Persistant red slime looking algae, no phosphates or nitrates just confused

Jyetman · 02/09/2014, 04:01 PM

I have this reddish algae that grows under blue cloves and up the stalks of some of my zoa colonies. Its not a major outbreak but is enough to make me irritated. I periodically have to take the turkey baster and blow it off. My API test kits always shows zero Phosphates and nitrates. Just to be sure I took a water sample to LFS and their Salifert kits show zero. Why does it persist even with water changes, growing macro and running seachem seagel? Now I find out zoas like dirtier water how do I make them happier without this slime algae taking over?

Chevrefils · 02/09/2014, 05:33 PM

How much flow do you have? Try tinkering with your power heads pointing at your trouble areas. Cyano typically grows in low flow areas. How old is your tank also? Could just be part of the maturing of your tank.

ingtar_shinowa · 02/09/2014, 06:02 PM

siphon it out. I've been dealing with red slime for a long time, I've tried flow increase, bacteria, blackout, cutting back feeding. I have some KZ stuff coming in a week or two i'll try to let you know how it works

Jyetman · 02/09/2014, 06:07 PM

Yes I've adjusted power heads best I can. The tank is over 4 years old now. Two years ago I had GHA problem and installed a weak ATS along with macro which eliminated that problem but this red stuff still hanging on.

acabgd · 02/09/2014, 06:11 PM

Cyano can grow in nutrient poor water as well. It might also come due to a disbalance in nitrate and phosphate amount present in your tank. While Salifert is better at testing phosphate than API, I would still not fully trust it. What is your nitrate level anyway?

Jyetman · 02/16/2014, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acabgd

Cyano can grow in nutrient poor water as well. It might also come due to a disbalance in nitrate and phosphate amount present in your tank. While Salifert is better at testing phosphate than API, I would still not fully trust it. What is your nitrate level anyway?

My API Nitrate and phosphate kits both read zero. The LFS Salifert kits show Nitrate at 0.1 and phosphate at 0.0 that's what confuses me. I tried adjusting for more flow, blew off troubled areas and started using more seagel this stuff contains both carbon and phosban. Its strange doesn't spread like wildfire only effecting a few spots nearly two years now.

Know of any fish or inverts that eats this stuff?

Reefahholic · 02/16/2014, 09:31 PM

youtube CHEMICLEAN...

SunnyB · 02/17/2014, 04:01 AM

I have also been having issues with dark red/purple thick layers growing on various areas of my sand since I switched to a 3 Hamilton Cayman 250 DE light kit. I was also running small biopellet reactor which I quickly turned off. But the red algae still wants to live thick in my sand. Grrrrrr....

I have 2 vortech mp40's on either end of the tank and I did turn up the flow. They are in nutrient mode.

I added some chaeto to the DT along with some mangroves and red gracila algae.

I do regular water changes even though my levels are perfect.

DARN these metal halides! Maybe it's the bulbs? The bulbs are Current 250 DE. Maybe I should have gone with the Pheonix. These lights are really YELLOW and I do NOT like the color.

ANY HELP would be appreciated!

Thanks fellow reefers!

Jyetman · 02/17/2014, 11:17 AM

Not sure my water levels are perfect too, I did adjust the flow to those effected areas and upgraded my power compacts over a year ago with Maxspect Razor 160 Watt LED which is supposedly equivalent to 400 Watt Metal Halides. I don't have any major algae problems though my snails wont touch the red stuff.

02/09/2014, 04:01 PM	#1
Jyetman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,712	Persistant red slime looking algae, no phosphates or nitrates just confused I have this reddish algae that grows under blue cloves and up the stalks of some of my zoa colonies. Its not a major outbreak but is enough to make me irritated. I periodically have to take the turkey baster and blow it off. My API test kits always shows zero Phosphates and nitrates. Just to be sure I took a water sample to LFS and their Salifert kits show zero. Why does it persist even with water changes, growing macro and running seachem seagel? Now I find out zoas like dirtier water how do I make them happier without this slime algae taking over? Last edited by Jyetman; 02/09/2014 at 04:12 PM.

02/17/2014, 04:01 AM	#8
SunnyB Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Florida Posts: 45	I have also been having issues with dark red/purple thick layers growing on various areas of my sand since I switched to a 3 Hamilton Cayman 250 DE light kit. I was also running small biopellet reactor which I quickly turned off. But the red algae still wants to live thick in my sand. Grrrrrr.... I have 2 vortech mp40's on either end of the tank and I did turn up the flow. They are in nutrient mode. I added some chaeto to the DT along with some mangroves and red gracila algae. I do regular water changes even though my levels are perfect. DARN these metal halides! Maybe it's the bulbs? The bulbs are Current 250 DE. Maybe I should have gone with the Pheonix. These lights are really YELLOW and I do NOT like the color. ANY HELP would be appreciated! Thanks fellow reefers! Last edited by SunnyB; 02/17/2014 at 04:04 AM. Reason: add more infor

02/09/2014, 05:33 PM	#2
Chevrefils Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 242	How much flow do you have? Try tinkering with your power heads pointing at your trouble areas. Cyano typically grows in low flow areas. How old is your tank also? Could just be part of the maturing of your tank.

02/09/2014, 06:02 PM	#3
ingtar_shinowa Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Billings MT Posts: 1,610	siphon it out. I've been dealing with red slime for a long time, I've tried flow increase, bacteria, blackout, cutting back feeding. I have some KZ stuff coming in a week or two i'll try to let you know how it works

02/09/2014, 06:07 PM	#4
Jyetman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,712	Yes I've adjusted power heads best I can. The tank is over 4 years old now. Two years ago I had GHA problem and installed a weak ATS along with macro which eliminated that problem but this red stuff still hanging on.

02/09/2014, 06:11 PM	#5
acabgd Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belgrade Posts: 1,086	Cyano can grow in nutrient poor water as well. It might also come due to a disbalance in nitrate and phosphate amount present in your tank. While Salifert is better at testing phosphate than API, I would still not fully trust it. What is your nitrate level anyway?

02/16/2014, 09:31 PM	#7
Reefahholic Moved On Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: League City, Texas Posts: 3,974	youtube CHEMICLEAN...

02/17/2014, 11:17 AM	#9
Jyetman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,712	Not sure my water levels are perfect too, I did adjust the flow to those effected areas and upgraded my power compacts over a year ago with Maxspect Razor 160 Watt LED which is supposedly equivalent to 400 Watt Metal Halides. I don't have any major algae problems though my snails wont touch the red stuff.