how often can you do a 25% WC

[timg]

Recently i noticed that my skimmer was not working properly. I played with it and now it is working fine, but I now have started to get a case of red slime. I did a 25% WC on Monday and want to know if I can do another 25% WC this weekend? I also want to know how frequently you can change so much water? I usually do a 10% every week, but I am curious if I can do a 25% every week until I get my nitrates down and my skimmer starts working properly. I currenlty have 20X + turnover and think that if I get my nitrates down I should be able to kick this red slime.

 

[texasranchers]

TimG, do a search on red slime on this board. You will find a lot of info. Basically doing a wc you are moving stuff around but not getting rid of the problem.
Checklist:
Protien Skimmer, you have already checked and 'fixed'
Nitrates, you already know they are high, wc will help reduce them
Water movement, checking
Overfeeding of tank, umm?
I have done 20-25% wc/per week
Do you top off tank each day and then do a wc?
Or is your wc part of the top off water?
There is a difference of the amount of water that goes in your tank

 

[timg]

I top off throughout the week and then do a WC usually on the weekend. I feed my fish approimately every 2-3 days. This red slime occurred about a week after I noticed my Skimmer was not collecting dark skimmate. I figured out the problem and now it is working properly. I currently have CC that I vaccuum weekly. I am moving in a month and plan to change to Sand. This is my first encounter with Red slime and am hoping that WC will cure this by dropping nitrates and helping the Skimmer get back on track? any suggestions will help.
thanks

 

[texasranchers]

Sorry, no ideas. I was just repeating what I've heard. You seem to be on the right track. I am still fighting it in a 35 hex tall. They always say to correct the problem, but I can't find mine so I do the wc. I love this hobby, I love this hobby, I love this hobby.

 

[blue steel]

hi texas rancher
I was wondering where you receive your fish from. I also live in SanAngelo and in my opinion, the variety of fish offered at the fish stores are not good.

 

[beamer]

I was also having problems with red slime and also just a little green on the sand. My nitrates and phosphates remain high no matter what I do , but I added two power heads to my 120 to add more movement and that seemed to take care of it.
Good idea changing to sand. In the near future I will be breaking down my tank to take out the old sand bed and put in new in order to take care of my nitrate/phosphate problem. I've learned that when moving a tank you never, never, never keep the original sand, dump it out and start new.
Cindy

 

[texasranchers]

Blue Steel, since I have the impression that we are not to use links, I will just say that I do order some things online. However, Mike @ one lfs and D @the other lfs, have been really great to order in what I need if it is carried by their supplier.
Cindy, I really thought ls could be spared for several hours, especially if kept in water like lr being kept wet in paper towels.
Always learning aren't we?

 

[blue steel]

why cant you keep your sand when moving a tank?

 

[sly]

I kept my CC when I moved my tank. I left a few gallons of water in the tank so that it would never dry out. I've had the same cc substrate for over 2 years. I had a slime problem but it was because I was not stirring the substrate. I have a shallow CC bed (1.5inches). I don't rely on it to provide much filtration. Instead I rely on LR and fuge mostly. All I do now is stir the CC about once every week or so and all my water paremeters are fine now.