Red slime or diatom

[Garrettgomez55]

I'm having a outbreak in my tank not to sure what it is can someone please help. A-0 ph-8.0 nitrites-0 nitrates-5ppm phosphates-0. My tank has be cycled for a little over a month. I didn't go through a diatom bloom so I was thinking it could be that. Now I'm thinking it's red slime. I been doing weekly water changes as well.

 

[RussIV]

looks like both. hopefully diatoms outcompete cyano. part of the balancing act.

 

[Garrettgomez55]

It's just the picture it's all the same color

 

[Garrettgomez55]

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[RussIV]

well if they are all that golden color.-dark brown....diatoms.

 

[criticalencore]

I'd say diatoms. It's normal for a freshly cycled tank

 

[Garrettgomez55]

What's the best way to get rid of them. I turn off my whites and I put chemi pure in my filter to make sure my phosphates are 0.

 

[bmrigs]

What's the best way to get rid of them. I turn off my whites and I put chemi pure in my filter to make sure my phosphates are 0.

Patience. Light feeding. Routine water changes. Time to run it's course. I am going through the same thing at 9 weeks.

 

[RussIV]

Patience. Light feeding. Routine water changes. Time to run it's course. I am going through the same thing at 9 weeks.

+1

they will go away.

you get shorten the time a lil with some gfo or phosguard. just make sure you are using rodi

 

[Garrettgomez55]

Well I thoguht I was using rodi water from my LFS I get their premixed saltwater. I did a water change last night. I decided to test the water just to make sure it was pure. My test showed 5ppm of nitrates. So that could be a big reason why I can't get my tank below 5 ppm. I do have chemi pure in my filter it's better than phos guard from what I heard. I know my water quality since using it has been great it's been clearer than ever. I'm thinking of getting a couple of snails this weekend to help the process as well

 

[RussIV]

Well I thoguht I was using rodi water from my LFS I get their premixed saltwater. I did a water change last night. I decided to test the water just to make sure it was pure. My test showed 5ppm of nitrates. So that could be a big reason why I can't get my tank below 5 ppm. I do have chemi pure in my filter it's better than phos guard from what I heard. I know my water quality since using it has been great it's been clearer than ever. I'm thinking of getting a couple of snails this weekend to help the process as well

2-5 ppm nitrate is ideal.

less than 1. and you are flirting with a dead and sterile tank. i could go up to 10 comfortably.

get an ro unit and do it yourself or live with 5ppm. which is within optimum coral parameters.

 

[Garrettgomez55]

2-5 ppm nitrate is ideal.

less than 1. and you are flirting with a dead and sterile tank. i could go up to 10 comfortably.

get an ro unit and do it yourself or live with 5ppm. which is within optimum coral parameters.

Yea I got a hammer and frogspawn coral I read they prefer 5 to 10 ppm of nitrates. So what causes the diatoms to die off?

 

[NedFlounders]

The diatoms will die off on their own as the tank goes through its natural cycle. My tank is pretty new (a few months), and that part scared me too. I still have diatoms, but they are diminishing. I've learned it's nothing to really worry about. If your tank is ready for fish (assuming it's going to have fish), get something like a starry blenny who will eat the heck out of that stuff. Also, the right snails in your CUC will speed it up as well.

 

[lmforbis]

Cyano isn't always red. It can be brown or green. It tends to disappear when lights go out and come back when they come back on. That is what I use to tell the difference. In my tank cyano usually looks golden brown.