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Red Slime algae

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Guest, Jun 24, 2011.

  1. Jun 24, 2011 #1
    Guest

    Guest Guest

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    Hello everyone-
    I'm looking for some advise.  I have red slime algae and am wondering what is the best way to be rid of it.  Its growing on rocks and in my sand.  I use my turkey baster to blast it off my rocks but just keeps coming right back and looks horrible in my sand.  I prefer something natural rather then chemicals.  I don't want to risk loosing any of my livestock!! PLEASE HELP!!!!
     
  2. Jun 24, 2011 #2
    mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    start by reducing your feeding and adding flow to the effected areas
     
  3. Jun 24, 2011 #3
    Guest

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    See thats the thing. I barely feed much as it is. And my whole tank is affected. Mostly the sand is were I have the most issue.
    I tried cutting back on the amount of time the light is on. But then my corals weren't happy with me. That was after only one day of it. UGH.
     
  4. Jun 24, 2011 #4
    Foo

    Foo Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xj11aji7-I
    This will give you some suggestions
     
  5. Jun 24, 2011 #5
    mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    yeah since its a bacteria your light schedule has little to no effect on it
     
  6. Jun 24, 2011 #6
    vikubz Cedar Falls

    vikubz Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    +1 on more flow. Anywhere that detritus settles on your rocks or sand it will appear.
     
  7. Jun 25, 2011 #7
    Dave Des Moines Area

    Dave Experienced Reefkeeper

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    I believe it is photosynthetic though which would imply lighting cycle would have an impact. 
     I did the lights out for 3 days approach (search on reef central for cyano and you'll get lots of suggestions) and it worked but I've also increased my flow and reduced my photo period for the MH's.  I don't think there is a cure all and it takes weeks if not months to get rid of as a general rule of thumb.  Good luck with the battle!
     
  8. Jun 25, 2011 #8
    beckerj3 West Des Moines, IA

    beckerj3 Expert Reefkeeper Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member

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    How old are your lights?  If they need to be changed, that could be affecting it.  Have you tested your water for nitrate and phosphate levels?  How are your water changes?  If neither reducing feeding nor increasing flow works, then I second what Dave said - lights out for 3 days does work for eliminating a large amount of it.  Your corals should be ok for 3 days w/o lights.
     
  9. Jun 25, 2011 #9
    Guest

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    My lights are very new. I just bought brand new ones and installed about a month and a half to two months ago. Water changes are done regularly every week and a half to every two weeks. I buy the water actually from a salt water fish store. His tanks are very awesome and he never has anything like this in his tanks and it is the same water he uses in his tanks in the store. Well freshly mixed water not the used water from his tanks. I do believe the lights out thing will work because I tried that for one day and it seemed to help. But my corals looked awful after just the one day. So not sure I want to risk my corals. I will get a nother pump added as soon as possible and then try cutting back the amount of hours the lights are on. Has anyone tried the chemiclean I think it is called? I really don't want to try the added meds or chemicals to my tank. But if it would help and not harm any of my corals or fish I may try it out.
     
  10. Jun 25, 2011 #10
    crabbyo

    crabbyo

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    I've used the ChemiClean a couple of times. Measure out the proper dose, mix it up in a dixie cup of tank water and add it in. Turn off the skimmer for the first 24 hours. Dose it again the next day, which it doesn't say to do on the instructions. I turn the skimmer back on midway through the second day. Do a 20% water change 48 hours after the first dose. It's worked well when I've used it and hasn't seemed to bother any of the livestock. Adjusting your flow patterns and maybe more frequent water changes for a while may help after dosing too.
     
  11. Jun 25, 2011 #11
    Guest

    Guest Guest

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    When you say turn off the skimmer do you mean the protien skimmer? Or turn off the whole system pretty much other then the lights. Sorry I'm new to all this.
     
  12. Jun 25, 2011 #12
    Guest

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    I just ordered it online. So should have the chemiclean in a few days. I called the LPS and they wanted 22 bucks for it. Got it online with shipping and everything for 17 bucks.
     
  13. Jun 25, 2011 #13
    crabbyo

    crabbyo

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    Turn off the protein skimmer, UV sterilizer and take out chemi-pure or carbon if you have them. Also it helps to run an air stone in the tank while you're treating it.
     
  14. Jun 25, 2011 #14
    Andy The Reef Guy

    Andy The Reef Guy Inactive User

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    cyano bacteria is archeaic bacteria, it is faculatatively photosynthetic. inc flow, dec lights will help, fewer water changes will help, boosting alk will help, carbon and skimming will help.
    Chemiclean works great, it's an antibiotic. use it properly, but if you don't change things after the use of chemiclean, the cyano will eventually come back. when using chemiclean you must remove chemical filtration like carbon, and kick protein skimmer off. be sure to increase surface agitation without a skimmer going to maintain gas exchange.
     
  15. Jun 25, 2011 #15
    Big John

    Big John Inactive User

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    more frequent water changes.
     
  16. Jun 25, 2011 #16
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    I beat it in a tank with N>800 (China Garden FOWLR) by putting lights on a timer to only business hours (12-2, 5-10 I think, he had them on all day), cleaning the return pump, adding a powerhead (not in there anymore), adding a skimmer, siphoning out the top layer of gravel, taking out all the rocks and scrubbing them, adding Purigen to the sump, running a marineland 330 canister with a diatom filter, and doing a series of large PWCs, and adding a good clean-up crew once the N was down. I haven't seen it return in a year, but it was a pain at first. I've let the tank go lately so if you go in there you'll see a ton of green hair but that should get taken care of with the algae scrubber I'll be adding (which will out-compete cyano eventually as well, FYI). With a reef tank, if you are able to put the corals in a QT then battle the cyano using the blackout method that might be an option.
     
  17. Jun 25, 2011 #17
    Andy The Reef Guy

    Andy The Reef Guy Inactive User

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    Those diatom filters are the ****!
     

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