redslime

DaveAngie79 · 02/04/2010, 10:15 PM

whats the best product to get rid of red slime without loss of life in my tank

SAZAMA · 02/04/2010, 10:18 PM

good parameters

DaveAngie79 · 02/04/2010, 11:24 PM

yes

Bontrager · 02/05/2010, 07:56 AM

I just tried a new product from my LFS made in Germany. Sorry I don't remember the name of the product but it didn't work very well.

A couple of years ago I had a similar product called Ultralife Red Slime Remover which worked perfectly however my LFS didn't have it at the time.

I will order on-line from Dr. Fosters & Smith. The cost is 18.99.

Give it a try

gdsmith56 · 02/05/2010, 08:41 AM

The best "product" is maintenance. Suck out all the red-slime you can get to with an air hose that empties into a bucket. Keep your lights turned off for a few days (I've heard THREE days from others - it worked for my tank) and add powerheads and/or additional filters to increase the water movement in your tank.

Reduced lighting and more water flow are the keys to getting started.

microwave · 02/05/2010, 08:47 AM

Im currently using "chemi-clean". In the middle of a treatment right now. All my animals made it through the night with no ill effects. I tried all the above, but the red slime kept spreading and spreading. Once it covered all my corals I decided that it was time for a tactical nuke.

The red slime seems to be subsiding, but I still need to let it do its thing for another 24 hours.

droberts · 02/05/2010, 03:28 PM

red slime is a pain to get rid of when i see it starting i do a small water change so i can suck it out. if you do use a chemical keep in mind that most of the cyno chemicals will deplete the tank of oxygen so you will need to put a couple air stones in before and during while the chemical does its thing. keep your water parameters where they should be and add more flow. maybe look into vodka dosing Dan

undrtkr_00 · 02/05/2010, 06:38 PM

Blue Life Red Slime Control has worked for some folks near me. But, like said above, it is only a temporary fix. Gotta get the nutrients down in your tank for a long term solution.

gus5946 · 02/05/2010, 07:05 PM

I don't mean to hi-jack the post, but is this red slime? It appears to be a red film covering one of my rocks and is kinda spreading to one beside it.

If it isn't red slime, ideas as to what it is? If it is, can I pull the rock and scrub it off?

Sorry for the bad pic, its the best I could do.

undrtkr_00 · 02/05/2010, 07:09 PM

Yep, looks like red slime (aka cyanobacteria) to me. You can pull the rock out, or you can probably syphon it away, too. But, if you don't reduce the nutrients in your water (nitrates, phosphates, etc), it will almost certainly come back.

Tank14 · 02/05/2010, 07:43 PM

I was able to get rid of my red slime by shutting off my lights for a couple of days. You have to remember that any "remedy" (such as turning off lights, medicine) will get rid of the red slime but the key is to have good water parameters so that it doesn't get a good foothold again. Also good water flow.

iluzhun · 02/05/2010, 07:49 PM

I have used the Chemi-clean in the past and it did the trick for me but like it was mentioned above you need to get the parameters right in your tank or the slime will return.

gus5946 · 02/05/2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gus5946

I don't mean to hi-jack the post, but is this red slime? It appears to be a red film covering one of my rocks and is kinda spreading to one beside it.

If it isn't red slime, ideas as to what it is? If it is, can I pull the rock and scrub it off?

Sorry for the bad pic, its the best I could do.

I was running two maxi 1200s, just added two more tunze 6025 p-jets tonight plus the return flow (slowed it down to control micro bubbles).

I finally figured out the skimmer, so hopefully it starts pulling some gunk out, but the ammonia and nitrate are both 0. I have always had good parameters (always as in been setup for 3 months) and this has been growing pretty slowly. Didn't know what is was until tonight when I see it is a really good sheet on the rock and starting to show up on two others.

I am testing with Red Sea Marine Lab test kit

And to think for a few minutes I thought I had something cool growing in there!

This one isn't a sponge huh?

Thanks for you advice and assistance.

-Pixie- · 02/05/2010, 11:59 PM

i have finally just started to get rid of mine after a month of daily battle, i tried lights out, i increased flow, was nearly about to resort to chemical treatment, but what worked for me was added an extra powerhead, stirred the substrate upside down then vacumed the tank into a bucket with a stocking over the top, then returned the filtered water, i double bagged my sock filters and cleaned every 3 hours or so, then repeated the stirring of the substrate every day for 3 days, while filtering and siphoning out as much as i could, i reduced my lighting as i found lights out only made it hide as soon as they came back on for a day the cyano reappeared with a vengance, i cut back my feeding to very small portions every second day, cleaned all my equipment pumps pipes etc. after all my failed attempts at every other thing i tried, this killed it in 3 days. and has yet to return.

-Pixie- · 02/06/2010, 12:05 AM

I think the reason for the appearance in the first place was a mix of mass over feeding and dead spots where detritus and gunk built up, which hopefully with my now reformed feeding ways (such as rinsing frozen foods with a brine shrimp net and only feeding a few pellets at a time over the period of 30 mins to make sure they are all eaten) and no flow deadspots it wont return, also note my water parameters were all perfect, so i beleive it was heavy build up not dispersing into the water column therefor always showing perfect parameters.

Also my case started very slowly and thinking that only a few half an inch or so spots was no problem, wow was i wrong has drove me nuts for the last month and is such a releif to know it is gone and wont be returning anytime soon.

02/04/2010, 10:15 PM	#1
DaveAngie79 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greenwood, IN Posts: 662	redslime whats the best product to get rid of red slime without loss of life in my tank

02/04/2010, 10:18 PM	#2
SAZAMA Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Northglenn ,Colorado Posts: 639	good parameters __________________ I enjoy long walks, next to my reef tank...LOVE 303 Current Tank Info: water box

02/05/2010, 07:43 PM	#11
Tank14 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Canandaigua, NY Posts: 284	I was able to get rid of my red slime by shutting off my lights for a couple of days. You have to remember that any "remedy" (such as turning off lights, medicine) will get rid of the red slime but the key is to have good water parameters so that it doesn't get a good foothold again. Also good water flow. __________________ --Chris "Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes." - Oscar Wilde Current Tank Info: 4'x2'x2' 120gallon mixed reef, 2x Radion Gen2. 40g breeder sump, oct-xs 200 skimmer

02/05/2010, 07:49 PM	#12
iluzhun Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: under a rock Posts: 157	I have used the Chemi-clean in the past and it did the trick for me but like it was mentioned above you need to get the parameters right in your tank or the slime will return. __________________ The truth only hurts when you hear it from someone else There are times when the only choices you have left are bad ones That's not a unicorn.. It's a donkey with a plunger stuck to it's face Current Tank Info: filled with salt water

02/04/2010, 11:24 PM	#3
DaveAngie79 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greenwood, IN Posts: 662	yes

02/05/2010, 07:56 AM	#4
Bontrager Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 123	I just tried a new product from my LFS made in Germany. Sorry I don't remember the name of the product but it didn't work very well. A couple of years ago I had a similar product called Ultralife Red Slime Remover which worked perfectly however my LFS didn't have it at the time. I will order on-line from Dr. Fosters & Smith. The cost is 18.99. Give it a try

02/05/2010, 08:41 AM	#5
gdsmith56 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Harpers Ferry, WV Posts: 122	The best "product" is maintenance. Suck out all the red-slime you can get to with an air hose that empties into a bucket. Keep your lights turned off for a few days (I've heard THREE days from others - it worked for my tank) and add powerheads and/or additional filters to increase the water movement in your tank. Reduced lighting and more water flow are the keys to getting started.

02/05/2010, 08:47 AM	#6
microwave Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Chandler, Az Posts: 99	Im currently using "chemi-clean". In the middle of a treatment right now. All my animals made it through the night with no ill effects. I tried all the above, but the red slime kept spreading and spreading. Once it covered all my corals I decided that it was time for a tactical nuke. The red slime seems to be subsiding, but I still need to let it do its thing for another 24 hours.

02/05/2010, 03:28 PM	#7
droberts Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: stow ohio Posts: 1,277	red slime is a pain to get rid of when i see it starting i do a small water change so i can suck it out. if you do use a chemical keep in mind that most of the cyno chemicals will deplete the tank of oxygen so you will need to put a couple air stones in before and during while the chemical does its thing. keep your water parameters where they should be and add more flow. maybe look into vodka dosing Dan

02/05/2010, 06:38 PM	#8
undrtkr_00 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 50	Blue Life Red Slime Control has worked for some folks near me. But, like said above, it is only a temporary fix. Gotta get the nutrients down in your tank for a long term solution.

02/05/2010, 07:09 PM	#10
undrtkr_00 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oregon Posts: 50	Yep, looks like red slime (aka cyanobacteria) to me. You can pull the rock out, or you can probably syphon it away, too. But, if you don't reduce the nutrients in your water (nitrates, phosphates, etc), it will almost certainly come back.

02/05/2010, 11:59 PM	#14
-Pixie- Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Australia, sunny coast Posts: 192	i have finally just started to get rid of mine after a month of daily battle, i tried lights out, i increased flow, was nearly about to resort to chemical treatment, but what worked for me was added an extra powerhead, stirred the substrate upside down then vacumed the tank into a bucket with a stocking over the top, then returned the filtered water, i double bagged my sock filters and cleaned every 3 hours or so, then repeated the stirring of the substrate every day for 3 days, while filtering and siphoning out as much as i could, i reduced my lighting as i found lights out only made it hide as soon as they came back on for a day the cyano reappeared with a vengance, i cut back my feeding to very small portions every second day, cleaned all my equipment pumps pipes etc. after all my failed attempts at every other thing i tried, this killed it in 3 days. and has yet to return.

02/06/2010, 12:05 AM	#15
-Pixie- Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Australia, sunny coast Posts: 192	I think the reason for the appearance in the first place was a mix of mass over feeding and dead spots where detritus and gunk built up, which hopefully with my now reformed feeding ways (such as rinsing frozen foods with a brine shrimp net and only feeding a few pellets at a time over the period of 30 mins to make sure they are all eaten) and no flow deadspots it wont return, also note my water parameters were all perfect, so i beleive it was heavy build up not dispersing into the water column therefor always showing perfect parameters. Also my case started very slowly and thinking that only a few half an inch or so spots was no problem, wow was i wrong has drove me nuts for the last month and is such a releif to know it is gone and wont be returning anytime soon.