Why do I have Red Slime

[hkgar]

Cyano

90 gallon with 20 gallon sump
Nitrates .75, PO4 0.0
Protein skimmer (Reef Dynamics)
Use RowaPhos and run GAC
Dosing vinegar/vodka (50/50) 30ml per day

Started dosing in September with 30 NO3 and 1.0 PO4
Switched to 75/25 vodka/vinegar when levels reached 0 the 1st of January and reduced from 8 ml vodka to 4 ml vodka.

Levels begin to increase and I started increasing the dose amount about 2 weeks ago and current dosing is the equivalent of 6.67 ml vodka (if I have done my math right)

Cyano started showing up 2 weeks ago when I switched to 50/50 mix of vodka vinegar.

Any advice as to why it is occurring and what to do about it?

 

[jbannick18]

Vodka has been noted to cause cyano and some have better results with just vinegar. Maybe try that

 

[Grace tank]

I have found that any time I get red slime is when I don't have good water flow to a certain area.

 

[greengeco82]

scrub it off with a tooth brush and wait it out. It will go away.

 

[greengeco82]

Ive also used a turkey baster and blew it off.

 

[bertoni]

Well, varying the vodka-vinegar ratio might help, I agree. Unfortunately, I don't know which way to change the mix, although vinegar reportedly is less likely to cause a problem. I'd spend a few minutes each week siphoning out what was easy to get, and maybe consider ramping up the GFO a bit.

 

[dirtyBit]

That seems like some pretty high nitrates. If I'm not mistaken you need a little bit of both PO4 and NO3 for both to come down. Having 0 PO4 might make it difficult for NO3 to drop.

 

[hkgar]

That seems like some pretty high nitrates. If I'm not mistaken you need a little bit of both PO4 and NO3 for both to come down. Having 0 PO4 might make it difficult for NO3 to drop.

You think less than 1 is high? I thought .75 was pretty good - undetectable with many teat kits.

 

[sgrmagnolia]

Be cautious when removing the cyano to siphon it out. Don't let it float around the tank to take up residence elsewhere.

I have found that increasing the flow to the area and decreasing the temp slightly (if possible) helps.

 

[hkgar]

What are the pros and cons of using chemical warfare, e.g. Chemiclean or similar product?

 

[CoopMD]

I had Po problems until ..

I had Po problems until ..

Yes, 0.75 is high enough to grow algae and cyano.
I struggled mightily and found the following:

1. Liquid test kits are not sufficient to measure low-phosphate. I switched to a Hanna low-phosphate test kit. Very cool and super accurate. Even 0.20 phosphate will support good algae and possibly cyano. I vary between 0.10 and 0.00 (today!)

2. Find out what is causing the excess nutrient load. Tank maturity helps. How old is your tank? How much live rock? How much bioload?

3. I use GFo in the sump tray and replace it every 6-8 weeks.

4. Emerald green crab are excellent algae lawn mowers. Less algae, less cyano.

5. Last summer I did resort to disparate means by using Chemi-Clean. It is risky and you have to follow the instructions to the letter, but it did do a good clean.

6. Don't overfeed. Rinse frozen food.

Good luck

 

[jbannick18]

Green emeralds will not touch cyano.

Chemi-clean will get rid of it temporarily but it will come back unless you correct your nutrient issue

 

[reeftivo]

may want to try 75/25 vinegar to vodka, or just dose vinegar. I had cyano rear it's ugly head during my use of biopellets and I pulled the reactor and started vinegar in my lime water (45ml vinegar to 2 tsp kz kalk in 1 gallon ro/di or distilled.

No other changes were made and my cyano was gone in 3 days.

 

[tokitay]

I have been there and fought the problem for a long time. I finally learned ho wto beat it; water changes, water changes, and then more water changes.

Once I had it beat, tank stays perfect with monthly water changes.

By the way, those nitrates support what I am saying. Any time they are measurable, it is time for a water change IMHO...

Good luck!

 

[nanojg]

You dose 15 ml of vodka a day? That seems like a ton (equivallent of 120 ml of vinegar).

I disagree about nitrates under 1 is great; however you will have a lot of nitrate and phospates bound in the cyano which will die off and re-cycle.

I think i finally beat cyano. Skim real heavy, stay on top of gfo, blast it away from rocks, do three days of lights out (once a month) and eventually you will win

 

[CoopMD]

... And the best thing I did

... And the best thing I did

I added a Vortech MP circulating pump. It has lots of flexibility and keeps detritus kicked up so it can be skimmed off.

No algae. No cyano.

 

[hkgar]

You dose 15 ml of vodka a day? That seems like a ton (equivallent of 120 ml of vinegar).

I disagree about nitrates under 1 is great; however you will have a lot of nitrate and phospates bound in the cyano which will die off and re-cycle.

I think i finally beat cyano. Skim real heavy, stay on top of gfo, blast it away from rocks, do three days of lights out (once a month) and eventually you will win

By 50/50 I meant that 50% of carbon dose come from vodka and 50% comes from vinegar. The vodka equivalent is 6.67 ml. The 30 ml is 3.33 ml vodka and 26.67 ml vinegar.

I started the 3 days lights out last night and will let you know how it goes. I did a 12% water change yesterday after siphoning out as much cyano as I could.