Red Slime??? HELP!!!

[laxplaya]

I have had my tank for about 1 month and a half, and over the last two days (after putting in some damnsels) tons of this reddish brownish algae like stuff has growmn on the LR and Ls but not on the glass. Lights were on from 7am-7pm, 2 pc lights. I really hope this is not red slime and that my cleaner crew coming this wednesday will be able to clean it up. Please tell me if this is red slime or not. thnx.

 

[laxplaya]

any1 have any idea??? i must know!!!!

 

[nick76]

red/brown sounds like slime or cyno to me. Increase your flow, cut back on light time to 9-10 hours.

 

[laxplaya]

ok thanks how do i get rid of slime besides flow and light??? i will check archives but please post tips

 

[spanko]

Flow, light, nutrient reduction, time.

 

[renogaw]

there's millions of posts on how to get rid of it.
search cyano

 

[laxplaya]

i checked the archives and the pics that were posted didnt look like the stuff in my tank. Mine was a diff color and it didnt feel "slimy" when i touched it. It was kindof fuzzy. The pics also showed a more solid type of algae but mine you could see what it was covering. But i do feed the damsels a little much and the flow is at the top. I will reduce lighting and everything just in case it is.

 

[spanko]

Cyano looks like a carpet on your substrate. May even have some bubbles trapped under it.
Yea, reduce light and feeding and see if you can direct some of your flow to the affected area. Also see if you can siphon some of it out with your water changes. It takes a while to beat it but with a little tenacity you can do it.

 

[laxplaya]

It is not really like a carpet. There are visible areas where it does not grow.

 

[spanko]

yea usually it is in particular spots. a patch here and there.

 

[sigmachris]

Sounds more like diatoms, which is an algae found in a lot of new tanks. I was told its apart of their maturing process.
Same rules apply to get rid of it, reduce light / feeding, increase flow. You can also throw a couple of certh snails in there, they seemed to help my diatoms a couple of months ago.

 

[laxplaya]

i just got home from and school and...
It is not really slimy, some spots were tho.
The slimy spots flaked off when i peeled it.
I lowered the powerhead from the filter down (was on surface)
Lights been off all day
Cleaner crew should arrive this wednesday. along with queen conch.

 

[laxplaya]

also i have 50 lbs of ls and about 80 percent of the visible rock surface is covered. The sand has some on it but not too much.

 

[spanko]

I agree now sigmachris it sounds more like brown diatoms from his last post. Laxplaya is it more like powder than a slimey covering.

 

[laxplaya]

It is def not red slime. I have been told that red slime siphons off when u do a water change, i had trouble scrubbing it off with a brush!!! but i increased flow, reduced light, and did a water change. If they are diatoms, are they a big problem? will they go away after the measures i have taken??

 

[pandafish]

are you using ro/di water? Tap water even when treated has potential for diatoms. You said you pointed the power head down which is fine but you need to make sure something is still rippling the surface. (that will also help with any algae)