reefperson
Member
What is this stuff
Strange algae
- Thread starter reefperson
- Start date
reefperson
Member
dmanatee
Member
Just checking, but the stuff on the power head looks like Xenia coral, the purple/red stuff below is probably some cyano bacteria. There is some coralline algae on the glass and possibly some hair algae growing on your decorations. Wasn't sure what you are wanting to identify here..
reefperson
Member
Do you have any idea how I can get rid of the cyno bacteria
flower
Well-Known Member
For Cyano, remove as much by hand as you can...water changes, limit the amount of fish food you feed (what your corals feed on will also feed cyano), increase the water flow so extra nutrients don't settle in that area, and feed the it. How old are the bulbs in your light?
reefperson
Member
The light are 1 week old
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by reefperson http:///t/395959/strange-algae#post_3526942
The light are 1 week old
How many power heads? Can you aim one in that direction, and add more flow to the area? Remove what you can by hand, then increase the flow and be very careful to not overfeed.
Red slime remover works, follow the instructions to the letter. However if you don't fix what caused it, it will just come right back, and you can't over use that stuff or the cyano becomes immune to it, and it won't work anymore...you don't want that.
Originally Posted by reefperson http:///t/395959/strange-algae#post_3526942
The light are 1 week old
How many power heads? Can you aim one in that direction, and add more flow to the area? Remove what you can by hand, then increase the flow and be very careful to not overfeed.
Red slime remover works, follow the instructions to the letter. However if you don't fix what caused it, it will just come right back, and you can't over use that stuff or the cyano becomes immune to it, and it won't work anymore...you don't want that.
tthemadd1
Active Member
Red slime remover is a last resort treatment. It can crash your tank. There are so many forum posts on Cyanobacteria.
Post some parameters. Including Phosphates.
Where is your top off water from? RO system? Tap water? Distilled? Etc?
How many fish and how often do you feed?
Is there a sump or fuge?
You said lights were 1 week old. Did you upgrade?
Post some parameters. Including Phosphates.
Where is your top off water from? RO system? Tap water? Distilled? Etc?
How many fish and how often do you feed?
Is there a sump or fuge?
You said lights were 1 week old. Did you upgrade?
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/395959/strange-algae#post_3526950
Red slime remover is a last resort treatment. It can crash your tank. There are so many forum posts on Cyanobacteria.
Post some parameters. Including Phosphates.
Where is your top off water from? RO system? Tap water? Distilled? Etc?
How many fish and how often do you feed?
Is there a sump or fuge?
You said lights were 1 week old. Did you upgrade?
If you follow directions Red slime remover won't crash your tank. It is safe to use IF you follow directions. The dying cyano if there is a ton of it would cause a problem if it dies all at once...that's why you must remove as much as possible by hand. Also turn off the protein skimmer, since it will go nuts after treatment (all that is on the bottle instructions) Then it recommends a big water change after 24 hours.
Posting the parameters is fine, but even doing a PO4 (phosphate) test is a waste of time, you will get a false negative reading because the cyano is feeding on it, and can't live without it...hence why it's a given that phosphates are high, even when the test reads 0.
Removing as much by hand as possible, doing water changes, watching the amount of food, and increasing the flow if needed... is all the OP (he already said the light was brand new) has to do, that's what all of the threads on it tell you. I explained that Red Slime remover works, BUT if you don't fix what caused the cyano in the first place, it wouldn't help and come right back.
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/395959/strange-algae#post_3526950
Red slime remover is a last resort treatment. It can crash your tank. There are so many forum posts on Cyanobacteria.
Post some parameters. Including Phosphates.
Where is your top off water from? RO system? Tap water? Distilled? Etc?
How many fish and how often do you feed?
Is there a sump or fuge?
You said lights were 1 week old. Did you upgrade?
If you follow directions Red slime remover won't crash your tank. It is safe to use IF you follow directions. The dying cyano if there is a ton of it would cause a problem if it dies all at once...that's why you must remove as much as possible by hand. Also turn off the protein skimmer, since it will go nuts after treatment (all that is on the bottle instructions) Then it recommends a big water change after 24 hours.
Posting the parameters is fine, but even doing a PO4 (phosphate) test is a waste of time, you will get a false negative reading because the cyano is feeding on it, and can't live without it...hence why it's a given that phosphates are high, even when the test reads 0.
Removing as much by hand as possible, doing water changes, watching the amount of food, and increasing the flow if needed... is all the OP (he already said the light was brand new) has to do, that's what all of the threads on it tell you. I explained that Red Slime remover works, BUT if you don't fix what caused the cyano in the first place, it wouldn't help and come right back.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/395959/strange-algae#post_3526986
Flower Im not going to argue with you, you have spoken. (Graciously Bowes out of the room).
Reefperson good luck with the cyano. We have all had it and it too shall pass.
BIG SIGH, I feel I have hurt your feelings, and that wasn't my intent. You have always been, and still are, very helpful.
So...don't you leave...I have a habit of repeating myself. I just wanted the OP to understand that following the directions to the letter was VERY IMPORTANT. I also wanted to stress that if there was a whole lot of cyano that died all at once, it could indeed cause problems (in case another person was reading the posts, looking for a fix it)
You are correct, using chemicals is the last thing you want to do.
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/395959/strange-algae#post_3526986
Flower Im not going to argue with you, you have spoken. (Graciously Bowes out of the room).
Reefperson good luck with the cyano. We have all had it and it too shall pass.
BIG SIGH, I feel I have hurt your feelings, and that wasn't my intent. You have always been, and still are, very helpful.
So...don't you leave...I have a habit of repeating myself. I just wanted the OP to understand that following the directions to the letter was VERY IMPORTANT. I also wanted to stress that if there was a whole lot of cyano that died all at once, it could indeed cause problems (in case another person was reading the posts, looking for a fix it)
You are correct, using chemicals is the last thing you want to do.
fattytwobyfour
Member
I'm battling this too. I've cut down my lighting schedule, cut down on feeding, and have been using a turkey baster daily. If any of the mats come off, I get them out of the tank. It's a battle, but it is getting better I think.
spanko
Active Member
Red Slime (Cyano Bacteria)
Cyano grows on top of nutrient rich areas of low flow. There are a number of things that need to be correct or possibly corrected to combat this without the use of chemical additives. The biggest thing is to get rid of the extra nutrients.
1.Evaluate your feeding. If you are feeding more than can be eaten in about 1-2 minutes it is too much and the remainder of it is falling to the rock and sand and becoming nutrient.
2.Evaluate your flow. If you have areas in the tank where there is little to no flow this can be corrected by adding power heads or repositioning the ones you already have. You don’t need to create sand storms just have water moving over the area to keep detritus suspended in the water column for removal by your filter – skimmer.
3.Evaluate your water changes. The solution to pollution is dilution! You want to continually remove unneeded nutrients as well as replace those things that are used by the system. 10% weekly is a good change schedule. Some do 20% every other week and some vary the schedule from there, but a good start is 10% per week.
4.Evaluate your lighting schedule. About 10 hours of daylight is all that is needed.
5.If you have a cyano outbreak do the above 4 items andh:
a.At water change time siphon off the cyano first. It will come up easily almost like a blanker.
b.After siphoning stir the affected areas a little to suspend any detritus for the water change and filtering - skimming removal.
c.Use a turkey baster now and at every water change in the future to again suspend the detritus for removal by the water change and your filtering – skimming.
Keeping nutrient levels low to non-existent will help to avoid cyano outbreaks and any algae outbreaks as well as keep your tank and you happy happy.
Cyano grows on top of nutrient rich areas of low flow. There are a number of things that need to be correct or possibly corrected to combat this without the use of chemical additives. The biggest thing is to get rid of the extra nutrients.
1.Evaluate your feeding. If you are feeding more than can be eaten in about 1-2 minutes it is too much and the remainder of it is falling to the rock and sand and becoming nutrient.
2.Evaluate your flow. If you have areas in the tank where there is little to no flow this can be corrected by adding power heads or repositioning the ones you already have. You don’t need to create sand storms just have water moving over the area to keep detritus suspended in the water column for removal by your filter – skimmer.
3.Evaluate your water changes. The solution to pollution is dilution! You want to continually remove unneeded nutrients as well as replace those things that are used by the system. 10% weekly is a good change schedule. Some do 20% every other week and some vary the schedule from there, but a good start is 10% per week.
4.Evaluate your lighting schedule. About 10 hours of daylight is all that is needed.
5.If you have a cyano outbreak do the above 4 items andh:
a.At water change time siphon off the cyano first. It will come up easily almost like a blanker.
b.After siphoning stir the affected areas a little to suspend any detritus for the water change and filtering - skimming removal.
c.Use a turkey baster now and at every water change in the future to again suspend the detritus for removal by the water change and your filtering – skimming.
Keeping nutrient levels low to non-existent will help to avoid cyano outbreaks and any algae outbreaks as well as keep your tank and you happy happy.
spanko
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lubeck http:///t/395959/strange-algae#post_3527192
Good to see your still around Henry.
Originally Posted by Lubeck http:///t/395959/strange-algae#post_3527192
Good to see your still around Henry.