*Yup, need help with cyanobacteria (red slime)

[mburnickas]

Ok you experts, I have read about this for months on SWF now I have it. I have used the wonderful search but I still can't get rid of it without the use of chemi-clean, red slime remover,etc. I am trying to this without the use of these items.
So I need some help with the dreeded cyanobacteria, since it is driving me nuts! I have been batteling this only for about 1.5 months but I can't seem to rid my tank (FOWLR) or it.
Here is my “stats” on what I have done or have:
1- My tank is a 75 gal but its capacity is about 60 gallons with the DSB
2- PC lights are 5 months old and were on only 8 hours but I kicked it back to 4 and then increase slowely. Lights are on a timmer and I have Actinic on for about 1 hour longer then my 10K.
3- Feed everyother day and only amount they eat in about 2 minutes
4- Feed green seaweed selects every day for yellow tang to keep happy
5- Skimmer (Turboflotor 1000 Multi) on 24/7
6- Wet/dry filter with 50 microns pads changed once per week. Water is very clear
7- Only use Ro/DI water from my Kent Maxima 60 GPD (5 months old)
8- Use Instant Ocean salt and do 20% water changes every 3.5 to 4 weeks
9- I have 2X Maxjets 1200, and one Maxijet 600 IN tank for water movement. Total is 770 GPH
10- And my Wet.dry is a Quiet one Pump (780GPH) but I have ballvalve to about 450 GPH on outlet
11- So I have more then enough movement for water.
12- Water tests all fine on my salifert tests
13- Salinity is at 35 ppt or 1.025 (using Atc refractometer)
14- Temp at a steady 79 F
15- Open tops and lose about .75 gallons of water. I did have it covered for about 2 weeks.
This is my livestock all from SWF.com except LR and sand
-various snails (Turbo/Astrea) lot of 10
-10 Nassarius Snail
-1 fighting conch (MIA now)
-1 Cleaner shrimp
-3 Mex Turbo Snails..HUGE
-2 Percula Clown
-1 Yellow Tang
-1 Bi-color blenny
-1 Royal Gamma
-1 billion Spaghetti Worms
-1 trillion Pods
-1 Rusty Clown Goby
-55 lb of fuji LR
-200 Lb of Old Castle sand (approx 5" thk)
Picture on the stuff is below. Sorry pix are about 180KB.
http://home.comcast.net/~Lburnickas/junk1.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~Lburnickas/junk2.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~Lburnickas/junk3.JPG
Any help since I do not know what else to do. It is driving me NUTS!!!!!!!

 

[bigarn]

From the pictures it appears to be mainly in 1 section of the tank. Is this true? If so, it's a circulation problem...re-direct the powerheads to get more flow in this area.

 

[golfish]

Sometimes this stuff can thrive nutrient poor system. I had it in my old 150 for months. I tried everything but Red slime remover. I finally gave in and used it. It worked like a charm.
You might try leaving all the lights off for 3 days. Try to cover the glass so you can get the tank as dark as possible.

 

[mburnickas]

It is one the left and somewhat in the middle. I will try to move the powerheads to move somemore "water" over there.
If I also do the light deal will kill any coraline or LR algae in this short interval? How about just running the actinic only?

 

[nyyanks514]

golfish- did the slime remover affect any of your coral?

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by Nyyanks514
golfish- did the slime remover affect any of your coral?
No, but for me it wasn't all that easy to do. Its been a while since it did it so some of my times and days might be off a little. I had to shut down the skimmer for about a week. I changed 25 gals of water every other day for a week or more (150 gal tank) I do remember that the tank looked and felt kind of like Jello the next morning after I dosed. I don't recall the corals or fish being stressed at all.
This is my experience. I have read where others have lost their whole tank. The key is to siphon out as much as possible before you dose. I also think I used half the recommended dose.

 

[rubberduck]

did u have good sucess with the 55 pounds of fiji rock?

 

[mburnickas]

me? I did and it comes out to about 1 lb per gallon. So far so good. On the flip side I do not know on "how would you know if you did not have enought"? All my tests comes out low/zero or within correct limits. I would think some ammonia or Nitrates or Nitites would be high but nope, very low (o.1) or none.

 

[squidd]

IMO/IME
In my tanks and several others that I've helped out with...It seems the most effective way to rid your self of Cyno is the oxygen factor...
While lights or nutrients "may" be contributing factors (and changing them "may" reduce Cyno)...
Cyno is a sub-oxic bacteria that cannot survive in a high oxygen enviroment...
Lot's of talk about increasing flow, or "I have plenty of flow"...but it's a two part process...
1. You need flow to the surface for surface agitation and gaseous exchange...(co2/O2)...Sumps, W/Ds and Skimmers all contribute to oxygenation as well...
(if you look at "red Slime remover"...It's an "oxidizer"...But we're not talking chemical "fixes" here)
2. Flow HAS to go to all parts of the tank...Just "swishing" across the front (or top) of the tank won't cut it...
The flow "bouncing" off the rocks leaves "stagnant" or dead spots that quickly become oxygen depleted (remember all the other "good" bacteria you have been growing is oxygen dependant)...
It's not about "blowing the sand around" but about getting flow (oxygenated water) from top to bottom...front to back...and from "under" the rocks and out in the open...
This is where "multiple outlets/power heads" and "random flow controllers" come into play...moving water in several different directions "at different times" to get the circulation and "Turn-OVER" up to par...
Having "X" amount of power heads or gph flowing in the tank is NOT a cure all if you don't have it "mixing it up" in your tank...
If you do not run "current switching devices" or "random flow controllers" in your tank, but do have multiple outlets or powerheads...You can get excellent results by "re -aiming" the outlets every couple days to get oxygenated water to ALL parts of your tank...
HTH
This is my sand bed...High flow...Current switching...Look between/under the rocks... :thinking:

 

[ken327]

I had it really bad. This is what i had to do and it never came back its been 8 months now. Look under your tank hopefully its not coverd. you should see the slime on the glass on bottom of aquarium, carefully siphon out all that sand and replace it may take a couple of times doing that but its the only way to remove it from tank completly. AS the previous post says it is about ciculation i installed my power heads on timers for different flow directions thruout the day. NO MORE PROBLEMS.

 

[squidd]

^

 

[mburnickas]

Well I just checked my records ad my RODI filter is 6-months old ad I have made may many gallons of clean water. I wonder if this is the cause of my small outbreak? So I bought some filters (all but membrane)to see if that is it.

 

[squidd]

Do you have a TDS meter to test and track Membrane efficiency..??
Should be 0 or darn near...If/when it goes up time to replace....
Life expectancy of membrane depends on source water and frequency of pre-filter maintainence...

 

[capschamp]

someone needs to bump up justinx redslime article.

 

[mburnickas]

No on the TDS and my membrane and complete unit is only 6-months old. I am going to also buy one in a couple of weeks. I want to try this first. If my membrane ($90) is gone after 6-months something it wrong.
I was looking at my carbon and it is orange/brown and my SILICAMAX filter has the color changing stuff in it. I also looked at that and the top 1" of the resin is light orange and the rest is dark;so I guess I need a new resin. So I think it is letting some "bad" stuff ,excess nutrients, go by the resin.

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by mburnickas
. If my membrane ($90) is gone after 6-months something it wrong.

"Possibly"...If you "source water" is bad (heavy TDS) you may need to change the "pre-filters" (before the membrane) much more often...
As they are less expensive than a membrane or DI resin, it would be "cheap insurance"...
A TDS meter (about $70) will allow you to test your source water...your "pre-filtered" water, post membrane water and final (after DI) output water...
If the pre-filters "fail" and allow too much through... the "membrane" follows quickly...If the membrane "fails" the DI "wears out" very quickly...
What are your pre-filter "stages" like...??
I use a 5 micron "sediment" prior to pressure pump...then a 5 micron "carbon", then a 1 micron "sediment" prior to Membrane... (then 1 micron Carbon, then DI...)
I change the "pre-filters every two months and they are SHOT...(will post pics if you want) But my membrane is going on a year...slowly declining, but not "out of tolerance" yet...
You can also "track" your source and "filtered" water if you have LOW range Phosphate, Silicate, NitrIte, NitrAte and Iron (both feric and oxic) test kits...
Chlorine can kill a CTA membrane..TFC or Hi-S are better...
Are you on a well or City water...?

 

[mburnickas]

I am using, in order of stages (normal 4-stage):
1- 5 micron sediment (looks brand new)
2- 5 micron carbon (orange in color)
3- membrane (no clue)
4 -resin silicmax filter (top band is light in color when
comapred to rest of filter)
1- flush kit that gets used weekly for 30 seconds
I just wish I had a before and after pix of the resin part. I really think that is it. I am going to get aq TDS meter soon.
I ordered all three filters. Oh, I am on city water.

 

[squidd]

Opps, your right...
Sediment first then Carbon, that is the order I run as well...(I'll have to change my post above)...
I'm on a "well", no "home" conditioner/softener/filters...
But, DAMN...My fish got it good....

 

[mburnickas]

yes they do. Do you have a pix of a bad resin filter?
I am going to buy a TDS today. I found some online for like $30

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by mburnickas
... Do you have a pix of a bad resin filter?...

Yeah..It looks just like yours...

J/K...Here's mine at "present"...
Blackness works it's way "up" from the bottom...I'll lose this one when it hits 3/4...again confirmed by TDS rise or increase in Silicates in my water test's...