Green Slime...;

[bostonrickb]

I have this green slime in my tank. Its looks like red slime but its green. Anyone know what causes it? I seems like it is growing but over taking the tank.

 

[geoj]

If you control nitrates, phosphates, and silicates it will die out after some weeks. If it does not then you are not keeping the nitrates, phosphates, and silicates under the needed amount.
Good book on this is Algae: A Problem Solver Guide by: Sprung

 

[bostonrickb]

How do I control it naturaly. I dont like to use store chemocals in it. My Nitrates and Nitrites and in order with the Nitrates being it about 20 to 40 ppm. Its a fish only tank too with crushed coral and dead coral for decorations and substrate. It has an undrgavel filer, protien skimmer and outside filter. I was getting some red slime too but that comes and goes with how much light I put on the tank so thats not too bad. Will cutting down on the light help were its green I was wondering if it will stop the photo synsisith. The tanks not over stocked, its a 75 with 2 clowns, a small tang, a goby and a fire fish. The Ph and Alkalinity look good too. Thanks

 

[geoj]

Personally I would start adding more bio-filtration a big piece of live rock to add some pods and macro algae. Lower feeding but don’t starve the fish. You can lower light but if you are going to buy corals in the future you may as well learn how to control the algae without lowering the light. Siphon the sand when you do water changes and do more water changes.
This is Tests listed in order of importance IMO
0 Ammonia For the health of animals
0 Nitrite For the health of animals
73-80 Temp For the health of animals
1.023-1.026 Specific Gravity For the health of animals
8-10 kH For good coral growth
420-500 Calcium For good coral growth
8-8.4 pH For the health of animals
0 Nitrate To prevent nuisance algae growth
0 Phosphate To prevent nuisance algae growth
0 Silicate To prevent nuisance algae growth
1250-1350 Magnesium Test if Calcium will not rise
.05 Iodide For good coral growth
In a FOWLR you don’t need to test as often as a reef but if you did you would have less algae problems.

 

[teresaq]

Never heard of using an undergravel filter with a saltwater tank.

 

[geoj]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/3237504
Never heard of using an undergravel filter with a saltwater tank.

Well you must not be very old then…

 

[teresaq]

just not in the hobby very long. I guess I have read about people using them a long time ago, but, I have always read they are bad for saltwater tanks.
T

 

[beaslbob]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/3237532
just not in the hobby very long. I guess I have read about people using them a long time ago, but, I have always read they are bad for saltwater tanks.
T
FWIW old stuff becomes new then becomes old again. 5 years age DSBs now refugiums for instance.
One reef tank has been running for 40 years with a reverse flow undergravel filter. Operator is a paul B. He recently joked that he cleans the filter every 25 years whether it needs it or not.
just my .02

 

[bostonrickb]

Hi, Thanks for the info. Here is a pic I took today. I shut down the light for a few days. It has been comming and going for some time. It does get small gas bubbles in it sometimes too. I did have a slight problem with the red algea too but I cleaned the gravel and that will keep the red stuff away for quite a few months. I do have a few patches of the red stuff on the coral but that dosent seem to grow much. I dont mind it either, I just dont want either to take over. I learned fish keeping from an old timer, thats why I put in the undergravel. I figuer the more filtration the better. I dont have it heavely rocked either so gravel cleaning isnt an issue. My fish guys wife tryed to talk me out of the undergravel but when I asked if they had one on there system they use for there system she did have to agree they had one too. I have read that the red algea is from lack of water flow and that might be true to an extent cause I dont get any near the lift tubes or back of the tank but it usaly starts in the front of the tank in the gravel. Anyways Thanks for the help.

 

[bostonrickb]

I turned on the light for about 2 hours and already I see the algea comming back. I had no idear it would come back that quickly. I am going to keep the light off for a week and see if that kills it off. I will let you know how it turns out. Also I dont feed much, just one cube every other day and them some seaweed for the tang. I do seem to have some nitrates all the time, even after a water, 25%, change. Any sugestions. I never have nitrites though and my ammo is good.

 

[geoj]

CC does not convert the nitrate very well you would need a thick layer of it. A fine sand does better at converting nitrate. CC does do well at converting nitrite so what you are saying makes sense.
Some amphipods (scuds) can help in a CC sand bed they get deep down in there and eat some of the waste. And some algae will do some good at lowering nitrates but you will need lots of it. What most people do is take the CC out and put some fine sand in…

 

[bostonrickb]

Hi, I didnt go with sand because I figuerd it would hamper the undergravel filter beacuse it is much finer then the CC. I thought the CC would offer a bigger surface area too. My first choice was Dolimite beacue I was told it holds the PH better. I think it was PH that he said, Its been some time so I may remember it wrong. The shop I go too now had only CC and thats what they had in most of there tanks. If you have sand do you have to do less gravel cleaning? Seems like it would offer less spaces for waste to fall into. Maybe if I ever set up another tank I will try the sand. I will update you with my water condions in a few. I have ordered a master test kit. Thanks for the help. I have had fresh tanks for quite some time but this is my first salt. I have had pretty good luck with the fish I have now but it took some mistakes to get the school I have now. Mostly bad matches and underfeeding when I first set up the tank. Thanks for the help.

 

[geoj]

When the fine sand came into vogue the under gravel filter went out. The under gravel filter is a method to keep the sand/gravel full of oxygen which is good for nitrite reduction the main killer of fish. Deep in a fine sand bed and in the rocks low oxygen to no oxygen water will reduce nitrate controlling nuisance algae. Other than needing to clean the waste that will build up under the filter, there is no real reason to remove the under gravel filter. Now having said that you still would need to up your nitrate reduction or lower its creation. And yes a tank with the under gravel filter takes more effort and time to maintain then one using a fine sand bed.

 

[trainfever]

Your nitrates are not in check. 20-40 may not be dangerous but its not comfortable either. I think they are high for the amount of fish you have in there. How much and how often are you feeding? Could it be that you are overfeeding? Try to get the nitrates below 10 by doing more water changes.

 

[bostonrickb]

I agree, I did a water change that day. I feed every other day with one or two cubes of frozen Mysyis shrimp or brine. I sometimes add some pellets too but not that often. I put in a strip of seaweed for the tang too once a week, its about 3x1 inches long. I will do water changes more often and see if that helps. Right now I do one about once a month.