Flow in my 90g

[daveverdo]

Hey All,

I have been having a red slime in my 90g for some time now. I reduced feeding, checked phosphate and nitrates, and adjusted lighting. The only thing that seems to keep any part of the tank clean is having some direct flow right on that area.

I currently have three powerheads. Koralia 2 (original), a TAAM Seio P1000, and a TAAM Seio P320. I had the P320 in there because I had it lying around.

I want to upgrade the flow in an attempt to eradicate the red slime.

I only have a few SPS (caps) the rest are LPS (frogspawn, brains, candycanes) and softies.

Any suggestions on getting good flow in the 90g?

Dave

 

[ryan_]

If it were my tank, I would change the direction of flow every other day or so for a while. The important thing is to kick it up into the water column so that it goes through your filtration. As an added touch, I take a turkey baster and blast the areas with slime a few times per day. I have had red slime/cyano twice and eradicated it within a week.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

IME/IMO toss out water flow and lighting as being the primary cause of cyanobacteria growth.

I've seen cyano grow in the ocean in pounding surf and full sunshine on a wild reef.

The reason it grew there- offshore waste discharge.

Solution: reduce phosphates, nitrates etc. etc.

Water flow can help reduce cyano in a closed system indirectly by keeping detritus in suspension thus allowing it to be filtered out. To this end a Vortech MP40 (or Tunze or likewise) and good strong main pump (the heart of one's reef aquarium) is invaluable.

'Storming' the aquarium regularly with a powerhead can also help

 

[ryan_]

You make a very good point. I agree with that.