Red slime in tank and refugium

Dolfan · #1 09/21/2001, 08:42 AM

I have set up a small 5g refugium on my 46g tank with culerpra (sp) and LSB. I just started to get a bit of red slime algee on the substrate of my tank and noticed that the very top of the culerpra is show a red-purple like color and slime. I'm afraid these two are feeding each other. Should I cut some back and clean out what I can from the refugium? I afraid if this gets going it will take over. I the LSB in the main tank not getting "worked" enough do I need more creatures to work the sand bed? Ideas?

Alch · #2 09/21/2001, 08:47 AM

The red slime is coming from excess nutrients in the water. Adding more calerupa will help overtime, as they use up the same nutrients the red slime does. I got a bad outbreak of red slime once. You are able to scoop it out of the tank, but it quickly regrows. There's a product called "red slime remover", or something to that degree, that did a good job of helping rid my tank of the red slime. I say helping because I feel it wasn't the only cause. Regular water changes and general tank cleanup/maintance is also required.

Definitly try the red slime remover. I forget the company that makes it, but I'll post when I get home from work. I only used half the recommended dosage for one application and it managed to clean up a lot of the slime in the next 48 hours. It didn't affect my corals or fish in any way that I noticed either.

SDBDRZ · #3 09/21/2001, 08:51 AM

When I set up my nano I had a bad cyano outbreak. It covered the sandbed and also covered some of my caulerpa. What I did was just pull out what I could every couple of days and wait it out. It took a couple of weeks but as the tank matured and became stable the cyano went away. The caulerpa will actually compete with the cyano for the same nutrients and as your tank matures the cyano will go away. Cyano is something that just requires patients.

There are products that will kill cyano but from what I have heard they do not work as a long term solution. I hope this helps.

Scott

derick · #4 09/21/2001, 09:34 AM

When I set up my refugium it went through several stages.

I had diatoms.

I did nothing.
Except drink single malt Scotch.
It went away.

I had hair algae

I did nothing.
Except drink single malt Scotch.
It went away.

I had a bad red slime outbreak for a month.

I did nothing.
Except drink single malt Scotch.

It went away.

This is an expensive hobby .

Rebel · #5 09/21/2001, 09:55 AM

Derek,
Very clever--I'll have to try that method. Sounds like it works better than anything else!
J

Dolfan · #6 09/21/2001, 10:10 AM

Interesting method, will tequila work???

Rolo · #7 09/21/2001, 12:06 PM

Derick
You've got the Blues!
Are you in downtown Toronto or GTA?

moormist · #8 09/21/2001, 01:23 PM

There is another way to help get the red Slim out of your tank get your self a "Sally Lighfoot Crab" Grows about 3.5in,Reef Safe/Fish/Safe, when it has eat the red Stuff it will start to eat The Green then. get 1 or 2,you will love them, Cheers
Alan England.

Bob F · #9 09/21/2001, 01:45 PM

At 2 months I also had red slim but not bad ( 25% substrate coverage in display and refugium). I tried single malt scotch and beer with slime harvesting for several weeks and it didn't get any worse or any better. My local LFS had some small conch smails (or fighting conch) that were advertised as being "top layer sand sifters" and they eliminiated all cyano on substrate in about a week. It was interesting to watch them move along slowly from the end I placed them in to the opposite end like a small team of hired harvestors These little guys seem to dig around in the top 1/4" and stay on the substrate (CC in display and sugar size DSB in refugium). I can't really say if they could control a full blown outbreak but they are certainly part of the final solution for my tank.

I also have some kind of shell-less slug in refugium that eats the cyan that clings to the caulerpa. Don't know where the slug came from and can't give any kind of ID.

Bob

derick · #10 09/21/2001, 02:33 PM

I did nothing to fix my problems except drink single malt scotch, but the brittle stars, serpent stars, mini-starfish, snail, hermit crab and 100,000 worms in the 10 inch sandbed did a lot of work.

cheers

derick

PS Teqila or blended Scotch will not work!

Alex · #11 09/21/2001, 02:51 PM

I found there is a simple way to kill red slime. You are probably taking a risk but I ahve done it with sucess. I dosed my tank with freshwater Marcyn ( I know I spelled that wrong) It is basically a anti bacteral medication "Erithrmycn". I used a full dose in my tank twice 1 day apart from each other. This is not a FO tank either. It is a full reef with soft and LPS corals shrimp and fish. I observed no ill effects from the treatment on my livestock. But I would use some cauition if you try this.

Alex

wave_happy · #12 09/21/2001, 03:07 PM

Make sure that your lights are not in need of replacement or cleaning. I have heard that cyno may get an edge over other photosynthetic algae as light intensity is reduced. An other thing to try that can reduce excess nutrients in the water would be to run some activated carbon for a few days.

Derick - I must agree with you on the Blended Scotch.

However I find that I must challenge your knowledge of some of the finer Tequilas. There are some Tequilas that are produced in limited quantities that are very effective in the elimination of not only cyno and hair algae, but show some promise in the eradication of apista and flatworms as well!

Revolution and Centenario are two that I recommend highly.

No! These are not for making margaritas!

derick · #13 09/21/2001, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Alex
I found there is a simple way to kill red slime. You are probably taking a risk but I ahve done it with sucess. I dosed my tank with freshwater Marcyn ( I know I spelled that wrong) It is basically a anti bacteral medication "Erithrmycn". I used a full dose in my tank twice 1 day apart from each other. This is not a FO tank either. It is a full reef with soft and LPS corals shrimp and fish. I observed no ill effects from the treatment on my livestock. But I would use some cauition if you try this.

Alex

Alex,

You are quite correct to advise caution in using antibiotics! I would take it a step farther and say don't do it!

I agree that treating the tank with antibiotics like "Erithrmycn" may kill the red slime But, I prefer the natural method Using Antibiotics exposes you and the earth to development of a resistant strain of bacteria in your tank. Not to mention that it may crash your system and does not address the causes of the algael bloom.

I would not feel comfortable putting my hand in a tank that may contain antibiotic resistant bacteria. A good friend and reef aquarist of mine died of flesh eating disease. I don't know if it was aquarium related. But even so.

If you use my Single Malt Scotch method you will develop a cadre of creatures that eat the cyano red slime as food. Kill of the red slime and you've dicouraged the creatures that eat it.

My method takes longer but, that's what the Single Malt Scotch is for.

I guess it's kind of a differnece of styles. Natural and slow and alcoholic VS quick and chemical and sober.

Wave-happy,

I agree with your points about light and cyano.

I belive some emperical testing is necessary to prove your points about tequilas.

I await your results. Heck I'd be willing to participate in your "research"

Cheers

derick

tszetela · #14 09/22/2001, 09:38 AM

Derick. I MUST disagree on your methology. I do not want to start a flame here as I know many people are very touchy on this topic but.... Where as I do greatly appreicate the added benefits of a fine single malt, a Blended scotch, such as Johnny Black, will do in a pinch (no pun intended as this brand will never work). I have tested this method for many years and where as I do find a little added benefit of the single malt approach (Glenmorngie Merderia wood finish) the blended approach, if it is a quality blend, workes almost as well!

If you ever find yourself in metro Detroit let me know and we can continue this conversation on bar-keeping.. I mean ... reefkeeping....

Alex.. "Erithrmycn" in a reef??? What are you dooing? Listening to Carl???? LOL

DeathWish302 · #15 09/22/2001, 10:15 AM

derick:

I'd have to agree on the blended scotch. I'm not a coinnessuer of any scotch, but prefer single. I'm more the beer person and believe that what your saying in Laymen's terms is a blended scotch = Coors Lite can never equal single malt = Guiness. If you really want to make that month interesting while you wait try:

I had a bad red slime outbreak for a month.

I did nothing.
Except drink "Three Wise Men + Wave_Happy's friend" = (1 shot of Jack-not the cheap Sheit, 1 shot Jose- 1800, 1 shot of Mr. Beam, and (why not) 1 shot of Revolution Teq. Mixed in a tumbler on the rocks. Wow, where did the cyano go???? Honey!!! Did the clownfish split?!?!

It went away.

HTH,
DW302

Sorry guys, but when alcohol is involved, nothing like a glass of Absolut/Greygoose mixed w/ MD in a 10:1 ratio.

derick · #16 09/23/2001, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeathWish302

I did nothing.
Except drink "Three Wise Men + Wave_Happy's friend" = (1 shot of Jack-not the cheap Sheit, 1 shot Jose- 1800, 1 shot of Mr. Beam, and (why not) 1 shot of Revolution Teq. Mixed in a tumbler on the rocks. Wow, where did the cyano go???? Honey!!! Did the clownfish split?!?!

Please keep in mind this is an expensive hobby. Buy the best rehabilitation you can afford.

RE: Blended Scotch and Cyano

Johnny Black, Johnny Jet, Johnny 25 year are a cut above the usual blends. But why not blend your own with the recipie given above or just stick to Single Malts?