Ammonia .25, nothing else

[liz3]

I have had ammonia at .25 nitrite 0 nitrate 5, phosphate 0. I am having green and red slime on the sand. Are the slime algae just using up the nutrients and that's why no trace of anything else?

Thanks

[jor8888]

the red slime is using up phosphate so:
Dont use tap water
Use phosphate pads
Cut down the light
Dont over feed

[liz3]

RO'DI only and I'm being careful with feeding. Any other suggestions??? Need the help.

[mhurley]

What's the test kit you're using for phosphate?

Jdieck and I are both going through cyano outbreaks with no understandable reason. He even bought a Hach phosphate kit (about $70) and we both tested out water with a result of 0. No nitrates, no phos...nada. We both use pur RO/DI water, both have very high water movement, both have mature refugiums. Basically, we're stumped. The only thing that's working for me is water changes..a lot of them. I've basically tripled my change routine for the time being and it's definitely helping.
I also tried turning off all my lighting for 3 days straight and that did a little, but not much.

I'm stumped. Sorry I'm not more help.

[liz3]

Phosphate test is a seachem test. What is up with the industrial strength cyano?

[mhurley]

It's a mystery to me. If you talk/read Borneman's stuff, he swears that cyano is water flow related...period. Not a nutrient issue, not a phosphate issue. Dunno....

[jor8888]

Try Marine SAT since u are desperate like I did 6 months ago when I first setup my 125g, I had Red slime all over now they are all gone. Dont know if its the Marine SAT or they simply used up the phosphate in the new sand.

http://www.3reef.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Product;action=display;num=1078768944

[mhurley]

yowza...Don't like the sound of that product as described in that post. Killing off my fuge and pod population is not worth it to me. I'll just water change this tank like crazy to keep beating mine down.

[liz3]

I agree, mhurley, sound like could do more damage to me.

[soccer4life94]

Everything I have read on it shows good reports. I just bought some and I will try to let you know how it goes. I have tried everything else. I have great flow, new MH lights, running skimmer, use RO/DI that I tested with a TDS meter, i dont feed much...and what i do feed is gone in less than a min from the fish. I have a 72g bow tank. Running a mag9.5 fully open with 3 maxi900's in the tank. So it seems like i have great flow. So I fig this is my last resort. :( I have read more good things about this than bad. My only thing i worry about is my fish. I can buy more chaeto, but i would die if it killed one of my fish. ( i get attached easily as you can tell) Oh well...I will let ya know...

[liz3]

soccer, I get attached to the fish and even my xenia. I love seeing pumping every day. I would die if lost that! Let us know your outcome.