Red Slime FIX!

alextheromanian

alextheromanian

New member
ok so i run a 75 gal with t5ho

its been hot lately and i ran a fan which made the water level evapoate fast. now i top off with RO but there was a period of about a month when id add about 3 gal/day of regular tap water


i dont know if the tap was the cause of it but red slime started to grow on the sand bed the rocks the glass a little bit and even on the zoas i have and yellow gorgonian.


snails didnt want it...the yellow head goby didnt touch it and neither did anyone else including the tangs.


so without touching it scooping it out or bothering it i bought this

ultrareef.jpg



iitt smells like oranges...cheap orange drink atleast...i dont know if it was a good idea to sniff it anyways


i mixed it with a cup of water threw it in and it made the tank yellow/orange...


in two days all the slime became transparent green ish and then disappeared and then all the algae eating guys in my tank started munching on it.


it didnt affect any GREEN algae or any algae of any other kind....the zoas stayed open the gorgonian and the star polip...fish also ate and behaved normal


i wanted to post this for those who have seen this product put have not tried it in fear of it being harmful

it is also for those who have the problem or might run into it so keep it in mind for future encounters with discusting slime :bounce2: :uzi: :blown:




OH OHH! forgot to mention its not warned anywhere on the label but you have to turn your skimmer off otherwise it will skimm nothing but water! good luck!
 
Re: Red Slime FIX!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12979982#post12979982 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alextheromanian
ok so i run a 75 gal with t5ho

its been hot lately and i ran a fan which made the water level evapoate fast. now i top off with RO but there was a period of about a month when id add about 3 gal/day of regular tap water


i dont know if the tap was the cause of it but red slime started to grow on the sand bed the rocks the glass a little bit and even on the zoas i have and yellow gorgonian.


snails didnt want it...the yellow head goby didnt touch it and neither did anyone else including the tangs.


so without touching it scooping it out or bothering it i bought this

ultrareef.jpg



iitt smells like oranges...cheap orange drink atleast...i dont know if it was a good idea to sniff it anyways


i mixed it with a cup of water threw it in and it made the tank yellow/orange...


in two days all the slime became transparent green ish and then disappeared and then all the algae eating guys in my tank started munching on it.


it didnt affect any GREEN algae or any algae of any other kind....the zoas stayed open the gorgonian and the star polip...fish also ate and behaved normal


i wanted to post this for those who have seen this product put have not tried it in fear of it being harmful

it is also for those who have the problem or might run into it so keep it in mind for future encounters with discusting slime :bounce2: :uzi: :blown:




OH OHH! forgot to mention its not warned anywhere on the label but you have to turn your skimmer off otherwise it will skimm nothing but water! good luck!
Click to expand...

thanks for sharing--and it does work on the existing cyano

However you need to get at the source of importing nitrates and phosphates in your system and stop the importation otherwise the cyano comes back again
And by your post you are aware that using tap water can cause the problem.

In your case you took the appropriate action because the cyano was at the point where it was affecting corals.
Just make sure you focus on elimating the phosphates and nitrates in your system

BTW
this product is not recommended for tanks under a year old in that the good bacteria on and in your tank take a hit also as well as the cyano bacteria. In a mature tank the bacteria can cycle back quickly on the live rock

Thanks again for sharing and I am glad it worked for you
 
Re: Re: Red Slime FIX!

Re: Re: Red Slime FIX!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12980506#post12980506 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
thanks for sharing--and it does work on the existing cyano

However you need to get at the source of importing nitrates and phosphates in your system and stop the importation otherwise the cyano comes back again
And by your post you are aware that using tap water can cause the problem.

In your case you took the appropriate action because the cyano was at the point where it was affecting corals.
Just make sure you focus on elimating the phosphates and nitrates in your system

BTW
this product is not recommended for tanks under a year old in that the good bacteria on and in your tank take a hit also as well as the cyano bacteria. In a mature tank the bacteria can cycle back quickly on the live rock

Thanks again for sharing and I am glad it worked for you
Click to expand...



wow well i didnt know that thank you for the helpful hint in the future ill keep in mind if the cyano comes back
 
I'm so glad you said this. I've been fighting red slime for a couple of months. I have never used tap water...on purpose. But I had 3 of my RO/DI units go bad and then the RO/DI unit went bad at the LFS too and unfortunately I just don't find time to test every single batch of water. All my tanks are new, fairly heavily stocked so small daily changes are important still.

Now that I've bought a Typhoon 3 from airwaterice.com, I am not seeing a terrible increase. But it's not really getting better either.

Suzi
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12981895#post12981895 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by suzimcmullen
I'm so glad you said this. I've been fighting red slime for a couple of months. I have never used tap water...on purpose. But I had 3 of my RO/DI units go bad and then the RO/DI unit went bad at the LFS too and unfortunately I just don't find time to test every single batch of water. All my tanks are new, fairly heavily stocked so small daily changes are important still.

Now that I've bought a Typhoon 3 from airwaterice.com, I am not seeing a terrible increase. But it's not really getting better either.

Suzi
Click to expand...



suzi this stuff worked magic in my tank...i could post you a pic if youd like....its a 75 gal tank...its a little on the poor side but you wont see a spot f red slime in it...i still have green on the back glass i havent scaped that off because the tangs love it more than the dry sea weed and i feel bad taking their fav thing out...i also have tiny tiny ammount of hair green algae on the base rocks...they love to pick on that aswell along with the lawnmower blenny....i have dark red coraline....purpule coraline light pink coraline none of which has stopped growing.


you should try this....i did less than the dosage recomended too...it says one scoop for 15 gal...normally for me it would be 5...i only did 3 and a half and it worked. the only thing is that it makes your water yellow for a day or two but then it dissappears.
 
I'm a little concerned. I have this red algae in my copepod tanks. Since I feed from those tanks into my seahorse tank, I am worried it might hurt them. They are so sensitive to chemicals.

Suzi
 
it says on the packaging they are reef safe and will not harm corals crustaceans or fish...my suggestion is to call the manufacturer and ask about seahorses...


i dont think it would be a problem but then again i dont have any experience with it in that field.

ive noticed NO change in anything but the dissapearance of red slime in my tank...i still see copepods or isopods or whatever the mandarin fish eat swim around and crawl around the rocks...and those are small sensitive creatures.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12982427#post12982427 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by suzimcmullen
I'm a little concerned. I have this red algae in my copepod tanks. Since I feed from those tanks into my seahorse tank, I am worried it might hurt them. They are so sensitive to chemicals.

Suzi
Click to expand...
IMO I would not use red slime remover in a refugium(assuming that is what you mean by copopod tanks) There is many strains of useful bacteria in there that you could wipe out.
Rather
try to vacuum or suck up the bulk of it
put a power head in the fuge for a week
turn of the lights to the fug for three days

If treating the main display--shut off the flow to the fuge for 24 hours

I still will re-state here that using Red slime remover should be a last resort after trying everything to reduce the level of phosphates in your tank

I re-post a thread where I listed ways to do this

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1329802
 
I've been fighting red slime in my system for over a month now. It reared its ugly head when I switched my lighting from PC's to MH's.

When I've used the chemical cleaners, they would make a small dent in the slime but it has always returned. A very tenacious bacteria--I've calculated its doubling rate at less than 60 minutes during the worst episodes.

Overall, I'm trying to approach this problem as a positive experience. It is forcing me to read, research, and pay a lot of attention to my tank. I've addend many things to my system that where not in place before the red slime blues, such as:

1. Water change schedule changed from monthly to weekly.
2. Added a good RO/DI system so I can make my own seawater instead of purchasing it from the LFS.
3. Bi-weekly water testing.
4. Added a refugium.
5. Removed the bio-balls from the sump.

The latest weapon in the "Battle of Cyano" as been the addition of a Phosban reactor. Last week, the red slime dropped by about 75% after a water change. I tested my water parameters and found, for the first time since I've had my tank, a nitrate reading of "0". However, the slime started to come back again. I'm hoping that I will make more progress after today's water change.

Every time I use a chemical cleaner, I have to take the skimmer off-line for about 3-5 days. I think that is reason enough not to use this approach--that can't be good for the tank.

The best remedy, which I credit to Sk8er and others, was to shut the lights off for 3 days. If the slime returns after today's water change, I will be doing using this method again. Hopefully, with the Nitrates and Phosphates becoming under control; I will be on my way to a "Cyano-Free" tank again.

Conclusion: Cyano (Red-Slime) Bacteria is the nemesis of the Reef Keeper. This has been the most challenging problem of the hobby for me.
 
very good methods of removing algae may i add.

and yes i do agree turning off the skimmer is not a good thing

HOWEVER the whole point of this thread is to let those who are interested as a last resort that this chemical HAS worked amazingly without haring any of the things you'd expect chemicals to harm
 
One of the major problems with the removers is that if you are a new reefer with a new tank and a weak skimmer, the sudden dieoff can be the equivalent of a dead mackerel left to rot in your tank---that is why they advise you to skim wet (pulling everything possible) from your tank once this remover is throug. Part of your sandbed fauna is part of the dieoff. So your sandbed is weakened. Do not attempt this cure if you don't have a really good skimmer---and I'd advise a skimmer rated for 2x your water volume, if at all within your budget.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12985171#post12985171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sk8r
One of the major problems with the removers is that if you are a new reefer with a new tank and a weak skimmer, the sudden dieoff can be the equivalent of a dead mackerel left to rot in your tank---that is why they advise you to skim wet (pulling everything possible) from your tank once this remover is throug. Part of your sandbed fauna is part of the dieoff. So your sandbed is weakened. Do not attempt this cure if you don't have a really good skimmer---and I'd advise a skimmer rated for 2x your water volume, if at all within your budget.
Click to expand...



well i guess im in trouble then :(
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12985171#post12985171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sk8r
One of the major problems with the removers is that if you are a new reefer with a new tank and a weak skimmer, the sudden dieoff can be the equivalent of a dead mackerel left to rot in your tank---that is why they advise you to skim wet (pulling everything possible) from your tank once this remover is throug. Part of your sandbed fauna is part of the dieoff. So your sandbed is weakened. Do not attempt this cure if you don't have a really good skimmer---and I'd advise a skimmer rated for 2x your water volume, if at all within your budget.
Click to expand...

that's why I mentioned above that Red slime remover is not recommended for systems under a year in maturity
 
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