getting red slime algae please help

cubanheat1 · 01/17/2006, 11:00 PM

Hi guys In my 55G reef ive been gettin some deposits of red-slime here and there around the tank. I use RO water and all my corals and fish are doin fine. I was just thinking is there anything that you guys know that work to get rid of this nasty stuff.I heard about Phosban, and chemi-clean any ideas.

Elite · 01/17/2006, 11:16 PM

Have you try to increase the flow?

integra · 01/18/2006, 12:05 AM

does your tank get enough light in that area?

Mndrsn2000 · 01/18/2006, 01:31 AM

Red slime is most likely Cyanobacteria. I would recommend reading the thread on Cyanobacteria in the new to the hobby forum.

EmergencyDpt · 01/18/2006, 03:28 AM

erythromycin. works like a charm

hasjef · 01/18/2006, 04:30 AM

try chemi-pure. but also increase flow decrease nitrates ect.

roons · 01/18/2006, 09:19 AM

how deep is your sandbed? red slime is not algae , its bacteria, it usually feeds off phosphates leaching from your sandbed, ..........

a phosphate remover wont work because it consumes the phos b4 it can get into the water column for removal..................boyds chemi clean is the only thing that worked for me, i had it so bad when it all died it turned my water brown , corals discolored from nutrient overload and zoo explosion, but everyone is fine now..................

with each month i am geting less and less, i use boyds the night b4 i do a water change everymonth, and i started vacuuming out the top layer of my sandbed every month with water change, i have tons of flow in a 120 ( 2 6060 tunze and 2 1200 maxijets) i also cut back on feeding once a day to once every 3 days, fish are all still fat

this stuff is nasty and seemed unphased by flow..............

ill never go more than 1 or 2 " on my sand again..........

BryanJ · 01/18/2006, 09:30 AM

Definitely increase the flow. What kind of skimmer do you have?

REV · 01/18/2006, 11:09 AM

Three things - 1 Nutrients in the water - do water change - when you do water changes, try to siphon it off; 2 Light - IF your bulbs are fairly new, don't frustrate your other tank life with any changes here; 3 Water movement - If you have good flow, cyano will simply not hold on. Try taking a power head and moving the flow over the areas where it's growing and you'll see how easily it disperses. You will nee to have good filtration running or this may promote it's spread. However, if you do this regularly it will act like having the increased flow that you may need. Everything you do will be a temporary fix, including chemical treatments, until you get good water movement and get control of your nutrient level (feeding amount... and water changes). Good luck!

roons · 01/18/2006, 12:01 PM

if you have phosphates allready built up in sandbed, getting control of nutrient level is going to do jack..............its not feeding off the water................i bet you dont see any on your glass do you?

01/17/2006, 11:00 PM	#1
cubanheat1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: N.J Posts: 419	getting red slime algae please help Hi guys In my 55G reef ive been gettin some deposits of red-slime here and there around the tank. I use RO water and all my corals and fish are doin fine. I was just thinking is there anything that you guys know that work to get rid of this nasty stuff.I heard about Phosban, and chemi-clean any ideas.

01/18/2006, 09:30 AM	#8
BryanJ Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Green Bay, WI. Posts: 2,938	Definitely increase the flow. What kind of skimmer do you have? __________________ Experience is the best source of information! Current Tank Info: 120 gallon mixed reef, 75 gallon sump, Sequence Wahoo, Tunze stream, Euroreef CS 8-1 and 2x250 MH

01/18/2006, 11:09 AM	#9
REV Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 394	Three things - 1 Nutrients in the water - do water change - when you do water changes, try to siphon it off; 2 Light - IF your bulbs are fairly new, don't frustrate your other tank life with any changes here; 3 Water movement - If you have good flow, cyano will simply not hold on. Try taking a power head and moving the flow over the areas where it's growing and you'll see how easily it disperses. You will nee to have good filtration running or this may promote it's spread. However, if you do this regularly it will act like having the increased flow that you may need. Everything you do will be a temporary fix, including chemical treatments, until you get good water movement and get control of your nutrient level (feeding amount... and water changes). Good luck! __________________ John Doe Current Tank Info: 72 reef

01/17/2006, 11:16 PM	#2
Elite Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: SJ Posts: 5,979	Have you try to increase the flow?

01/18/2006, 12:05 AM	#3
integra Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: fremont, ca Posts: 251	does your tank get enough light in that area?

01/18/2006, 01:31 AM	#4
Mndrsn2000 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Arizona, Queen Creek Posts: 69	Red slime is most likely Cyanobacteria. I would recommend reading the thread on Cyanobacteria in the new to the hobby forum.

01/18/2006, 03:28 AM	#5
EmergencyDpt Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 584	erythromycin. works like a charm

01/18/2006, 04:30 AM	#6
hasjef Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 35	try chemi-pure. but also increase flow decrease nitrates ect.

01/18/2006, 09:19 AM	#7
roons Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: saugerties ,ny Posts: 1,240	how deep is your sandbed? red slime is not algae , its bacteria, it usually feeds off phosphates leaching from your sandbed, .......... a phosphate remover wont work because it consumes the phos b4 it can get into the water column for removal..................boyds chemi clean is the only thing that worked for me, i had it so bad when it all died it turned my water brown , corals discolored from nutrient overload and zoo explosion, but everyone is fine now.................. with each month i am geting less and less, i use boyds the night b4 i do a water change everymonth, and i started vacuuming out the top layer of my sandbed every month with water change, i have tons of flow in a 120 ( 2 6060 tunze and 2 1200 maxijets) i also cut back on feeding once a day to once every 3 days, fish are all still fat this stuff is nasty and seemed unphased by flow.............. ill never go more than 1 or 2 " on my sand again..........

01/18/2006, 12:01 PM	#10
roons Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: saugerties ,ny Posts: 1,240	if you have phosphates allready built up in sandbed, getting control of nutrient level is going to do jack..............its not feeding off the water................i bet you dont see any on your glass do you?