red slime

gen

gen

Member
what is this? it is all over my sand bed. then air bubbles get under it and raise it to the top of the tank, some float and some fall back to the bottom. i just started the reef and only have 3 corals, this just started when i added the new lighting, it seems everything is changing. any suggestions?
thanks gen
 
surfnturf

surfnturf

Member
Check your phosphate and nitrate levels, these are the culprit. Also check on your bulbs, the quality of light from them plays a huge role here. If running fluorescent, make sure the bulbs are not more than 6 months old or are anything below 10,000K. Coralife makes a nice 10,000K bulb that will definitely help this problem, it has done the trick for me every time. But, again, remember that it is the high levels of nitrate and/or phosphate that causes this to occur. Best thing you can do (other than bulb replacement) is to do 10 percent water changes and use RO/DI water from the LFS to replace it. Keep doing this weekly/biweekly until your levels are appropriate. HTH
 
randolph

randolph

Member
get a couple mexican turbo snails they eat everything
(algae) better to try natural defense then anti-biotic, red slime
is a bacteria not really algae,(kinda half plant half animal i've been told) i had it too. i used anti-biotic, but had no fish in the tank at the time. did use it with the crabs in the tank though and didn't lose ant of them. but if you have corals get more advice from a more experienced person than me.;)
 
1

10k

Guest
I'm with surfnturf. Without knowing parameters, I would have to say you have a Phosphate or Nitrate problem. What type of water do you use for top off? If it's a new tank, what water did you use to fill the tank at first? What type of lighting are you running? How much, and often, do you feed? All of these are considerations as to where the problem originated. Invest in test kits for Phosphate, and Nitrate. You are lost without them...
 
gen

gen

Member
Hopefully these will help. I started the 85 gal flat back hex tank in 5/2001 with a floursent two bulb hood. It was only for fish. Then in Sept 2002 I switched to a reef tank. I added 80lbs of LR, and a Customsealife powercompact abs hood with 4 96 watt bulbs, 2-6700k and 2-actininc, it runs for about 10 to 12 hours a day. The water movement is just the flow from the return, I ordered 2 maxijets 1200 and they should be here this week. The only fish is a damsel and I don't feed him, he eats off the LR. When I tap off the tank I use tap water with prime. My levels are
ph.8.4 amm 0 nitrate 0. salt 1.022 I don't have a kit for the phosphate. I will buy one. I also ordered a cleanup crew from this site and that should be here this week also. I have a berlin red sea protein skimmer, and amiricle wet dry , aquanetics uv sterilizer. I will do a water change tomorrow and try to get up some of the slime. The LFS told me to get my sand bed down to almost nothing. Right now it is about 1/2" thick. I thought with the cleanup crew it would help keep the sand clean. Anything else let me know. But my system seems pretty simple, I only have 3 corals and they look good and healthy. "It all started with the lighting". All comments are greatly apperciated. :)
Thanks Gen
 
slick

slick

Active Member
Why did your lfs tell you to take your sand level down?
I don't think that will help your problem.
 
gen

gen

Member
He said that will make my nitrates go up. A thick sand bed will keep things ( not sure what) in there, and will effect my nitrates. It will also make more air bubbles, which are raising the red slime to the top, with a thin layer of sand. I just want to get rid of the slime. It looks terrible. Within 2 days of cleaning the tank, it is back.
Thanks Gen
 
surfnturf

surfnturf

Member
I don't understand your LFS reasoning behind removing most of the sand. Crushed coral substrates trap detritus and promote nitrates, this is true. Fine sand does not trap detritus and will not contribute anything significant to nitrate (or any other undesirable) levels in the tank. Until you can get a phosphate test kit and find out what your levels are, I can't really tell you what to do except these things:
1) 6700K bulbs are a good choice for a freshwater tank, they are minimally acceptable for a saltwater tank, there is a high likelyhood that these bulbs are what are causing the explosion of cyanobacteria in your tank (coupled with high phosphate levels). If you would like to read some good info on the role that light plays in encouraging cyano I can post a link. I would again strongly suggest a 10,000K bulb to replace the 6700K that you have.
2) Find a source for RO/DI water and use this for all water changes and top offs.
HTH
 
A

amoroso6

Guest
It sounds more like a bacteria blumming on you sand bed, its red and gets over everything it will usually take care of it self in a few months but if you are as impatient as I am try treating the bacteria not the blume. Use Freshwater Maracyn one tablet for every 10 gallons drop the tablets in the tank and they will disolve into the water, on the second day do the same. It will amaze you the slime will start to go away the first day. After the slime is totally gone (about 5 days) do a 10% water change wait 3 days and do another and that will be that. I have done this to both my tanks on the recomondation of my LFS and it works like a charm withno evident coral problems seen although my Zenia were droppy for a few days. This prodcut is an antibiotic used for body fungus on fish but trust me it works great. Here is a pictire of the box.
Alex
 
surfnturf

surfnturf

Member
Maracyn will also wipe out all of the beneficial bacteria in her live rock and filtration system. this is not a good solution. Yes it will work, but you basically destroy the cycle at the same time. I would question the competency of the LFS that told you to use that.
 
gen

gen

Member
I just did a 20% water change and added the cleanup crew that I purchased from swf.com it's funny how small the items are compared to what you see online. I hope they will cleanup some of the algae that is on the tank itself. There is red slime left on the rock but I got it off the sand and the tank . Where were you guys when I questioned what lighting I should get. I went with the one I purchased when I went on line with customsealife , it reads that lighting can be used for my tank. Which light blub should I change the blue or the white. Probably the white :) why would the lighting be causing the problem. It is much stronger than what I had and now is when I am having the problems. I really don't want to add meds to my tank, I don't want anything to cause a problem with my corals or inverts. I am going to the lfs today for the pho test kit. What is ro/di water? and why is it better? no chemicals in it? That can be purchased from the lfs?I don't remember seeing it there. After reading about cyano I think that is it.
Thanks Gen
 
A

amoroso6

Guest
surfnturf,
I have about 250lb of LR in my tank and its been a month since the treatment and I have had no change in water quality and no spikes in nitrites, nitrates or amonia so I dont think I went through another cycle. The dosage on the box is for much longer than was recomended, with that and the water changes it reduces the antibiotic rather quickly. My LFS has a great reputation in our area and have been in the game for 10 years with one of their 180 being 7 years old I have no problem taking their advice I what you do with it is your choice.
Alex
Ps. here is a link to their store site
http://www.aquaescape.com/
 
slick

slick

Active Member
My lfs told me to do the same thing. But I asked the people here who gain nothing by helping me and they told me that this method WILL kill some of the good bacteria in my tank. Well with over $3000 invested in my tank I'm not willing to risk it with this method. So when your lfs told you to do this did they tell you it would affect your bio filter? Mine didn't. Most people think they have a good lfs because they are not educated very well. I'm not saying you I'm just saying if people in your area think this place is great that dosen't mean it is.
 
slick

slick

Active Member
My lfs also told me a dsb was a risky idea. My point? Even the lfs all over don't stay up to date on the latest methods of doing things.
 
A

amoroso6

Guest
Slick,
With the size of my tank you are always concerned about adding products to your tank, Personally thats the only chemical I have ever added to my system other that c balance. We did discuss the the bio system especially because I am running a berlin system with no fliters except for the rock and sand. The conclusion is that the loss if any would be minimal and should not be problem if used for this short period of time and I got the same answer from my back up LFS accross town so I feel pretty comfortable with my decision.
Alex
 
itchy

itchy

Member
Okay I have had this discussion on here once before but here goes.....I can not understand why your LFS would tell you to remove all of your sand. I am a fan of LS no deeper than 2 inches due to the fact I had a 75 gallon with a DSB and after 7-8 years I came home and found it in the floor . The cause was the fact the sand had not been sifted and hardened which caused the sand to expand and you get the idea. I do use LS now just not as much . LS is only beneficial so removing such a small amout is questionable advice.
 
gen

gen

Member
HELLOOOOOO, not to be selfish, but can we get back to meeeeee!!(haha) I know everyone has their own opinions and what we do with them is our choice. In my lfs the guy in the fish dept said no meds, but the girl in the front said to buy "red slime" and she also said she heard of myacain also. Please tell me about the lighting.
Thanks Selfish Gen :)
 
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