Red slime algae Cyanobacteria

maik1 · 07/12/2020, 01:25 PM

It's back! red slime algae/cyanobacteria.

All on one piece of rock. Now what? I hate to use Chemiclean. It works but the water changes and baby sitting the skimmer for hours after. Anyone have a better idea?

Maik1

Vinny Kreyling · 07/12/2020, 05:29 PM

Remove & bleach dry in the sun for a couple of days then return.

Uncle99 · 07/12/2020, 06:30 PM

Just one rock?
If you siphon that out, does it just come back.
Good flow there?
Whenever I had just one spot, just sucked it up and increase the flow to that spot.

Not a big rock, I might just toss that one.

Chemically it works, but some collateral damage possible.
For me, 1/3 coralline on glass disappeared, two weeks after use.

Tank looks great, do the least possible.

A Aaron · 07/12/2020, 08:54 PM

Yeah chemiclean always killed a couple of my corals so I would try anything else first. Use that as last resort.

Michael Hoaster · 07/13/2020, 10:44 AM

For an isolated patch like that, I'd pull the rock out and thoroughly scrub it down with a steel brush and high-pressure spray. Then put it back in.

Sk8r · 07/16/2020, 07:38 AM

TUrn off tank lights for 3 days (and draw room curtains if you can) then 1 day of twilight if you have corals---then full lighting. Be sure your skimmer is operating well, because it will take up the dieoff: essential. If you do not have a skimmer, do a 20% water change. Tod this again in a month. And yet again in another month if you get a recurrence. This treatment is gauged to resemble the passing of a big wide storm on the reef, and is a natural method that will not harm your corals.

maik1 · 07/19/2020, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

TUrn off tank lights for 3 days (and draw room curtains if you can) then 1 day of twilight if you have corals---then full lighting. Be sure your skimmer is operating well, because it will take up the dieoff: essential. If you do not have a skimmer, do a 20% water change. Tod this again in a month. And yet again in another month if you get a recurrence. This treatment is gauged to resemble the passing of a big wide storm on the reef, and is a natural method that will not harm your corals.

This is after lights out for 5 1/2 days.

looks clean to me.

Thank you for your help!

Sk8r · 07/19/2020, 12:22 PM

Get the lights back on, now, and be prepared to do a 3-day once a month untii you get rid of it. Cyano feeds on light, carbon (everything living has it, and so do some things that aren't), and water. There's only one of the 3 we can deprive it of that will stop it, and fortunately, light has a switch.

Nanorock4 · 07/21/2020, 01:25 PM

When I had Cyno it was because I didn't have enough flow in that area. I increased flow, stirred up the Cyno and I have not had it since. Keep your feeding to a minimum also.

07/12/2020, 01:25 PM	#1
maik1 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Bay,Ontario, Canada Posts: 222	Red slime algae Cyanobacteria It's back! red slime algae/cyanobacteria. All on one piece of rock. Now what? I hate to use Chemiclean. It works but the water changes and baby sitting the skimmer for hours after. Anyone have a better idea? Maik1

07/12/2020, 05:29 PM	#2
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	Remove & bleach dry in the sun for a couple of days then return. __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

07/13/2020, 10:44 AM	#5
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	For an isolated patch like that, I'd pull the rock out and thoroughly scrub it down with a steel brush and high-pressure spray. Then put it back in. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

07/16/2020, 07:38 AM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	TUrn off tank lights for 3 days (and draw room curtains if you can) then 1 day of twilight if you have corals---then full lighting. Be sure your skimmer is operating well, because it will take up the dieoff: essential. If you do not have a skimmer, do a 20% water change. Tod this again in a month. And yet again in another month if you get a recurrence. This treatment is gauged to resemble the passing of a big wide storm on the reef, and is a natural method that will not harm your corals. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/19/2020, 12:22 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Get the lights back on, now, and be prepared to do a 3-day once a month untii you get rid of it. Cyano feeds on light, carbon (everything living has it, and so do some things that aren't), and water. There's only one of the 3 we can deprive it of that will stop it, and fortunately, light has a switch. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/12/2020, 06:30 PM	#3
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Just one rock? If you siphon that out, does it just come back. Good flow there? Whenever I had just one spot, just sucked it up and increase the flow to that spot. Not a big rock, I might just toss that one. Chemically it works, but some collateral damage possible. For me, 1/3 coralline on glass disappeared, two weeks after use. Tank looks great, do the least possible.

07/12/2020, 08:54 PM	#4
A Aaron Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 37	Yeah chemiclean always killed a couple of my corals so I would try anything else first. Use that as last resort.

07/21/2020, 01:25 PM	#9
Nanorock4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Palm Bay, FL Posts: 11	When I had Cyno it was because I didn't have enough flow in that area. I increased flow, stirred up the Cyno and I have not had it since. Keep your feeding to a minimum also.