red slime algae smothering macros

[FishyMel]

What is the red slime algae that keeps coating my chaeto in my refugium? How do I stop it???? I think it is killing it. I cleaned out the refugium and started over and it still comes back. What causes this algae and how do I prevent it. So far, I just shake it off all my plants every day, but this doesn't seem to be very effective. Thanks for the help.

BTW, my refugium is 20 gallons running underneath my 150g showtank. It has chaeto and a 3 inch sandbed. I am running a small 18w PC and a 15w shop light 18 hours a day.

Melanie

 

[kmk2307]

Hi Melanie,

The red slime algae sounds like red-pigmented cyanobacteria. These are a prokaryotic algae that love phosphates. Do you test your water for phosphates? You could use a product like Rowaphos or Phosban which are iron hydroxide based (a very biological system-safe, non water soluable compound). They will remove phosphates from your water. You treat this product like activated carbon, putting it in a canister filter or filter bag, etc.

HTH,
Kevin

 

[FishyMel]

Where does the phosphate come from? I use RO/DI water, and I feed mostly frozen food with a phosphate-free pellet formula.

 

[smallbubblegum]

Ther is treatments for cyno chem clear (or something like that )works well if you want to treat it.

 

[Bozad]

I am exper. the same problem. I also use R.O. water. How long due you have to run the phos. treatment?

 

[kmk2307]

Melanie,

If the food your are feeding was once alive it contains phosphate. All living things contain phosphate which tends to build up in small marine systems. It's also possible your RO/DI PF, carbon filter, or membrane are no longer removing phosphate from your tap water if they are old.

Bozad,
How long you have to run the phosphate remover depends on how much phosphate is in your system. Once it removes the phosphate in your water, phosphates stuck to your rock and sediment will leach out into the water column. Just keep an eye on it with a test kit and keep it at zero.

Kevin

 

[Bozad]

Last night I purchased Rowaphos. I learned a lesson the hard way. If you entend on using this product, read on. I purchased the mesh bags as suggested. I placed one under my overflow dishcharge in my sump. The problem is, the product is extremely fine in size, and if you guessed it, quite a bit of it passed thru the bag and is no laying at the bottom of my sump and some made it to my refugium. No big deal I will just suck it out after I remove my skimmer, UV unit and power heads. If I were going to due this again I would of sandwitched the bag between two floss pads. I will keep you posted as of the results.

 

[Briankook]

fishymel, what kind of water movement do you have in your fuge?

 

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

Dealing with the phosphates might be one thing...but I just decided to deal with it another way. I stuck a tuxedo urchin in my fuge...it does an unbelievable job on undesired algae...esp cyano and slime.

 

[Plantbrain]

It's not the trace amount PO4 that causes Red Cyano.
Macro's need far more PO4. RC needs far less to the point of it being in a completely different niche, the micro scale.

It is set up to grow very well at very low nutrient levels.

If you add some NO3(KNO3), and remove what is there, it will not come back.

When you bottom out your NO3, this will encourage RC.

I do not have it(but certainly have the spores), I have higher NO3 and PO4 than you do and better macroalgae growth.

Less is not better.

Herbivores can help the rest as well with this one.

Rather than approaching it from a kill the noxious algae, try growing the macro algae/coral approach.

That is your goal after all.
So do that, then you do not have issues with these other things.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

im tellin ya....tuxedo urchins rule for cleaning this stuff up.

 

[jacob30]

I have recently had the same results with chaeto being smothered out by the red cyano. I have only had this refugium up and running for about a month and the tank has been established for over a year. My plan is to let the refugium mature a little to see if this is part of an ecological cycle (ie:red cyano first niche species). Any thoughts on this? How is your refugium doing now?

Also, my nitrates are 2.5 ppm, phosphates are undetectable, ph8.1, alk 10 dkh, salinity 1.025, temp 79-82 f

 

[Plantbrain]

Cyano is easy to kill FYI, blackout the refuge for 3 days, the large macro algae will do fine, the Cyano will not.

You might just clean all you can(fluff the stuff off as best you can).
Then make sure your test kit is accurate(make a known standard).

Most NO3 kits are very inaccurate at low levels. Lamott is good though, one of the very few I would even consider in making a determination.

Try feeding the fish tank more(more N and P), add iron/traces as well.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Foster]

Im having the same problem with s RC smothering my cheato. The RC traps air too, and raised the cheato to the surface. The cheato is definatly dying.

My Phos levels are 0.001 (Salifert). My refuge is 75 gallons. I dont have any RC in the main display?

 

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

Is anyone listening?!!? TUXEDO URCHIN!!!!!

 

[reefkeeper1]

Is anyone listening?!!? TUXEDO URCHIN!!!!!

I concur with Herbert. I have two in my sump refugium to keep it clear of red turf algae. I also have tried Mexican turbos, but they often quickly die on me since they're used to cooler waters.