red slime algea

[joe1584]

i have alittle red slime algea and a couple small patches of green hair algea. im wondering how id get rid of these???

[mnestroy]

Most likely caused by low flow, poor lighting, or phosphates...

My sump is covered in red slime, but it never works its way to my main tank, I clean it up but a day later it comes back, so I don't bother.

My Phosphates are okay, so I'm pretty sure its cause by my sumps low flow and 24/7 5200k lights.

[joe1584]

well this is on a nano and i have a 1200 gph power head in there with the normal return so i dont know if it would be low flow and my phosphates are only at .25 on the api test kit

[bassist6108]

lights off and very little/no feeding for 3 days works well.

[joe1584]

likes completely off for three days or cut back the lighting

[joe1584]

anyone have anything else i can do???

[Sullyman]

Fresh water Myracin, boyd's chemi-clean both can be used to get rid of red slime.

[mbierzyc]

I've used chemi-clean on two occasions in two different tanks and it has worked well for me both times.

[joe1584]

ya but does that just mask it or does it remove it for good

[JPagliai]

Originally posted by Sullyman
Fresh water Myracin, boyd's chemi-clean both can be used to get rid of red slime.

Sully's suggestion is a quick solution. I've done this in the past when the cyano was just out of control. I did lose all my leathers in the process, as they are more sensitive to the medication. This method works great, but it comes with a price.

Another method I used to eradicate a minor outbreak was to replace all the sponges & filters, add a large sock full of high-quality black charcoal, and cut the lights by 3 hours/day. There's also a product called Chem-mat that absorbs phosphates, available at ThatPetPlace. I threw that in the filtration system. It comes with 2 sheets and recommends putting both into the system, but I used just 1 sheet for my 75gal tank. Since you have a nano, I'd put in 1/2 of one sheet and replace it every week.

[Sullyman]

I didn't suggest that they are the answer to Joe's issues, just that they do both kill cyno.
The question of it coming back depends on a lot of things, but mainly why you're getting it now.
It could very well be a phosphate issue, don't trust a test kit to give you a true reading, use some phos removal product. I bet you'll be surprised.

[joe1584]

i am using chemi-pure and phos-zorb right now and its nor teally helping i have been doing a 3 gallon water change every 6 days and its a 24 nano.

[mbierzyc]

Do you have a clean up crew?

[joe1584]

ya around like 15 assorted snails and like 5 blue legged crabs.

[Sullyman]

Are you using rodi water for the water changes?

[joe1584]

yes i am

[Engine 7]

It seems like I alsways get a 3-4 week run of cyano everytime I start up a new tank. This time I added the content of a smaller tank and a bunch of live rock and live sand that I had in a large tub for weeks. I even added mostly aged water. I still got the cyano. It is almost over after 4 weeks. Water parameters are spot on, I have a phosban reactor running, and a lot of flow.
I think it is just a matter of syphoning it out every couple days and doing a few extra water changes and it will go away.

Jeff

[tiny tentacle]

red slime will be destroyed for good with several treatments of chemi clean ( buy at least 3 paks)
get it from http://www.premiumaquatics.com/

then you will still get some other kind of algae and it is a constant battle
phosphate removers are good
lowering your fish load and also lowering feeding helps to reduce algae.
clean up crews can help (snails , blue leg crabs)
Good luck

[Engine 7]

red slime=cyano bacteria...right? Not algae? Different treatment has always worked for me. Wont cyano come back after chemi clean since you didnt fix the problem only removed the symptom?
I have never needed to use it but I have heard others haveing very short term suscess with that product.

[Napervegas]

How old is your ro filter? What foods are you feeding your tank. How old are you bulbs?Red slime feeds on phosphates, most likely sources are you top off water, water changes, flake food etc. If you get any reading on a phosphate test, most likely you have much more phosphate in the system that what is registering on the kit. The chemi-clean will work to kill it off, but its a bandaid fix, you need to figure out the source of phosphates.