Red Slime Remover & Foam Production Issue

JoeMoglia · 02/26/2009, 12:43 PM

Hi Guys,

I had some red slime in my refugium that kept coming back after I cleaned out as much as I could manually so I added some Red Slime remover (powder form)â€¦ Almost instantly my protein skimmer started overflowing with foam. I was not so worried about this at first but I am now on day 3 where the foam production has been so large that the skimmer is essentially useless.

Last night I did a 20% water change and that helped a little bit but not to a point where the skimmer can be used. The skimmer is adjusted to its lowest setting.

Any ideas on things I could try to get the skimmer back in working order? I am going out of town this weekend so if I can not figure something out by tomorrow afternoon the skimmer will be down till Monday night and the scares me.

Thanks

-Joe

gradth · 03/05/2009, 07:05 AM

Having the exact same issue right now with my skimmer. been four days since I used the red slime remover. Did the recommended water change, but my skimmer wont stop foaming.

CIGDAZE · 03/05/2009, 07:36 AM

It lasted about a week for me, the last time I did that. After I did a 25% water change it subsided, but it did take a long time for things to return to normal.

JoeMoglia · 03/05/2009, 12:21 PM

My stopped on day fourâ€¦

All of sudden things just went back to normalâ€¦ It did not appear to me to be the result of anything I didâ€¦(Cleaning the skimmer, turning the skimmer off for several hours, etc)â€¦

Time seemed to be the only solution after the water changeâ€¦ sorry that I have nothing insightful for youâ€¦

SweetE · 03/05/2009, 05:39 PM

You are supposed to turn off your skimmer when you dose with Red Slime remover as well as any chemical filtration like carbon. Then do a 25% water change after 5 days and resume all methods of filtration. You will get a small amount of foaming initially, but then it will stop.

Percula9 · 03/05/2009, 08:52 PM

The skimmer will remove the medicant. Skimmer must be turned off during treatment. SweetE's advice is correct.

Stanley-Reefer · 03/05/2009, 09:50 PM

Just went through this with blue vet red slime remover. Your skimmer will need to be off line 5 days.

If you're like me and did a big water change before in order to siphon much of it out, I split the 24% between the 4th and 5th day. All the slime is gone.

I did have to insert the air valve in my RS 250 to limit the air until it broke back in because it still wanted to overflow after the 5 days and after teh 42.5 gal water change.

It ran with the air valve in it for 2 hours then was just like old times. I love Euroreefs because they are so predictable!

gradth · 03/05/2009, 10:00 PM

So did you folks just let it foam like mad, or just leave it off and keep trying it randomly?

day 5 or 6 for me and its still foaming like crazy. Just unplugged and figured Id wait a bit more.

Stanley-Reefer · 03/05/2009, 10:10 PM

you did the water change? Can you limit your air intake? Best I can the remover oxidizes the water to a certain extent--adding air to that causes it to foam out.

I'm only familiar with euroreef RS skimmers. Once the bubbles move about 2 inches above eh return spout it's set.

I did put up with microbubbles for those two hours then it passed.

If you have an filter pads etc that were in there for the tx, change them out too. You could see the white in mine.

ddinox64 · 03/05/2009, 10:57 PM

I just raised my cup to a higher level to only get the dry foam. When is subsided I lowered it back.

Stanley-Reefer · 03/06/2009, 05:51 AM

forgot to say I did put carbon in there on day 4 and removed on day 5.

Wgluther · 03/06/2009, 10:34 AM

Had the same prob. once. After multiple water changes it still foamed over. Finally put a tube on the cup drain and ran it into a 5 gal bucket and let it foam and drain out until it finally stopped. It took about 2 gal. before it stopped.

gradth · 03/08/2009, 01:27 AM

I have been letting my go for about a day now, just dumping the cup every chance I get. It stopped for a bit, but picked up again. Starting to drive me crazy.

xpirtdesign · 03/08/2009, 02:00 AM

when dosing red slime remover, turn off skimmer for 5 days, after the 5 days do a 25% water change then turn the skimmer back on. if it still foams after the water change let it. it will go back to normal

02/26/2009, 12:43 PM	#1
JoeMoglia Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 96	Red Slime Remover & Foam Production Issue Hi Guys, I had some red slime in my refugium that kept coming back after I cleaned out as much as I could manually so I added some Red Slime remover (powder form)â€¦ Almost instantly my protein skimmer started overflowing with foam. I was not so worried about this at first but I am now on day 3 where the foam production has been so large that the skimmer is essentially useless. Last night I did a 20% water change and that helped a little bit but not to a point where the skimmer can be used. The skimmer is adjusted to its lowest setting. Any ideas on things I could try to get the skimmer back in working order? I am going out of town this weekend so if I can not figure something out by tomorrow afternoon the skimmer will be down till Monday night and the scares me. Thanks -Joe Last edited by JoeMoglia; 02/26/2009 at 01:17 PM.

03/05/2009, 07:05 AM	#2
gradth Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vancouver WA Posts: 517	Having the exact same issue right now with my skimmer. been four days since I used the red slime remover. Did the recommended water change, but my skimmer wont stop foaming. __________________ Josh Click on the redhouse for my 180 build. Current Tank Info: 180 gallon pennisula reef

03/05/2009, 10:00 PM	#8
gradth Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vancouver WA Posts: 517	So did you folks just let it foam like mad, or just leave it off and keep trying it randomly? day 5 or 6 for me and its still foaming like crazy. Just unplugged and figured Id wait a bit more. __________________ Josh Click on the redhouse for my 180 build. Current Tank Info: 180 gallon pennisula reef

03/06/2009, 10:34 AM	#12
Wgluther Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 106	Had the same prob. once. After multiple water changes it still foamed over. Finally put a tube on the cup drain and ran it into a 5 gal bucket and let it foam and drain out until it finally stopped. It took about 2 gal. before it stopped. __________________ Bill Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don't. Pete Seeger Current Tank Info: 90gl RR custom 36x24x24, MSX 160 skimmer , 20gl sump/fuge, dual 250 MH with two 65w cf actinics.

03/08/2009, 01:27 AM	#13
gradth Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vancouver WA Posts: 517	I have been letting my go for about a day now, just dumping the cup every chance I get. It stopped for a bit, but picked up again. Starting to drive me crazy. __________________ Josh Click on the redhouse for my 180 build. Current Tank Info: 180 gallon pennisula reef

03/05/2009, 07:36 AM	#3
CIGDAZE Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 136	It lasted about a week for me, the last time I did that. After I did a 25% water change it subsided, but it did take a long time for things to return to normal.

03/05/2009, 12:21 PM	#4
JoeMoglia Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 96	My stopped on day fourâ€¦ All of sudden things just went back to normalâ€¦ It did not appear to me to be the result of anything I didâ€¦(Cleaning the skimmer, turning the skimmer off for several hours, etc)â€¦ Time seemed to be the only solution after the water changeâ€¦ sorry that I have nothing insightful for youâ€¦

03/05/2009, 05:39 PM	#5
SweetE Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Fairfield, CT Posts: 26	You are supposed to turn off your skimmer when you dose with Red Slime remover as well as any chemical filtration like carbon. Then do a 25% water change after 5 days and resume all methods of filtration. You will get a small amount of foaming initially, but then it will stop.

03/05/2009, 08:52 PM	#6
Percula9 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 3,819	The skimmer will remove the medicant. Skimmer must be turned off during treatment. SweetE's advice is correct.

03/05/2009, 09:50 PM	#7
Stanley-Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Stanley, NC Posts: 1,933	Just went through this with blue vet red slime remover. Your skimmer will need to be off line 5 days. If you're like me and did a big water change before in order to siphon much of it out, I split the 24% between the 4th and 5th day. All the slime is gone. I did have to insert the air valve in my RS 250 to limit the air until it broke back in because it still wanted to overflow after the 5 days and after teh 42.5 gal water change. It ran with the air valve in it for 2 hours then was just like old times. I love Euroreefs because they are so predictable!

03/05/2009, 10:10 PM	#9
Stanley-Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Stanley, NC Posts: 1,933	you did the water change? Can you limit your air intake? Best I can the remover oxidizes the water to a certain extent--adding air to that causes it to foam out. I'm only familiar with euroreef RS skimmers. Once the bubbles move about 2 inches above eh return spout it's set. I did put up with microbubbles for those two hours then it passed. If you have an filter pads etc that were in there for the tx, change them out too. You could see the white in mine.

03/05/2009, 10:57 PM	#10
ddinox64 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ca. Posts: 1,327	I just raised my cup to a higher level to only get the dry foam. When is subsided I lowered it back.

03/06/2009, 05:51 AM	#11
Stanley-Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Stanley, NC Posts: 1,933	forgot to say I did put carbon in there on day 4 and removed on day 5.

03/08/2009, 02:00 AM	#14
xpirtdesign Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: SOCAL Posts: 145	when dosing red slime remover, turn off skimmer for 5 days, after the 5 days do a 25% water change then turn the skimmer back on. if it still foams after the water change let it. it will go back to normal