agh red slime

flip_x

flip_x

Member
Hey everyone.. i had some red slime that came in about two months ago.. just came out of no where.. prolly because i had a phos.. attack.. anyways it looked like it was going away but got home today and it was all over my one rock any ideas what it could be?? just did a water change sunday.. reef crystals is what i used.. ill check some of the water parameters tommorow only have a few.. thanks
Cedric
 
subielover

subielover

Active Member
Chemi-clean got rid of my cyano as well, just monitor your parameters closely. I had a ammonia spike after I used mine.
 
flip_x

flip_x

Member
is chemi-clean safe with some zoas and shrimps and sails and hermit crabs?
had a thought.. would u think it would have anything to do with a sleeping goby? hes moving the sand all over the place..
 
tdog7879

tdog7879

Member
just do water changes it will go away... I used chemi clean before and it work but 2 weeks later it was back! Water changes!!!and keep on sucking the the slime up.
 
flip_x

flip_x

Member
got some water parameters..
Ammonia .25
Nitrate .2
Ph 8.4-8.6 cant tell looks more like 8.6
Alk shows on the low side
sg 1.026
the ammonia is API and the nitrate, ph, alk, is taken from red sea..
 
ocyoo

ocyoo

Member
I use 12 red legged hermit crab for every 15 gallon, never got any kind of cyanobacterias, also, try not to overfeed.
 
flip_x

flip_x

Member
I have to feed alot for my sweetlips. But I try to catch as much of what they don't finish. I think the ammonia is caused from the goby sifting the sand like crazy.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Red Slime (Cyano Bacteria)
Cyano grows on top of nutrient rich areas of low flow. There are a number of things that need to be correct or possibly corrected to combat this without the use of chemical additives. The biggest thing is to get rid of the extra nutrients.
1.Evaluate your feeding. If you are feeding more than can be eaten in about 1-2 minutes it is too much and the remainder of it is falling to the rock and sand and becoming nutrient.
2.Evaluate your flow. If you have areas in the tank where there is little to no flow this can be corrected by adding power heads or repositioning the ones you already have. You don’t need to create sand storms just have water moving over the area to keep detritus suspended in the water column for removal by your filter – skimmer.
3.Evaluate your water changes. The solution to pollution is dilution! You want to continually remove unneeded nutrients as well as replace those things that are used by the system. 10% weekly is a good change schedule. Some do 20% every other week and some vary the schedule from there, but a good start is 10% per week.
4.Evaluate your lighting schedule. About 10 hours of daylight is all that is needed.
5.If you have a cyano outbreak do the above 4 items andh:
a.At water change time siphon off the cyano first. It will come up easily almost like a blanker.
b.After siphoning stir the affected areas a little to suspend any detritus for the water change and filtering - skimming removal.
c.Use a turkey baster now and at every water change in the future to again suspend the detritus for removal by the water change and your filtering – skimming.
Keeping nutrient levels low to non-existent will help to avoid cyano outbreaks and any algae outbreaks as well as keep your tank and you happy happy.
Hope that helps.
 
flip_x

flip_x

Member
thanks spanko that helps me alot. I'll figure out if I have enough flow in those areas I have two ph about 600gph each and a canister filter and skimmer so I should be in a good flow but not effective. They are both on the back blowing to the front glass. Any ideas where to place them? Thanks
 
fishfreak1242

fishfreak1242

Active Member
Originally Posted by Flip_x
http:///forum/post/2818391
thanks spanko that helps me alot. I'll figure out if I have enough flow in those areas I have two ph about 600gph each and a canister filter and skimmer so I should be in a good flow but not effective. They are both on the back blowing to the front glass. Any ideas where to place them? Thanks
Point the powerheads directly at where the cyano bacteria is growing, unless its on your sand bed, then try to just point it so it just skims the surface of the bed.
 
snaredrum

snaredrum

Member
I had major problems with cyno and tried everything EXCEPT more frequent water changes. I started with the 10% per week water changes and problem solved for over 1 year now. You can treat and it will be back. I have found that most problems are fixed with a more frequent water change schedule. Parameters are even better.
 
flip_x

flip_x

Member
Originally Posted by fishfreak1242
http:///forum/post/2818396
Point the powerheads directly at where the cyano bacteria is growing, unless its on your sand bed, then try to just point it so it just skims the surface of the bed.
ill give that a shot.. its growing on some rocks..
as for water changes i do 10 gal in my 56 gal every two weeks is that enough?
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Depends on your bioload, bio filtration, chemical filtration and mechanical filtration and the maintenance of the mechanical filtration. Also the replenishment of calcium, alkalinity and magnesium through the water changes. The goal is zero nitrates, and phosphates and the others at natural seawater stats. If you are maintaining good parameters yes.
 
maryg

maryg

Member
Update:
I used the Chemiclean and so far so good. I did a massive water change yesterday. I had a small area that didn't clear up all the way. I sucked up that with my vacuum. Cyano is a PIA!
 
oceansidefish

oceansidefish

Active Member
I get problems with cyano now and then. Mostly thanks to my tiger pistol shrimp. He is quite the builder and tends to mound huge piles of sand. Then a week later he moves it and poof! Cyano battle here we come. I usually just do a 20% water change, run some carbon and phos ban for a few days. Do another 10% water change and it goes away.
 
flip_x

flip_x

Member
Originally Posted by MaryG
http:///forum/post/2819027
Update:
I used the Chemiclean and so far so good. I did a massive water change yesterday. I had a small area that didn't clear up all the way. I sucked up that with my vacuum. Cyano is a PIA!
sounds good what do u have in it tank?
I put flow in that area that had the red slime and it went a way yay.
Going to add more of next week. U think I should scrub down my of in the dt? Has alot of dead hair line on it.
 
maryg

maryg

Member
It's a 55 gallon with a large (?HP but has good flow) return from sump, a large HOB filter, and a Koralia 4 powerhead.
I have a small Kole Tang, 2 false percs, a sixline wrasse, a royal gramma, a scooter blennie. I also have a good CUC. I feed every other day. I change my filter media out every other week and also do a water change at the same time. My params are always good. I never get nitrates. I also have a good handful of cheato in there and about 70lbs of LR.
 
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