HELP!!! BIG problem in refugium.

[ubeturwrasse]

I have a 20 gallon refugium where I am growing several different types of caulerpa.
I have noticed a thick, gelatin like slime that starts on the plants and moves to the glass, etc. It is mostly transparrent, but it is a deep reddish color. I think it might be cyanobacteria, but the cyano ive seen before is not transparent like that. It hasnt spread into my main tank yet, but it is rather prominent in the fuge.
what should i do?
[ December 10, 2001: Message edited by: ubeturwrasse ]

 

[big dave]

Chech your water quality for phosphate, nitrate and nitrite. This is usullay the cause for cyano. How long has the refugium been running? Fuges usually get rid of most kinds of Algae.

 

[ubeturwrasse]

the tank is a year old, the fuge is only about 1 month. i have my skimmer output to it and a gravity drain back to the tank. Im 90% sure its not algae, it looks like i smeared knox jelly all around the tank. it is starting to form over the top of the tank now too. I dont know if this is cyano or some type of fungus. my trates are at 20, no trites (tank has been up for over 1 year) and PO is undetectable (i use RO/DI water) The stuff growing is red (a couple patches of turqouise) and is really slimy, and up to 1/4" thick on the glass of my tank and has bubbles trapped inside it. I try to clean it out, but it comes back stronger. I need to do something before it spreads to my display tank.
please HELP!!!!

 

[kelly]

ubeturwrasse,
I would disconnect the refugium from the main tank until you find out what you have. I have never seen it or heard of that gel mass before.

 

[ubeturwrasse]

ok, im getting worried. any sharks out there can can help out?
i have turned off my skimmer, so the water is just sitting there for the moment, but not returning to the tank. I am waiting for a more informed response before I do anything. I called my LFS an they told me some crazy story and told me I should buy $85 worth of chemicals that had copper in it and told me it would be safe because it didnt have much copper, i told them they were nuts. I prefer a natural approach if ther is one, but first i need to find out what this goo is. if i stick my finger into it from the surface of the tank, it tears and sticks to my finger.
im afraid though, if its this bad in the fuge, my main tank has allready been introduced to the whatever it is.
The last time i cleaned it out was 5 days ago and since it has grown back 5-fold.

[ December 10, 2001: Message edited by: ubeturwrasse ]

 

[toddius]

How long do you keep your lights on? Try running them only for 8 to 12 hours while the display tank lights are off. I did this for a while to stop some bubble slime algae and help my razor algae recover from being pruined but you have to make sure you don't do this for to long or you run the risk of your algae going asexual.Also how much and how often do you feed?