Red Slime.... I can't beat it! - Page 3

tdtiger · #51 05/27/2004, 11:53 AM

Anyone read the thread on using Vodka in their tank to lower nitrate and phosphate? There was mention that adding a dosage of vodka to create a good bacteria bloom that competes with cyano algae for nutrients. Reducing the cyano problem.

No I havn't had my daily serving of vodka yet

weeeeeeeeeee

tdtiger · #52 05/27/2004, 11:56 AM

Anyone read the thread on using Vodka in their tank to lower nitrate and phosphate? There was mention that adding a dosage of vodka to create a good bacteria bloom that competes with cyano algae for nutrients. Reducing the cyano problem.

No I havn't had my daily serving of vodka yet

weeeeeeeeeee

the formula if I remember correctly, 1ml vodka for each 100Liters of water then increase each daily dosage by 0.1ml. The ethanol in the vodka is the key ingredient to this.

tikki50 · #53 05/27/2004, 12:20 PM

Yes I read that thread looks like over time the corals began to bleach. I think they were testing with different brands and amounts. I personally wouldnt try it I would use RSR before I added my precious bottle of vodka to my fishes. Besides all my fish have already join AA so they would probably protest and kill themselves, LOL.

Ohmsford · #54 05/27/2004, 12:33 PM

The only thing I would recommend ADDING in a tank for battling cyano is buffer and Calcium...THAT'S IT. The rest of the time you should be REMOVING it by the following:
1) Siphoning/scraping as much of it out of the tanks as possible
2) Scrubbing any cyano covering rocks in a separate bucket
3) Lots and lots of water changes
4) Use some poly in your prefilter and get in the habit of changing it daily
5) Increase protein skimmer efficiency

I think that to blame RO/DI water as the culprit is way off target. The inorganic/organic phosphates from this water are insignificant compared to the levels in a cyano tank. The root of the problem is always due to a high organic content. Poor circulation and lighting problems are not the real problems either, but too often get blamed when they really keep cyano at bay when operating properly. It's when circulation and lighting change for the worse does cyano become noticeable. If this is the case, then the organics are really loaded at a threshold point of causing a cyano outbreak.

I have use the RSR products before. While they worked great the first time, not to mention kill your good bacteria, the next time I had a cyano problem, the strain must have changed where the meds hardly worked at all. This time I said NO TO DRUGS and got rid of it the hard way as I mentioned above. Needless to say, I have no more cyano. However, I also have a rather dead tank resultant from using the meds from a while ago. If you do use the meds, be prepared to start from scratch building up your DSB and LR again. This is no joke as I have 2 5gal buckets full of what was once LR, sitting in storage. I should have become more aggressive in the cyano removal process and not so lazy to add meds. I know it's tempting, seeing how ugly the tank becomes, but it's worth all the effort to get rid of it manually.

Now I only have to get my ALK and Ca levels to where they should be.

Ohmsford

Yellotang · #55 05/27/2004, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tikki50
Yes I read that thread looks like over time the corals began to bleach.

The only reason that that would happen is if the vodka was added at a high dose to begin with or added too fast. Thus causing a nutrient depletion to fast for the corals to adapt to.

hivision · #56 05/27/2004, 02:10 PM

I felt your pain. I had it 2 weeks ago. Got UltraLife Red Slime remover from Premium Aquatic. Put it in tank. Boom! Within 2 hours, all red slimy in my tank and refigium turned into green. Next day, the green was gone. Magic! Everything else is fine. I am so happy with the result. Remember to watch out for the protein skimmer that would skim like crazy and you have to dump the gunk.

AReeferIsExpensive · #57 05/27/2004, 08:55 PM

yea..if you use the ultralife, turn your skimmer DOWN A LOT....you will have a foam bath in your room if not~

shannonbarry · #58 05/29/2004, 05:17 PM

Whell you guys are saying that even though the tests for phos and nitrate are zero on the kit it may be because the red stuff is eating all of it?

I have another question how do you know exactly what you have?

I have two largish spots of red stuff on my back glass. It doesn't seam to be all over the sand just on the glass. Is this a cyno trate? Is there some other kind of alge that is red?

I don't think it is particularly ugly, but it isn't every where either.

Anyone have any ideas as to whether this is the dreaded cyano?

Shannon

WaterDogs · #59 05/29/2004, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hivision
I felt your pain. I had it 2 weeks ago. Got UltraLife Red Slime remover from Premium Aquatic. Put it in tank. Boom! Within 2 hours, all red slimy in my tank and refigium turned into green. Next day, the green was gone. Magic! Everything else is fine. I am so happy with the result. Remember to watch out for the protein skimmer that would skim like crazy and you have to dump the gunk.

What do you suppose is the magic ingredient in "UltraLife Red Slime Remover"? I don't like adding snake oils to anything without knowing what it contains.

Swedish viking · #60 05/29/2004, 07:35 PM

After I raised the carbonat hardness to 10 - 13 for 3-4 weeks it's finally gone. I also increase the circulation and now i don't have problems with the red slime anymore. when i had the red slime was my nitrate and phosfat levels zero.