Red slime algae

O

ourneedtobead

New member
I have red slime algae taking over my tank. I have a 55 gallon salt, bout 3 months old. Various snails ,crabs,1 pencil urchin,3 damsels, 2 clowns. I do very regular water changes. tried suctioning it out and it came right back. Started using phosphate remover.......still growing. :mad2:
 
Do you use ro/di water? New tanks have a natural progression of algae. Once your water chemistry stabilizes and there aren't as many organics, it should disappear. What kind of flow do you have also? Cyano tends to not grow where there is a lot of flow, and will in stagnant areas. Might want to re-direct some powerheads.
 
I had the same thing almost a month back. I also have a 55 gal salt. What I did was used an old net from my freshwater tank that I didnt have any use for anymore (it had a couple holes in it so I couldnt use it lol) and used that to carefully lift out the sand that had the cyano on it. you just skim it over where the cyano is and you get a little sand but mostly all the cyano. That way its not floating around in your tank and "settin down roots" again. I tried those products that TM9146 just suggested and they didnt work for me. I tried keeping the lights off. Didnt work. But with me actually removing it out of the system that did work. You can also use a turkey baster. Just suck it all up into the turkey baster and toss it down the sink (the cyano not the turkey baster lol). That way like I said you remove it completely. Good luck and dont loose hope. It will go away with a little patients and aggressive removal of it.
 
lilalove.......no I do not use ro/di water but I will try redirecting my powerheads and even get another.
Allanira I will try the (net work) and I will get aquainted with my turkey baster. thank you.
 
[welcome]

I would not suggest you use red slime remover in a tank that is not a year old. It is an antibacteria so the good bacteria also take a hit. In a well established tank that is not a problem

You need to get at the source of the problem which is an increase in phosphates in your tank in combination with lack of flow

here are some tips on reducing phosphates in your tank

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1329802

Having said that to remove the existing cyano
suck up as much as you can with a turkey baster
direct a power head at it
turn of the tank lights for three days
That should get rid of the existing but if you don't take further steps to reduce the importation of phosphates then it will be right back
 
Thank you Capn_Hylinur.
I have the lights off. Redirected and increased the water flow.
I do have a question about the filter media. How long do I run NO filter media? I thank you for your help.
 
How is the tap water treated? How is it tested, and at what levels does it test for included matter? Are you buying it treated, or treating it yourself? Hard to beat RO/DI, and cheaper to buy your own filter than buying the water from someone else.

Oh, and welcome on board RC :D
 
It's also nitrates. Which may come in via tapwater.
basically it's not algae at all, but bacteria, and it feeds off CO2, light, and water. It will also take in nitrates, phosphates, etc...pretty much an 'anything' kind of nuisance. There is one thing you can deprive it of that will slow it down: light. Turn your lights out for 3 days (4th actinic if you're mh)---but there's a catch. If you get a big dieoff of the stuff and don't have a powerful enough skimmer you can crash your tank. Your skimmer's potency is one of the big things that helps get rid of this stuff's dieoff.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13009329#post13009329 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sk8r
It's also nitrates. Which may come in via tapwater.
basically it's not algae at all, but bacteria, and it feeds off CO2, light, and water. It will also take in nitrates, phosphates, etc...pretty much an 'anything' kind of nuisance. There is one thing you can deprive it of that will slow it down: light. Turn your lights out for 3 days (4th actinic if you're mh)---but there's a catch. If you get a big dieoff of the stuff and don't have a powerful enough skimmer you can crash your tank. Your skimmer's potency is one of the big things that helps get rid of this stuff's dieoff.
Click to expand...

thanks for pointing it out to the others that it is a bacteria----the title of my thread might be misleading--but it is the same concept--reducing the nitrates and phosphates

another thing to mention here too is that a flow of 20-40 times per tank volume in gph is so important here and for alot of other filtration and oxygen exchange issues.
 
I don't comprehend RO/DI???
I am really a rookie aquarist.
Saw my sisters, came home from vaca and began this journey.
I am keeping a close watch on my protein skimmer.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13009963#post13009963 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefworm
reverse osmosis/de-ionized water = absolutely pure water - the only stuff to use in a marine tank. If you're just getting started, there's no way to emphasize enough the need to thoroughly research everything before you get going. Save LOTS of heartache and $$$. Here's a good place to start:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1031074
Click to expand...

Well to be honest using RO water for me has been no end of headaches for cyano and GHA I never had a problem using my tap water with no conditioning. I switched to RO water and bam huge outbreak. I have since switched back to tap water and now no more algea or cyano.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13010355#post13010355 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HABS#1
Well to be honest using RO water for me has been no end of headaches for cyano and GHA I never had a problem using my tap water with no conditioning. I switched to RO water and bam huge outbreak. I have since switched back to tap water and now no more algea or cyano.
Click to expand...

must be a high level of chlorine in London water--and a very low level of phosphates
 
Cyano Bacteria ( Red slime ) Is the oldest form of life on earth. It has been traced back Billions of years & in billion year old fossials..

It has been said that Cyano was the start of life on earth....Every form of life has traces of Cyano

You can keep it under control. During your water change... Puff it off the rocks with a turkey baster & suck it up with the syphon.

This might not cure it...But you can keep it under control
 
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