Red slime algae

[idan555]

In the last 3 weeks I am fighting with this algae. (last time I had this one was year ago).
My lights are the same didn't change anything, I added more power head (I have very strong flow now), water change 10% every week, I feed much less then I should.
I am mixing the water at home, useing reef crystal salt and RODI water (this is 6 stage from BRS about 3 months old) I was not sure if the RODI water quality was good so I tested it today with the electronic meter and pepper test: 0 TDS.
I red some where that the Reef crystal salt cause people Red slime? anyone had this problem with this salt?
I'm about to do 25% water change today (75 gal tank). my parameters are great:
pho 0 pm
alk 9
nitrite 0
no3 0 ppnm
amo 0 ppm
cal 450 ppm
ph 8.2

I also used in the last week the powders such Red slime removal etc, and it didn't really help.

If you guys have some suggestion for the root cause and Ideas I would like the help. My corals all cover and barely open because if this algae.

 

[AlSimmons]

Is it all over the place or just a small patch here & there?

FWIW my tank is a little over 10 years old and every now and then I'll get a little Cyanobacteria. Everything checks out, but I'm not going to go out of my way to solve it. It usually just works itself out.

 

[stingythingy45]

Do you feed corals?
Or how often do you feed the fish?
Do you have a skimmer?

 

[AlSimmons]

Sometimes.. Few & far between though. (LPS only)
Once a day.
Yes. (Modified Eshopps PSK-75, 20 gallon DT/10 gallon sump)

 

[idan555]

I have sump, skimmer, algae scrubber, carbon reactor and GFO ( I do not run GFO thanks to the scrubber).
I didnt feed my corals in the last 3 weeks alraedy, and I feed my fish once a day frozen food (not even a half a cube). now when the corals are close they wont eat anything.
the Red slime is all over the tank, like crazy.

 

[Conchman]

Type of lights? If applicable, need for bulb change or do you have LED’s?

 

[GabeB]

Try lowering light period. Make sure you vacuum out whatever you can. If it's cyano there are some great products to get rid of it...

 

[idan555]

Try lowering light period. Make sure you vacuum out whatever you can. If it's cyano there are some great products to get rid of it...

I got Ocean Revive light, I didn't change the setting for long time but I'll try it. I used the products it didn't help much (last time it clean my tank in 2 days)

 

[Subsea]

I looked back at some of your threads for a tank journal to understand without needless questions.

The term “Red Slime Algae” is not technically correct. Cynobacteria is the evolutionarily link that combines properties of bacteria with photosynthesis. Cynobacteria are the nitrogen pump for the marine environment.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria

So, if Nitrogen Fixation gives cynobacteria the advantage over coral and macro, then remove the advantage by dosing nitrogen for coral & macro to compete with cyno for phosphate.

One other very important point on your dosing organic carbon. Organic carbon grows bacteria. Cyno is a bacteria and you are giving it a carbon source, with your vinegar dosing.

 

[idan555]

I looked back at some of your threads for a tank journal to understand without needless questions.

The term "œRed Slime Algae" is not technically correct. Cynobacteria is the evolutionarily link that combines properties of bacteria with photosynthesis. Cynobacteria are the nitrogen pump for the marine environment.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria

So, if Nitrogen Fixation gives cynobacteria the advantage over coral and macro, then remove the advantage by dosing nitrogen for coral & macro to compete with cyno for phosphate.

One other very important point on your dosing organic carbon. Organic carbon grows bacteria. Cyno is a bacteria and you are giving it a carbon source, with your vinegar dosing.

So far I didn't dose anything to my tank, I did ask in the past how to but I give up on the idea after I purchase reactors and built algae scrubber

 

[tthouston]

I also used in the last week the powders such Red slime removal etc, and it didn't really help.

If you guys have some suggestion for the root cause and Ideas I would like the help. My corals all cover and barely open because if this algae.

My question is are you still using the skimmer to skim-mate the dirt during you using Red slime removal?
If you said Yes then you are wrong.
- You can use your skimmer to get the oxygen for your tank, but you CAN'T skim the dirt. Let's it overflow back to your sump or your filter sock.
- Do not skim out all your medicine.
- Do another round of Red Slime Remover to your tank after a few days without a water change, it will be OK.
- During treatment, you should aggressive vacuum all the red slime algae for faster result.
- Buy another salt mix basket with a different type to be sure the cyan is not created by the old salt.
- Water change with the new salt. I change IO salt mix to Coralife salt mix and I happy with it.
Hope it help.

 

[Subsea]

So far I didn't dose anything to my tank, I did ask in the past how to but I give up on the idea after I purchase reactors and built algae scrubber

As I said in first half of my post, add a nitrogen source to remove the advantage that cyno has over all other algae's which include zooanthellia in coral.

 

[idan555]

My question is are you still using the skimmer to skim-mate the dirt during you using Red slime removal?
If you said Yes then you are wrong.
- You can use your skimmer to get the oxygen for your tank, but you CAN'T skim the dirt. Let's it overflow back to your sump or your filter sock.
- Do not skim out all your medicine.
- Do another round of Red Slime Remover to your tank after a few days without a water change, it will be OK.
- During treatment, you should aggressive vacuum all the red slime algae for faster result.
- Buy another salt mix basket with a different type to be sure the cyan is not created by the old salt.
- Water change with the new salt. I change IO salt mix to Coralife salt mix and I happy with it.
Hope it help.

thank you, I just did it now.
we will see in 48 hours

 

[idan555]

As I said in first half of my post, add a nitrogen source to remove the advantage that cyno has over all other algae's which include zooanthellia in coral.

how can I add nitrogen? there is certain type of method for adding it?

 

[Uncle99]

So far I didn't dose anything to my tank, I did ask in the past how to but I give up on the idea after I purchase reactors and built algae scrubber

As I said in first half of my post, add a nitrogen source to remove the advantage that cyno has over all other algae’s which include zooanthellia in coral.

Rule 1
Always go with Subsea when it comes to the chemistry stuff.
Rile 2
Always go with Subsea.

Has been such a great help to me, enjoy reading his(?) posts.

 

[Subsea]

how can I add nitrogen? there is certain type of method for adding it?

Seachem makes a reef safe nitrogen source. Some go to Home Depot and get "œstump remover" which is potassium nitrate.

Because I have many large systems, I use ammonia.


https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-1160...pID=41CWRQl4SfL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

 

[Subsea]

To understand how things combine gives some knowledge on how to maintain “natural systems”.

Phytoplankton combines in a ratio for C:N of 116:16:1 which is called the Redfield Ratio.

Macro algae combines in a ratio of 560:30:1 and is somewhat variable, but as you can see, it requires 30 molecules of nitrogen to combine one molecule of phosphorous. As you begin adding nitrogen, it may be a good idea to plan on more janitors to consume unwanted algae.

Where does the carbon for macro come from? It comes from carbon dioxide in air dissolving in water to form carbonate & bicarbonate alkalinity which combine with photosynthesis to form glucose which is a carbon source for the reef.