- Location
- Westchester
I've had my tank up for a few months and now I'm having a problem with red slime algae... Any natural way of getting rid of it? Any Inverts that'll eat it up? I try to stay away from chemicals as much as possible.
Red slime HELP
- Thread starter Alexnyc22
- Start date
- Location
- Westchester
Will sifting the sand kill the red slime though?
- Location
- westchester
no it will not kill it, your problem is with water quality try doing a few water changes and add a phosphate pad and a nitrate pad to your pre filter that should take care or it
- Location
- Westchester
I have a phosphate pad in there now... Water change it is
In a system that is only a few months old, it is normal to get a cyano outbreak. Your system will become more biologically stable in time and the cyano will go away. I found bacterial additives from microbe-lift (special blend + Nite out II) to be very effective in eliminating cyano and maturing your reef in general.
Cyano can be confusing. Many people believe that poor water quality is the cause, in some cases it is. But why do you see reefs with higher nutrients and no cyano? IMO it has everything to do with nitrifying bacterial populations in your reef. These established tanks process the nitrogen cycle very effectively.
As you stock your reef, you create the need for more nitrifying bacteria to form to deal with waste. IME whenever I stock too fast in a new system (which I always do) I get an explosion of cyano. This typically lasts around 2 months and it's gone for a long time. In previous systems, the only time I had cyano reoccur is when I had high temp spikes, or sudden nutrient spikes. I'm guessing the high temp spike killed beneficial bacterial, and the nutrient spikes worked the same way as I explained previously.
Just thinking out loud here
Cyano used to confuse the heck out of me, now I understand it be the reaction of a controllable variable in my reef. I cringe when people use antibiotic slime remover :irked:
Cyano can be confusing. Many people believe that poor water quality is the cause, in some cases it is. But why do you see reefs with higher nutrients and no cyano? IMO it has everything to do with nitrifying bacterial populations in your reef. These established tanks process the nitrogen cycle very effectively.
As you stock your reef, you create the need for more nitrifying bacteria to form to deal with waste. IME whenever I stock too fast in a new system (which I always do) I get an explosion of cyano. This typically lasts around 2 months and it's gone for a long time. In previous systems, the only time I had cyano reoccur is when I had high temp spikes, or sudden nutrient spikes. I'm guessing the high temp spike killed beneficial bacterial, and the nutrient spikes worked the same way as I explained previously.
Just thinking out loud here
Cyano used to confuse the heck out of me, now I understand it be the reaction of a controllable variable in my reef. I cringe when people use antibiotic slime remover :irked:- Location
- Westchester
In a system that is only a few months old, it is normal to get a cyano outbreak. Your system will become more biologically stable in time and the cyano will go away. I found bacterial additives from microbe-lift (special blend + Nite out II) to be very effective in eliminating cyano and maturing your reef in general.
Cyano can be confusing. Many people believe that poor water quality is the cause, in some cases it is. But why do you see reefs with higher nutrients and no cyano? IMO it has everything to do with nitrifying bacterial populations in your reef. These established tanks process the nitrogen cycle very effectively.
As you stock your reef, you create the need for more nitrifying bacteria to form to deal with waste. IME whenever I stock too fast in a new system (which I always do) I get an explosion of cyano. This typically lasts around 2 months and it's gone for a long time. In previous systems, the only time I had cyano reoccur is when I had high temp spikes, or sudden nutrient spikes. I'm guessing the high temp spike killed beneficial bacterial, and the nutrient spikes worked the same way as I explained previously.
Just thinking out loud here
I think you might be right because I've also been noticing certain parts of my LR turning white as if there were a die off of some sort.
- Location
- queens
Do not use red slime remover or any additive nomatter how badly you want it gone instantly. No additive is truly reef safe remember that...
However here is MY course of action on all red slime outbreaks:
1) make sure all RO units are clear of waste and working efficiently without this vital step a water change may actually bring more of the issue at hand
2)water change and get out as much as you can of the slime
3) check or replace carbon and GFO
4) look for dead zones of flow and light and adjust if needed
5) use a diatom filter to remove all excess spores from the water
In regards to step number 5:
A diatom filter is a all natural choice to remove small organics from our water without the need of chemicals. This machine can be hooked up and let run each time you do a water change. Its sad that these machines have been long since forgotten in our hobby.
However here is MY course of action on all red slime outbreaks:
1) make sure all RO units are clear of waste and working efficiently without this vital step a water change may actually bring more of the issue at hand
2)water change and get out as much as you can of the slime
3) check or replace carbon and GFO
4) look for dead zones of flow and light and adjust if needed
5) use a diatom filter to remove all excess spores from the water
In regards to step number 5:
A diatom filter is a all natural choice to remove small organics from our water without the need of chemicals. This machine can be hooked up and let run each time you do a water change. Its sad that these machines have been long since forgotten in our hobby.
- Location
- Westchester
Stirred up the sand a bit and did a water change... It looks spotless now... I know it'll come back but if I keep up the water changes it'll look clean
- Location
- queens
Dont go crazy on the water changes, it may cause it to rapidly return. Seen it many times at stores. Do you own a RO unit? Tank looks great now! what are your plans for it
- Location
- Westchester
I did a 5 gallon water change. Unfortunately I don't own an RO unit... I would love one but I'm still figuring out how they work and where I would put it. I have no plans as of yet, I'm new to the hobby so I'm still learning about it and figuring out what I should do next.
- Location
- Long island
The next thing you should do is get an rodi unit. What water are you using now?
- Location
- Westchester
I get RO water from my LFS
- Location
- queens
Honestly pickup a RO from bulk reef supply or a used one on here. Replace the cartridges regularly. Without a proper RO (that you monitor and not your fish store) that slime will return over and over again.
From the sound of it YES your tank is new but to be quite frank i think your LFS water quality is lacking. Some never change their filters, who knows...
you will pay 10fold in salt, water changes and your time if you hold out on the purchase
From the sound of it YES your tank is new but to be quite frank i think your LFS water quality is lacking. Some never change their filters, who knows...
you will pay 10fold in salt, water changes and your time if you hold out on the purchase
- Location
- Westchester
I will do that then... Thank you
- Location
- queens
no problem. If aything ask to test the stores water.
- Location
- Connecticut
I agree dealing with cyanobacteria is confusing! It is situation like trying to record a TV show using a remote with mislabeled buttons!
In the case of cyanobacteria, our "remote" buttons are labeled "nitrates", "phosphates", "dissolved organic carbon/compounds", "photoperiod length", "light color", and "water motion". The confusing part is that we are pretty much guessing which button to push and we are typically in a hurry for results and do not wait long enough to see if the "button" pushing took effect, so, we push another button and then another. Eventually, the cyanobacteria bloom disappears and we have a "new" cure being discussed on the forum.
So, it is up to each aquarist to be as disciplined as he or she can in looking for potential causes of the cyanobacteria bloom in their tanks, applying potential remedies but avoiding quick fixes, and being patient which is especially important for new tanks.
In the case of cyanobacteria, our "remote" buttons are labeled "nitrates", "phosphates", "dissolved organic carbon/compounds", "photoperiod length", "light color", and "water motion". The confusing part is that we are pretty much guessing which button to push and we are typically in a hurry for results and do not wait long enough to see if the "button" pushing took effect, so, we push another button and then another. Eventually, the cyanobacteria bloom disappears and we have a "new" cure being discussed on the forum.
So, it is up to each aquarist to be as disciplined as he or she can in looking for potential causes of the cyanobacteria bloom in their tanks, applying potential remedies but avoiding quick fixes, and being patient which is especially important for new tanks.
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