Red Slimy Algae

fishhead59 · 11/29/2016, 10:39 AM

Can anyone help me regarding how to get rid of red slimy algae? Also maybe what I am doing wrong that is causing the growth? It just looks like a reddish color in my sand but slimy and hairy looking on my dead coral.

I've tried cutting back on feeding and lighting time but this does not seem to be helping.
I have also lost 9 fish in the last month. Could this be a contributing factor? I only have a scopas tang and 2 banghai cardinals left in the tank and am running one powerhead in my 75 gallon tank.

Foundry · 12/05/2016, 01:39 PM

Im certain there are a number of previous threads regarding this, try searching Cyanobacteria.

Battling red slime at the moment or 'cyanobacterial'. Determined the issue was overfeeding and inadequate dead spots. I run a 25g nano and saw marked improvements by adding a power head to deal with dead areas and restrained feedings.

I was using a aquaclear 50 and PF-10 HOB filter for various purposes (PF-10 was mostly for water circulation and carbon as I had it laying around). Adding a biocube nano power head made a difference in the red slime, it was mainly seen in area's of poor flow.

To reign in my feedings we went from mostly broadcast feeding to turkey baster targeted feedings for fish and coral. Vastly reducing waste and spare nutrients in tank. Working on a Aquaclear 110 skimmer bay and refugium to knock out the issue entirely.

Chemical solutions can be purchased but are not recommended.

mcgyvr · 12/05/2016, 03:32 PM

Siphon out as much as you can.. Then turn your lights off for 3 days.. Then turn them back on and siphon again..

You may not be doing anything wrong.. Cyano happens..

oh and its not an algae.. Its a bacteria..

Zalick · 12/05/2016, 04:10 PM

+1 on the cyano happens.

I'm not a fan on "cutting back on feeding". I feed the appropriate amount for my livestock and will not reduce it just to make algae and/or cyano go away. If you are overfeeding and its causing problems, then reducing to the appropriate amount is needed. But reducing from the appropriate amount to something less is making your livestock go hungry. There are always other solutions.

I've battled algae plenty of times and cyano a couple times. Lights out for cyano seems to work. The last bout I had I just reduced lighting a bit, fixed my flow to reduce deadspots, and siphone it out. After a week or so it was gone.

11/29/2016, 10:39 AM	#1
fishhead59 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 1	Red Slimy Algae Can anyone help me regarding how to get rid of red slimy algae? Also maybe what I am doing wrong that is causing the growth? It just looks like a reddish color in my sand but slimy and hairy looking on my dead coral. I've tried cutting back on feeding and lighting time but this does not seem to be helping. I have also lost 9 fish in the last month. Could this be a contributing factor? I only have a scopas tang and 2 banghai cardinals left in the tank and am running one powerhead in my 75 gallon tank.

12/05/2016, 03:32 PM	#3
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Siphon out as much as you can.. Then turn your lights off for 3 days.. Then turn them back on and siphon again.. You may not be doing anything wrong.. Cyano happens.. oh and its not an algae.. Its a bacteria.. __________________ Who me?

12/05/2016, 04:10 PM	#4
Zalick My reef tanks my wallet Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Portland Posts: 571	+1 on the cyano happens. I'm not a fan on "cutting back on feeding". I feed the appropriate amount for my livestock and will not reduce it just to make algae and/or cyano go away. If you are overfeeding and its causing problems, then reducing to the appropriate amount is needed. But reducing from the appropriate amount to something less is making your livestock go hungry. There are always other solutions. I've battled algae plenty of times and cyano a couple times. Lights out for cyano seems to work. The last bout I had I just reduced lighting a bit, fixed my flow to reduce deadspots, and siphone it out. After a week or so it was gone. __________________ 300g custom acrylic from James 72x36x27, 4 Mitras Lx7 &6 a360, 2 Stream 3s, C2C beananimal. 100g sump, Jebao DCP- 8000 (Vectra M1 died) -> 114w aquauv -> SRO 5000ext , varios8 return Current Tank Info: Me v Dinos - I'm winning for now...

12/05/2016, 01:39 PM	#2
Foundry Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Posts: 57	Im certain there are a number of previous threads regarding this, try searching Cyanobacteria. Battling red slime at the moment or 'cyanobacterial'. Determined the issue was overfeeding and inadequate dead spots. I run a 25g nano and saw marked improvements by adding a power head to deal with dead areas and restrained feedings. I was using a aquaclear 50 and PF-10 HOB filter for various purposes (PF-10 was mostly for water circulation and carbon as I had it laying around). Adding a biocube nano power head made a difference in the red slime, it was mainly seen in area's of poor flow. To reign in my feedings we went from mostly broadcast feeding to turkey baster targeted feedings for fish and coral. Vastly reducing waste and spare nutrients in tank. Working on a Aquaclear 110 skimmer bay and refugium to knock out the issue entirely. Chemical solutions can be purchased but are not recommended.