Cyanobacteria - Red Slime

[skidrow52]

Hi,

150g tank 6 months old, and now I have a red slime outbreak on the sand only. I can see a lot of air bubbles forming in the sand bed, the sand bed is not a DSB it is 2-3 inches in size.

I will appreciate feed back and advice what to do, currently I am changing water weekly.

Tank dimensions:

140x60x60


Lighting, all bulbs changed 4 days back:
150w x 2 14k HQI
54W x 4 ATI T5HO, 2 Purple Plus and 2 True Actinic

Water Parameters:

PO4: 0.00 Tested by Hanna CHecker
NO3: 0 Tested by API and JBL kits
Alk: 8.5 Hanna Checker
PH: 8.10 American Pinpoint PH Monitor
Salinity: 1.026 - Milwaukee Digital Seawater Refratrometer
CA: 440 - Salifert
MG: 1300 - Salifert

Filtration in Sump:
Reef Octopus NW 150 Skimmer
Filter Sock
Phosguard - Seachem ( replaced when Phosphates are higher than 0.03)
Purigen 200ml
Matrix Carbon - Seachem (replaced every 60 days)

Water Movement:
3500l/hr return pump
2 x Ecotech Marine MP40 on Long Pulse mode at 80% speed.




Food:
Ocean Nutrition formula flakes and frozen Mysis, I feed Mysis maybe once in a week.

Additives: Weekly 1 vial Reef Booster

Used to add Reef Plus (Seachem) in food to soak, stopped it since more than a week. Sometimes maybe once in 2 weeks, I drop a few ml of Kent Marine's Zooplex/Phytoplankton/Microvert not all at the same time, but randomly

 

[xxL0CKHARTxx]

Well I had cyano for a while and used Chemi-clean. It worked hands down go get it and follow directions you will be surprised. And it comes with enough to use it time after time

 

[xxL0CKHARTxx]

I changed feeding habits, light schedule and uped the water change. All this is good but don't worry about that just feed less and use chemi-clean

 

[snorvich]

Are you using Reef Booster without Purigen?

 

[jbaumreef]

Quick cure

Quick cure

I just had an episode of this. Turned lights off for three days and now completely gone.

 

[GhostCon1]

I just had an episode of this. Turned lights off for three days and now completely gone.

Sadly, this hardly, if ever, works for anyone. You have to find the source of the problem and fix it there, otherwise it will come back.

 

[unbelievable]

I just had an episode of this. Turned lights off for three days and now completely gone.

I've done 3 days lights out and it didn't get rid of it. Some stuff may work for others but not for you. Good luck. Fwiw I started dosing vinegar to help with Nitrates and Phosphates and it seems to be helping with the cyano. Hth

 

[Bigcefa]

cyano is not algae and lights out will not knock it out, +1 on the chemi clean the stuff works awesome never had issues with it. go pick some up

 

[ericauch]

chemi clean =)

 

[skidrow52]

With Purigen, I have it in my filter sock when I use Reef Booster I move the filter sock away from return so it will not get a direct flow and also turn off the skimmer over night.

Are you using Reef Booster without Purigen?

 

[skidrow52]

My tank is a mixed reef tank, and there were some bad reviews about Chemi-Clean so I dont want to take the risk, maybe the lights off I can try.

I changed feeding habits, light schedule and uped the water change. All this is good but don't worry about that just feed less and use chemi-clean

 

[MidMichiganReef]

I used chemiclean on my tank about 4 months ago, it worked like a charm to get rid of the cyano that was there... but here it is 4 months later and my tank is covered again...


If you do roll the dice on cyano, make sure you put some airstones in your tank

 

[potterjon]

Chemi clean is just a temporary fix and does not get to the root of the problem. Although it will work, I would not use it on a regular basis.

 

[Higgy2010]

I had a similar outbreak in my 14G Biocube a while back. I used Ultralife Red Slime Remover one time and the cyano disappeared. In addition, I began using my own RO/Di water and saltmix. The cyano never returned until I broke down the cube.

 

[rtparty]

What salt are you using?

 

[skidrow52]

I have recently started using 'Kent Marine Reef Salt', this was the 3rd water change but the problem with the old salt was also there so I cannot blame this salt, the old salt was Seachem.

What salt are you using?

 

[skidrow52]

Day 8 using MicroBacter7 from Brightwell Aquatics and cyano is completely gone, on top of MB7 I was doing weekly water changes cut off frozen food feedings and Reef Plus trace elements and reef booster, skimmate was changed to skim wet.

MicroBacter7 in my opinion has done the magic! Didnt want to use chemi-clean or any chemicals, the problem was excessive nutrients even with NO3 and PO4 zero in test results.