red slime issues
- Thread starter newtoit
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bonita69
Guest
how often/much do you feed your tank? how many fish/type of food your feeding? How long do you leave your lights on?
I had a big problem once, i still get it in very small amount somtimes.
Mine was so bad it was almost on every rock. I cut back feeding to every 4 days and worked my way down to 6 hours of light untill I got it under control.
I have one rock that still get a small amount on it, that rock is very close to my lights and at the very top, my little stars love that rock.
Now I am back to 10-12hrs of light but still feed light amount every 3 days and do alot more spot feeding. So far so good it working to keep it under control.
I had a big problem once, i still get it in very small amount somtimes.
Mine was so bad it was almost on every rock. I cut back feeding to every 4 days and worked my way down to 6 hours of light untill I got it under control.
I have one rock that still get a small amount on it, that rock is very close to my lights and at the very top, my little stars love that rock.
Now I am back to 10-12hrs of light but still feed light amount every 3 days and do alot more spot feeding. So far so good it working to keep it under control.
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bonita69
Guest
what are you feeding? flake, meats? how much do you give?
lets start cutting your lights back 2 hrs each day till you get to 6 hrs at most.
If you only have fish and no light required animals you can cut it back just for veiwing times, what type of lights do you have What size tank? This will go away by itself if you find the cause don't junk your tank with meds
lets start cutting your lights back 2 hrs each day till you get to 6 hrs at most.
If you only have fish and no light required animals you can cut it back just for veiwing times, what type of lights do you have What size tank? This will go away by itself if you find the cause don't junk your tank with meds
dinogeorge
Member
I agree with Bonita,
But would add that you should siphon off as much of it as possible and then do a water change using RO water if available. If not, plain water is ok. There are a number of reasons for this stuff, but the three things you can do to fight it are lights, phosphates and water movement. You want plenty of water movement in your tank, reduce your lights, as Bonita suggested, and reduce your phosphates. Flake food can be loaded with phosphates, so if your feeding it a lot, cut that back.
Good luck man.
But would add that you should siphon off as much of it as possible and then do a water change using RO water if available. If not, plain water is ok. There are a number of reasons for this stuff, but the three things you can do to fight it are lights, phosphates and water movement. You want plenty of water movement in your tank, reduce your lights, as Bonita suggested, and reduce your phosphates. Flake food can be loaded with phosphates, so if your feeding it a lot, cut that back.
Good luck man.
tangwhispr
Member
Originally Posted by Dinogeorge
I agree with Bonita,
But would add that you should siphon off as much of it as possible and then do a water change using RO water if available. If not, plain water is ok. There are a number of reasons for this stuff, but the three things you can do to fight it are lights, phosphates and water movement. You want plenty of water movement in your tank, reduce your lights, as Bonita suggested, and reduce your phosphates. Flake food can be loaded with phosphates, so if your feeding it a lot, cut that back.
Good luck man.
Plain water as you suggest is NOT ok, it is often very high in phospates, which will make the problem worse. Keep your lights off for a few days, reduce feeding and do water changes with some RO/DI
I agree with Bonita,
But would add that you should siphon off as much of it as possible and then do a water change using RO water if available. If not, plain water is ok. There are a number of reasons for this stuff, but the three things you can do to fight it are lights, phosphates and water movement. You want plenty of water movement in your tank, reduce your lights, as Bonita suggested, and reduce your phosphates. Flake food can be loaded with phosphates, so if your feeding it a lot, cut that back.
Good luck man.
Plain water as you suggest is NOT ok, it is often very high in phospates, which will make the problem worse. Keep your lights off for a few days, reduce feeding and do water changes with some RO/DI
newtoit
Member
the tank is a 40 gallon breeder tank with both fish and corals I have 102 watt PC's and usually feed ocean nutrition pellets ir frozen food either krill for my anenome or mysis shrimp I have alot of water movement I have a rio 180 power heads with a hydor rotating head I also have a sub current surface skimming filter with 2 water outlets and then 2 HOB filters till I can get my skimmer and sum together
I have another powerhead I can add if you think that I should
I have another powerhead I can add if you think that I should
dinogeorge
Member
Originally Posted by TangWhispr
Plain water as you suggest is NOT ok, it is often very high in phospates, which will make the problem worse. Keep your lights off for a few days, reduce feeding and do water changes with some RO/DI
If RO water is not available, then what the heck else do you suppose is the alternative? Not everyone has access to it. Removing as much slime as possible will reduce the amount that is going to die when he starts to cut back on lights and feeding. Do you think leaving it in the tank to decompose is the best alternative? You don’t have a clue as to the amount of phosphates in his/her water do you? So how do you know what the result would be?
So…as I said BEFORE, replace the water with RO if it’s available. If not, then make a water change using tap water…..as millions of people have done for the last 50 years.
Plain water as you suggest is NOT ok, it is often very high in phospates, which will make the problem worse. Keep your lights off for a few days, reduce feeding and do water changes with some RO/DI
If RO water is not available, then what the heck else do you suppose is the alternative? Not everyone has access to it. Removing as much slime as possible will reduce the amount that is going to die when he starts to cut back on lights and feeding. Do you think leaving it in the tank to decompose is the best alternative? You don’t have a clue as to the amount of phosphates in his/her water do you? So how do you know what the result would be?
So…as I said BEFORE, replace the water with RO if it’s available. If not, then make a water change using tap water…..as millions of people have done for the last 50 years.
tangwhispr
Member
Originally Posted by newtoit
the tank is a 40 gallon breeder tank with both fish and corals I have 102 watt PC's and usually feed ocean nutrition pellets ir frozen food either krill for my anenome or mysis shrimp I have alot of water movement I have a rio 180 power heads with a hydor rotating head I also have a sub current surface skimming filter with 2 water outlets and then 2 HOB filters till I can get my skimmer and sum together
I have another powerhead I can add if you think that I should
It may be your HOB filters, how often do you clean and change media?
the tank is a 40 gallon breeder tank with both fish and corals I have 102 watt PC's and usually feed ocean nutrition pellets ir frozen food either krill for my anenome or mysis shrimp I have alot of water movement I have a rio 180 power heads with a hydor rotating head I also have a sub current surface skimming filter with 2 water outlets and then 2 HOB filters till I can get my skimmer and sum together
I have another powerhead I can add if you think that I should
It may be your HOB filters, how often do you clean and change media?
tangwhispr
Member
Originally Posted by Dinogeorge
If RO water is not available, then what the heck else do you suppose is the alternative? Not everyone has access to it. Removing as much slime as possible will reduce the amount that is going to die when he starts to cut back on lights and feeding. Do you think leaving it in the tank to decompose is the best alternative? You don’t have a clue as to the amount of phosphates in his/her water do you? So how do you know what the result would be?
So…as I said BEFORE, replace the water with RO if it’s available. If not, then make a water change using tap water…..as millions of people have done for the last 50 years.
I stand corrected, obviously you are the expert. I think I have seen some of your books.
"How to successfully ruin your reef tank" by Dinogeorge
"Fitting 15 tangs in a 20 gal" by Dinogeorge
"Brita vs. Pur vs. Sewage, the aquarist choice" by Dinogeorge
Keep giving your in accurate advice.
If RO water is not available, then what the heck else do you suppose is the alternative? Not everyone has access to it. Removing as much slime as possible will reduce the amount that is going to die when he starts to cut back on lights and feeding. Do you think leaving it in the tank to decompose is the best alternative? You don’t have a clue as to the amount of phosphates in his/her water do you? So how do you know what the result would be?
So…as I said BEFORE, replace the water with RO if it’s available. If not, then make a water change using tap water…..as millions of people have done for the last 50 years.
I stand corrected, obviously you are the expert. I think I have seen some of your books.
"How to successfully ruin your reef tank" by Dinogeorge
"Fitting 15 tangs in a 20 gal" by Dinogeorge
"Brita vs. Pur vs. Sewage, the aquarist choice" by Dinogeorge
Keep giving your in accurate advice.
newtoit
Member
I'd like to thank you all for turning this into a pissing contest I have a serious issue and you can't seem to get it together enuff to help I DON"T HAVE AN RO unit yet therefore the best I can do is tap water
I have cut back on the feeding and did a lil expirement with the red slime and found that it does not need alot of lite to grow so I am leaving the lights on their original settings
I have cut back on the feeding and did a lil expirement with the red slime and found that it does not need alot of lite to grow so I am leaving the lights on their original settings
willlovesfish
Member
I have a similar issue in my QT tank. My slime is more redish brown though, wouldn't call it just plain red. Takes about a week to show up and then it spreads along the entire bottom of the tank within about 3 days or so, happens really fast! My tank just has some PVC pipe in it and that's it, no rock or substrate etc. Sometimes the slime even shows up on the pipe.
I do keep my light on about 12 hours a day. I am going to keep it down to just viewing pleasure times and see it that helps.
I keep the tank clean, do a 50% water change every week and half, also change my HOB filter cartrige as well with each water change. I have a powerhead rated at 170gph, it's a 10 gallon tank. Feed my fish twice a day but don't overfeed at all, maybe I should cut down on feeding, have 4 fish in their right now.
Anyway, hope I have helped, lol, maybe not. In any case just wanted to share my story and info.
Good luck,
Will
I do keep my light on about 12 hours a day. I am going to keep it down to just viewing pleasure times and see it that helps.
I keep the tank clean, do a 50% water change every week and half, also change my HOB filter cartrige as well with each water change. I have a powerhead rated at 170gph, it's a 10 gallon tank. Feed my fish twice a day but don't overfeed at all, maybe I should cut down on feeding, have 4 fish in their right now.
Anyway, hope I have helped, lol, maybe not. In any case just wanted to share my story and info.
Good luck,
Will
notsonoob
Member
I would stay away from 50% bi-weekly water changes. I would go to weekly 5% water changes.
Your algae problem may be there as you might be feeding it with a big influx of nutrients and messing with your tanks chemicals. You could even risk a cycle.
MOST IMPORTANT
I would also feed every other day. Even though it was the most difficult thing to explain to my wife (the fish are pigs, not starving), it was the best thing we did. It took about two weeks to get the nitrates and nutrient levels down.
Your algae problem may be there as you might be feeding it with a big influx of nutrients and messing with your tanks chemicals. You could even risk a cycle.
MOST IMPORTANT
I would also feed every other day. Even though it was the most difficult thing to explain to my wife (the fish are pigs, not starving), it was the best thing we did. It took about two weeks to get the nitrates and nutrient levels down.
cyclops
Member
Originally Posted by newtoit
please bear in mind that till the funds become available I am skimmerless
You can always buy an RO/DI sytem. I have the 24G Coral life Pure FLow which I got for about $68, I am so glad that I have one cause now I always have RO/DI water ready. Good look and cut back on feeding, and lights and scrap then suck all that slime off the rocks or place the rocks in another tank with no light.
please bear in mind that till the funds become available I am skimmerless
You can always buy an RO/DI sytem. I have the 24G Coral life Pure FLow which I got for about $68, I am so glad that I have one cause now I always have RO/DI water ready. Good look and cut back on feeding, and lights and scrap then suck all that slime off the rocks or place the rocks in another tank with no light.
willlovesfish
Member
Originally Posted by NOTSONOOB
I would stay away from 50% bi-weekly water changes. I would go to weekly 5% water changes.
Your algae problem may be there as you might be feeding it with a big influx of nutrients and messing with your tanks chemicals. You could even risk a cycle.
MOST IMPORTANT
I would also feed every other day. Even though it was the most difficult thing to explain to my wife (the fish are pigs, not starving), it was the best thing we did. It took about two weeks to get the nitrates and nutrient levels down.
Thanks for the help. I will feed every other day as you suggested. Also change up my water changing schedule as you suggested. All of this with keeping the lights off should help hopefully.
I would stay away from 50% bi-weekly water changes. I would go to weekly 5% water changes.
Your algae problem may be there as you might be feeding it with a big influx of nutrients and messing with your tanks chemicals. You could even risk a cycle.
MOST IMPORTANT
I would also feed every other day. Even though it was the most difficult thing to explain to my wife (the fish are pigs, not starving), it was the best thing we did. It took about two weeks to get the nitrates and nutrient levels down.
Thanks for the help. I will feed every other day as you suggested. Also change up my water changing schedule as you suggested. All of this with keeping the lights off should help hopefully.
willlovesfish
Member
Congrats, glad you got the slime under control. Sounds like things are better for you, that's always a good thing 
Good luck with everything, hope things stay cool.
Good luck with everything, hope things stay cool.