 12% of the water last night, sucked out as much of the red as I could get (put a hose on the end of my turkey baster to help get the small chunks), and pushed my rio power jet to the bottom of the tank. It's making some sand drifts in the corners, so I hope that's enough.
As for what I have: I'm feeding for two corals (physgyra, and goniopora), 2 yellow-tailed damsels, a "lawnmower" blenny, cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, and a horde of hermit crabs and turb snails. I feed as small a chunk of the cyclopeeze as I can break off, and about 7 mL of the DT's. I've heard a lot of bad things about DT's, but my goniopora started looking sickly when I quite feeding it.
I was thinking about adding a goby to the mix to maybe help agitate the sand bed enough to keep the blooms down. Would that help; and if so, what type of goby would you recommend?

[lcstorc]

For keeping the sand bed stirred I recommend a fighting conch. Best thing I have found so far. Second best are nassarius snails. The sand sifting gobies tend to make too much of a mess for most people throwing sand all over your corals etc. If you don't mind that then go for it. I love gobies and have a number in my tank but no sand sifters.

[rDr4g0n]

i bought 25 nassarius snails for my 30 gallon tank. they cleared up my cyano within a week! make sure to get nassarius vibex! they dont actually eat the stuff, they just bury and unbury themselves a lot. This moves the top inch or 2 of the sand all the time. Ive yet to try a fighting conch, but that would have been my next choice had the snails not worked.