Red Slime Problem
- Thread starter josh27
- Start date
I've been fighting red slime for months. I used a chemical remover (red slime remover) and it was a nightmare (for me). Lost the white rorms and peppermint shrimp but only cut back on the red slime but it came back stronger than before.
Boomer (on the Chemistry forum) said I was going in the wrong direction. He agreed that I should increase the Alkalinity from 10 to 12 but I should be droping the pH from8.4 to 8.2 plus drop my temp from 83F to 81F. This combination will increase the CO2 level which will kill the cyanobacteria. I satrasted this 2 days ago and already see a decline in the slime.
Jim.
Boomer (on the Chemistry forum) said I was going in the wrong direction. He agreed that I should increase the Alkalinity from 10 to 12 but I should be droping the pH from8.4 to 8.2 plus drop my temp from 83F to 81F. This combination will increase the CO2 level which will kill the cyanobacteria. I satrasted this 2 days ago and already see a decline in the slime.
Jim.
zachfishman
Active member
I've got a bit of a cyano problem too. My alk is currently ~8, my pH 8.0-8.2. Won't raising my alk also raise my pH? I don't want to raise my pH too much.
I used Reef Builder to raise the Alk and it did raise the pH as well. I was told I should have used Arm & Hammer's Baking soda. I was told to use soda water (Seltzer butr make sure there are no artificial additives, flavors). This did the trick but like all additives, do it slowly. Jim
The_Codfather
Have frag will travel
How long do you leave the lights on.. Also do you have flow over the area where the slime is? just two easy things to start with
FlaReefDude
New member
also how old are your bulbs? not replacing your bulbs can also cause cyano.
dg3147
Active member
I am not sold on cyano being a puerely nutrient problem. In my tank for example, I run NP reducing pellets and have zero phos and zero nit. --my nutrients are so low these days that my Cheato started to die off and had to be discontinued.
I too am batteling cyano (my tank is a year old) and for sure turning off lights for 48 hours once per week (and keeping room in darkness too) helps initially. I also have decided to start dosing Special Blend (a bacterial source) which is rumored to work in about 4-5 weeks. I am on week 3 of this routine and it seems to cut it back by about 75%.
I also found this post on RC:
"Some added thoughts from over the years from many
The only known fish to eat Cyano is Amblygobius stethophthalmus and it needs to be the real one not its close relative that is often Mis-ID with it.
A 2- 3 month scheme
1. Water changes. 25% weekly.
2. Bare bottom refugium only for cheato nutrient export and not for critters.
3. Siphon, sump, refugium, etc. every week during water change and clean all filter you have.
4. Blow off all the Cyano and settled stuff you can so it can be siphoned off.
5. Clean out skimmer and cup every week.
6. Carbon, 1 cup per 50 gallons / 2 wks. Try to use ROX
7. GFO -HC , change every month.
8. Purigen, every month
9. Soak frozen food in RO/DI and discard water before use. This is especially true for brine shrimp. Matter of fact I use to pour off the water, and then fill it back up, to repeat it until there was only whole brine shrimp in the container.
10. Read what is in the food and look for things low in phosphates.
11. Keep the pH in the very low 8's or very high 7's, as Cyano will out compete other algae's in higher pH water.
12. The # 1 limiting nutrient for Cyano is N, not P based on studies in various microbiology texts.
13. During these water changes and blowing stuff off and siphoning it up run a Diatom filter with a second cake of PAC (Powdered activated carbon).
14. Increase water flow where Cyano are growing, as they do not like high currents.
15. Shutting of all lights, almost total darkness for 48 hr. every few days.
Last resort is Chemi-Clean by Boyd."
I too am batteling cyano (my tank is a year old) and for sure turning off lights for 48 hours once per week (and keeping room in darkness too) helps initially. I also have decided to start dosing Special Blend (a bacterial source) which is rumored to work in about 4-5 weeks. I am on week 3 of this routine and it seems to cut it back by about 75%.
I also found this post on RC:
"Some added thoughts from over the years from many
The only known fish to eat Cyano is Amblygobius stethophthalmus and it needs to be the real one not its close relative that is often Mis-ID with it.
A 2- 3 month scheme
1. Water changes. 25% weekly.
2. Bare bottom refugium only for cheato nutrient export and not for critters.
3. Siphon, sump, refugium, etc. every week during water change and clean all filter you have.
4. Blow off all the Cyano and settled stuff you can so it can be siphoned off.
5. Clean out skimmer and cup every week.
6. Carbon, 1 cup per 50 gallons / 2 wks. Try to use ROX
7. GFO -HC , change every month.
8. Purigen, every month
9. Soak frozen food in RO/DI and discard water before use. This is especially true for brine shrimp. Matter of fact I use to pour off the water, and then fill it back up, to repeat it until there was only whole brine shrimp in the container.
10. Read what is in the food and look for things low in phosphates.
11. Keep the pH in the very low 8's or very high 7's, as Cyano will out compete other algae's in higher pH water.
12. The # 1 limiting nutrient for Cyano is N, not P based on studies in various microbiology texts.
13. During these water changes and blowing stuff off and siphoning it up run a Diatom filter with a second cake of PAC (Powdered activated carbon).
14. Increase water flow where Cyano are growing, as they do not like high currents.
15. Shutting of all lights, almost total darkness for 48 hr. every few days.
Last resort is Chemi-Clean by Boyd."
Korrine
You could get a ticket!!
get a dual gfo and carbon reactor from bulk reef supply
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store...ter-bags/dual-brs-gfo-and-carbon-reactor.html
And try to figure out if you're over feeding or if it's your water source. If this rock has been in a tank w/phosphates before it could have absorbed it and be leaching out in your tank. I'm not setting up my second tank w/out a reactor after reading Randy's article and I will buy the one I linked above. Seems a lot of people use it.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-11/rhf/index.php
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store...ter-bags/dual-brs-gfo-and-carbon-reactor.html
And try to figure out if you're over feeding or if it's your water source. If this rock has been in a tank w/phosphates before it could have absorbed it and be leaching out in your tank. I'm not setting up my second tank w/out a reactor after reading Randy's article and I will buy the one I linked above. Seems a lot of people use it.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-11/rhf/index.php
Maverick2009
New member
Do you clean the sand bed? Where is it growing. I find that if I blow off all my rocks, it really helps.
Maverick2009
New member
There may be nutrient leaching out of the sand, you may need to add more or thoroughly vacuum it.
I have beaten the red slime monster. for years it has been a seasonal problem for me. The temps in the tank go up or down a few degrees...and the cycle begins again. Get rid of red slime..and it is replaced by hair algae which is even worse!!! Here is exactly what I did
First...have an awesome skimmer!! I use a euro reef....fantastic skimmer.
I use red slime remover. There are several brands of slime remover..I use the one that does not require a water change. In 2-3days...the red slime will melt away. Wait until it is 100% gone. THEN....put an appropriate amount (relative to tank size) of rowaphos in your sump (in the bag supplied as directed). I have used every type of phosphate resin on the market...Rowaphos simply works the best. Night and day between this brand and the others..I will use no other brand for now on. So essentially...you kill the red slime, and the phosphates released are taken up by the rowaphos. The hair algae issue is now avoided. This has been an easy...and 100% fix for me!! I recently started seeing some diatoms pop up....immediately changed to a new bag of rowaphos. End of story...slime issue averted!!!
The best price I found on rowaphos was at aquacave.
I really recommend this method. After 21 yrs of keeping reef and saltwater tanks..I have finally found my answer!! Hope it helps you as much as it helped me!!!
First...have an awesome skimmer!! I use a euro reef....fantastic skimmer.
I use red slime remover. There are several brands of slime remover..I use the one that does not require a water change. In 2-3days...the red slime will melt away. Wait until it is 100% gone. THEN....put an appropriate amount (relative to tank size) of rowaphos in your sump (in the bag supplied as directed). I have used every type of phosphate resin on the market...Rowaphos simply works the best. Night and day between this brand and the others..I will use no other brand for now on. So essentially...you kill the red slime, and the phosphates released are taken up by the rowaphos. The hair algae issue is now avoided. This has been an easy...and 100% fix for me!! I recently started seeing some diatoms pop up....immediately changed to a new bag of rowaphos. End of story...slime issue averted!!!
The best price I found on rowaphos was at aquacave.
I really recommend this method. After 21 yrs of keeping reef and saltwater tanks..I have finally found my answer!! Hope it helps you as much as it helped me!!!
