Algae
- Thread starter robbie2
- Start date
sea goblin
Member
looks like red Cyno bacteria to me, that is bad. What do you have for flow in your tank? number of powerheads, and gph?
Sea Goblin
Sea Goblin
M
mudshark
Guest
I agree with dreeves, looks like Red Slime
I think for now just siphon it off and install
that other powerhead. better water movement
is always a good thing.
I think for now just siphon it off and install
that other powerhead. better water movement
is always a good thing.
jtroutine
Member
I would say that it is part of the unsightly alga that is going to grow in a new tank, but look up, follow the advice and install a lot of flow and try to remove it as it grows. I had it everywhere and I would remove and remove and within hours it would be back then one day literally died off. Many people have had the same expierence. Anothor piece of advice would be to check your phosphates and nitrates. I used kent phosphate remover a couple times within two weeks and havent had any problems since. Just dont resort to chemicals to treat to alge thats bad news and often doesnt work anyway.
dreeves
Active Member
Cyanobacter is a bacteria...it isn't a true algea...it is caused by numerous things...
Being your tank is still in the very early stages of its life...you can either suck it out with a siphon...or just leave it...once the contributing factors mend themselves (tank completing the cycling) it should go away on its own.
You can also do a couple of things to help it on its way out...
Increase in-tank water flow
While cycling...you can add some air through a pump and stone (will keep the water good and oxygenated through the cycle
Start running the skimmer (if you are not now) to reduce the dissolved organics
Keep your filtration cleaned.
Good luck
Being your tank is still in the very early stages of its life...you can either suck it out with a siphon...or just leave it...once the contributing factors mend themselves (tank completing the cycling) it should go away on its own.
You can also do a couple of things to help it on its way out...
Increase in-tank water flow
While cycling...you can add some air through a pump and stone (will keep the water good and oxygenated through the cycle
Start running the skimmer (if you are not now) to reduce the dissolved organics
Keep your filtration cleaned.
Good luck
jlem
Active Member
Putting in a airpump will do nothing but move water around. It is the moving of the water to the surface that oxyganates the water, not the air from the airstone. Running another powerhead will acomplish the same thing as an airpump without all of the saltspray One way to kill it off is to use red slime remover. Stuff works great, but it will make your skimmer go crazy and you want to do water changes after all the algae is gone which should be within 48 hours. I used it on a reef before and the only side effect was the skimmer going nuts as it pulled out all of the algae that was wiped out. Unless you improve water quality though it will come right back eventually. I personnaly would increase water flow, use a mechanical filter, and take a soft brush and wipe it off the rocks. The mechanical filter should catch alot of it. Also when you water change suck it off as you remove water. Make sure to use ro/di water. You can get water usually from water machines and the water is as pue as you could want.
sammystingray
Active Member
I do have to wonder about your lights because of the locations.....that little powerhead is nowhere near enough in my opinion. I personally would have atleast three rated at 300 GPH. I don't believe I have ever had slime algae show up in a cycling tank.....lack of water movement may have the oxygen level way down, nutrient pockets starting since waste just sits there, and the lights may be incorrect as well..what are they? Most gas exchange tanks place at the surface of the water, and dead spot usually cause cyanobacteria lower in the tank.....to see it up on top like that indicates a problem needing solved to me.....I do agree with all who mentioned water movement. I use more water movement in my seahorse 29 gallon, and I purposely keep the water movement very slow for the ponies. I think you will be very pleased with the results good water movement provides.....benefits the tank in more than one way. Good luck.
dreeves
Active Member
The purpose of adding an airstone could be a challenging subject...
We will pressume it is not a challenging subject and simply state the purpose of it...
The multitude of bubbles increases the surface area of the water in which an exchange of gases can occur...the surface area is increased as each tiny little bubble, in its brief moment of life, has an area which comes in complete contact with the water....thus effecting an increased surface area...which promotes an increased gas exchange process...very much like the aeration which occurs as a side benefit of a protien skimmer...
The last thing one would want to do is resort to a chemical or otherwise red slime remover...removing and preventing these issues versus the removal of the symptoms is the ideal way to go.
We will pressume it is not a challenging subject and simply state the purpose of it...
The multitude of bubbles increases the surface area of the water in which an exchange of gases can occur...the surface area is increased as each tiny little bubble, in its brief moment of life, has an area which comes in complete contact with the water....thus effecting an increased surface area...which promotes an increased gas exchange process...very much like the aeration which occurs as a side benefit of a protien skimmer...
The last thing one would want to do is resort to a chemical or otherwise red slime remover...removing and preventing these issues versus the removal of the symptoms is the ideal way to go.