highcottn1
Member
how can i stop red slime? there is not a lot of it in my tank but there is some.
red slime
- Thread starter highcottn1
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lion_crazz
Active Member
Yep, increase the flow in the tank, use RO/DI water if you are not already, and post your water levels for us (ph, kH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, salinity, and temp)
And whatever anyone tells you, do not use "Red Slime Remover".
And whatever anyone tells you, do not use "Red Slime Remover".
highcottn1
Member
ok its already lower towardes the sand, now what
lion_crazz
Active Member
Do you use RO/DI water and please post your water levels for us (ph, kH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, salinity, and temp).
bhoffman5
New Member
Usually the slime is a sign of another problem in the tank. Generally it is a natural occurrence due to high levels of nutrients in the tank. Sometimes this is due to low flow in areas, which allow nutrients to settle and feed the cyano/algae. Other times it is due to bio-load issues, which means you may want to bump up water changes. Another partial remedy could be the use of beneficial macroalgae such as chaetomorpha to do the job of nutrient export. Many times it is nitrates being high that cause this problem in tanks. You will want to test that level. If you have bio-ball filtration, that could also be a part of the problem. The bioballs support the nitrogen cycle in the tank, breaking ammonia down to nitrates with the bacteria that accumulates in the balls. Many people eventually remove these because the anaerobic bacteria in the live rock is argued to be much more beneficial. They also refer to the ball's as "nitrate traps". You can also siphon the slime out with some hard line tubing and flexible airline tubing, but this is not a solution, just a patch. Another solution could be the addition of a couple more cleaning crew members. The last part i can think of is shorter light period in the display tank. This prohibits rapid growth from photosynthesis.
These aren't all the solutions, but a start and some ideas regarding the issue. I have researched greatly before on this subject, mainly because I had an outbreak of redslime not too long ago. I used a combination of several of these solutions in my tank to solve it. The most helpful were water changes, macroalgae in a refugium, and shorter light period.
Oh yeah, first post on this forum. I usually just read.
These aren't all the solutions, but a start and some ideas regarding the issue. I have researched greatly before on this subject, mainly because I had an outbreak of redslime not too long ago. I used a combination of several of these solutions in my tank to solve it. The most helpful were water changes, macroalgae in a refugium, and shorter light period.
Oh yeah, first post on this forum. I usually just read.
sly
Active Member
Originally Posted by lion_crazz
And whatever anyone tells you, do not use "Red Slime Remover".
And why not? What problems have you seen with it?
I had red slime once and I did EVERYTHING recommended for it. I had high flow, no ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. SG was 1.024. Lights were brand new (325 watts in 72 gal tank), I have refugium with mangroves and chaetomorpha, calcium was good, pH was 8.3
I stripped everything out of the tank trying to quarantine it and it grew on the bare glass bottom! I run ozone, UV and a large skimmer and STILL had red slime. I ALWAYS use RO/DI water with new filters and the tank never gets direct sunlight. I cleaned out EVERY filter and did MANY water changes (one time I did a 100% water change and I STILL had red slime come back within a few days.
I put in carbon to absorb what I might have not gotten out through water changes and redslime started growing on the carbon bag.
What more could I have done? It had nothing to do with flow because I even had red slime grow directly in the jet of the powerheads. There was NO substrate or live rock in the tank at all and I cleaned my fuge and my wet/dry out completely.
I added one bottle of "anti-red" red slime remover and it was completely gone in 2 days. My skimmer quickly filled up with red slime gunk and I had to empty it out frequently. I dosed one more time and the problem never came back. It did not harm my featherdusters, snails, urchins or starfish. I did a water change after it was all over and I put the substrate and rocks back in the tank. I dosed one more time with anti-red and then did one more water change. I have not had a red slime problem since.
USE RED SLIME REMOVER... it is completely organic and does not harm fish or invertebrates and it will NOT harm the beneficial bacteria in the tank. My nitrates never went above 0ppm after using it.
And whatever anyone tells you, do not use "Red Slime Remover".
And why not? What problems have you seen with it?
I had red slime once and I did EVERYTHING recommended for it. I had high flow, no ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. SG was 1.024. Lights were brand new (325 watts in 72 gal tank), I have refugium with mangroves and chaetomorpha, calcium was good, pH was 8.3
I stripped everything out of the tank trying to quarantine it and it grew on the bare glass bottom! I run ozone, UV and a large skimmer and STILL had red slime. I ALWAYS use RO/DI water with new filters and the tank never gets direct sunlight. I cleaned out EVERY filter and did MANY water changes (one time I did a 100% water change and I STILL had red slime come back within a few days.
I put in carbon to absorb what I might have not gotten out through water changes and redslime started growing on the carbon bag.
What more could I have done? It had nothing to do with flow because I even had red slime grow directly in the jet of the powerheads. There was NO substrate or live rock in the tank at all and I cleaned my fuge and my wet/dry out completely.
I added one bottle of "anti-red" red slime remover and it was completely gone in 2 days. My skimmer quickly filled up with red slime gunk and I had to empty it out frequently. I dosed one more time and the problem never came back. It did not harm my featherdusters, snails, urchins or starfish. I did a water change after it was all over and I put the substrate and rocks back in the tank. I dosed one more time with anti-red and then did one more water change. I have not had a red slime problem since.
USE RED SLIME REMOVER... it is completely organic and does not harm fish or invertebrates and it will NOT harm the beneficial bacteria in the tank. My nitrates never went above 0ppm after using it.
lion_crazz
Active Member
Alright, that is a fair reason why you might want to use it, but everyone I know who has used it on a smaller system (under 125 gallons) have had something die in their tank after using it.
Your case sounds like it was pretty severe, though.
Your case sounds like it was pretty severe, though.
sly
Active Member
Yea, I still don't know why I had so much problem with it. I had red slime EVERYWHERE. I tried everything I knew of and used red slime remover as a last resort. It fixed it for me and I saw no adverse effects...
With that said, however, I do not recommend someone going out and doing it first thing. Sometimes (usually?) red slime is caused by something... it is always best to address the source before trying any cures. If the problem is not addressed then it will simply come back and you will have fixed nothing...
I just couldn't find any problems in my tank. So I tried it and it worked.
With that said, however, I do not recommend someone going out and doing it first thing. Sometimes (usually?) red slime is caused by something... it is always best to address the source before trying any cures. If the problem is not addressed then it will simply come back and you will have fixed nothing...
I just couldn't find any problems in my tank. So I tried it and it worked.
reefreak29
Active Member
[quote from sly
. it is completely organic and does not harm fish or invertebrates and it will NOT harm the beneficial bacteria in the tank. My nitrates never went above 0ppm after using it.
how can it kill bad bacteria and not good bacteria
its like taking an antibiotic it nor only kills bad bacteria but good also :notsure:
. it is completely organic and does not harm fish or invertebrates and it will NOT harm the beneficial bacteria in the tank. My nitrates never went above 0ppm after using it.
how can it kill bad bacteria and not good bacteria
its like taking an antibiotic it nor only kills bad bacteria but good also :notsure:
kainex
Member
I used it in my 125 w/ 70 sump the first year it was running...I think the key here is to elimanate the problem AND use the red-out / chemi-clean (whatever you use) The red-out will kill off the red alage you have now and fixing the problem will keep it gone. I didn't have a problem with it in my reef tank, So I say Use it its reef safe
sly
Active Member
Originally Posted by reefreak29
how can it kill bad bacteria and not good bacteria
its like taking an antibiotic it nor only kills bad bacteria but good also :notsure:
I do not know exactly how it works but it is not a broad spectrum antibiotic. It seems to target red slime only (from what I've seen). If you read the ingredients list it is completely organic. My skimmer skimmed it out quickly and apparantly took the red slime with it. I had to siphon dead red slime out of the tank when I did the water change a few days later.
But like I said in my previous post, adding anything to the tank should be a last resort. Usually red slime is caused by something... if that problem is fixed (high nutrients, etc.) then the red slime problem should fix itself. However I was at the end of my rope and about to give up saltwater all together when I tried using it... and it worked. I isolated everything I could possibly think of and nothing fixed the problem except red slime remover. I had a pretty severe case and I suspect that it was not normal... But in the process I DID get new filters, lights, more powerheads and a ridiculously clean tank. :jumping:
how can it kill bad bacteria and not good bacteria
its like taking an antibiotic it nor only kills bad bacteria but good also :notsure:
I do not know exactly how it works but it is not a broad spectrum antibiotic. It seems to target red slime only (from what I've seen). If you read the ingredients list it is completely organic. My skimmer skimmed it out quickly and apparantly took the red slime with it. I had to siphon dead red slime out of the tank when I did the water change a few days later.
But like I said in my previous post, adding anything to the tank should be a last resort. Usually red slime is caused by something... if that problem is fixed (high nutrients, etc.) then the red slime problem should fix itself. However I was at the end of my rope and about to give up saltwater all together when I tried using it... and it worked. I isolated everything I could possibly think of and nothing fixed the problem except red slime remover. I had a pretty severe case and I suspect that it was not normal... But in the process I DID get new filters, lights, more powerheads and a ridiculously clean tank. :jumping:
reefreak29
Active Member
Originally Posted by Sly
I do not know exactly how it works but it is not a broad spectrum antibiotic. It seems to target red slime only (from what I've seen). If you read the ingredients list it is completely organic. My skimmer skimmed it out quickly and apparantly took the red slime with it. I had to siphon dead red slime out of the tank when I did the water change a few days later.
But like I said in my previous post, adding anything to the tank should be a last resort. Usually red slime is caused by something... if that problem is fixed (high nutrients, etc.) then the red slime problem should fix itself. However I was at the end of my rope and about to give up saltwater all together when I tried using it... and it worked. I isolated everything I could possibly think of and nothing fixed the problem except red slime remover. I had a pretty severe case and I suspect that it was not normal... But in the process I DID get new filters, lights, more powerheads and a ridiculously clean tank. :jumping:
thats good just want other people reading this that they may have a bad experience by using these products
I do not know exactly how it works but it is not a broad spectrum antibiotic. It seems to target red slime only (from what I've seen). If you read the ingredients list it is completely organic. My skimmer skimmed it out quickly and apparantly took the red slime with it. I had to siphon dead red slime out of the tank when I did the water change a few days later.
But like I said in my previous post, adding anything to the tank should be a last resort. Usually red slime is caused by something... if that problem is fixed (high nutrients, etc.) then the red slime problem should fix itself. However I was at the end of my rope and about to give up saltwater all together when I tried using it... and it worked. I isolated everything I could possibly think of and nothing fixed the problem except red slime remover. I had a pretty severe case and I suspect that it was not normal... But in the process I DID get new filters, lights, more powerheads and a ridiculously clean tank. :jumping:
thats good just want other people reading this that they may have a bad experience by using these products
highcottn1
Member
um ill try to post a pic. here is my water
nitrate: 10
nitrite:0
pH: 8.2
i cant remember the rest
nitrate: 10
nitrite:0
pH: 8.2
i cant remember the rest