Red Slime Algae

[JPloman]

I need help please!!! :x

My husband and I have been battling Red Slime Algae for a few months and it just wont stop! Let me give you the low down on our tank.

We have an 80 gallon tank, refugium with kelerpa (spelling?) algae growing in it. We have about 60 lbs of live rock, a four inch sand bottom with four power heads to keep the water moving. We have a UV filter as well and chemical (charcoal & nitrate sponge) filters in the refugium. In our tank we have a convict blenny, 5 damels and countless hermit crabs and snails (both the sand sifting and turbo). We keep the temp at about 80...

Okay so what the heck are we doing wrong? We clean out the build up when it gets bad, if we did it every day it would never stop!!!

 

[BDAWG]

Here you go...

http://www.algone.com/red_slime_algae.htm

...I'm not saying buy the product, but this page will tell you a little bit about this specific type of algae. HTH

EDIT: Here's a better link...

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/microalgae/a/aa092800.htm

 

[lando]

first off...Welcome to AquariumAdvice.com!!!
I assume you are talking aabout cynobacteria covering the rock and substrate. It isa sign of too much nutrients in the water. This isussually in the form of nitrates o phosphates. I recommend getting a PO4 test kit and seeing what your tank levels are at and your source water (the water you use for changes and topp-offs) is at. Are you using tap water or RO/DI water? What is your feeding schedule? how much movement do you have in the tank? You must find the souce of the algea and eliminate in order to get rid of it in your tank. Once you identify and correct the source you can use a comercial remover like Chemi-Clean to get rid of what you have in your tank. Keep in mind, if you do not identify the source, it will just keep coming back. Good luck...Lando

 

[austinsdad]

I used a two step approach. Tested for phosphates like Lando suggested. They were high after the Christmas show-off, overfeeding period. Did more frequent water changes to fix that - 'bout one every 4 days. Small, only 5g on my 75g and 15g sump.

Then, I used a dry product called Ultralife red slime remover (from Ultralife Reef Products in CT) after vacuuming as much slime as I could. The product is billed as no harm to fish, inverts, or corals.

Calls for one tiny capful per 15g aquarium water as a dissolved solution. No carbon cleansing afterwards either. The next day, the slime coat on a 2 x 4" plot of sand raised up and separated from the sand. The stuff on the rock was gone and hasn't come back in a month. Of course I got the phosphates in order in the meantime. I probaly need to do a product review. Gotta check with the elders here to see if my experience was an exception.

But the stuff worked great for me.

Oh yeah, my manners. Almost forgot'm. Welcome to AA! Keep us posted on your progress.

He beat me to the smileys again!

 

[austinsdad]

P.S. - I'd think the temp could come down a bit too by the way.

 

[JPloman]

Well we only feed twice daily and very little at that. To feed our invertabrates we put in a few drops of this green protine liquid once a week as well. We have had high nitrate in the past but we use the nitrate sponge so it should have gone down. We tried that chemi-clean stuff and it killed a bunch of our babies...

We are 100% sure it is red slime algae aka cynobacteria.

We are going to try the Ultralife red slime remover, that is the only suggestion so far we have not tried.

Thank you all for your welcome!!!

 

[austinsdad]

Lemme know how it works out for you.

Have you determined the source of the trates? Something going on with the phosphates if the stuff works for you and comes back too. I think I overfed for a bit and caused mine, but the trates were never present.

What kind of substrate?

 

[lando]

Well we only feed twice daily and very little at that

try cutting back to once every other day and see if that helps.

 

[austinsdad]

True that. I feed once a day. May skip a day now and then also.

 

[malkore]

So, no protein skimmer?
tsk tsk...

Just kidding...but seriously, a protein skimmer is going to remove the DOC's that are being converted to nitrate and phosphate...thus lowering those levels.

I used to have cyanobacteria when I used a low-end skimmer. When I upgraded to a better skimmer, my cyano literally dissappeared in about 10 days...and I didn't do anything different to the tank apart from swapping out the skimmer.
And the cyano has not come back.

Protein skimming will improve the quality of your water, helping fish, inverts, etc have a happier life.

 

[austinsdad]

no protein skimmer?

I missed that one. That's why you guys are Advisors - and darned good ones too!

Yep. That's be a good source of trates and phates (just made that up. Cute, huh?) Never did say what your phosphate level is.

but we use the nitrate sponge so it should have gone down.

Need to test it I'd think. Those things either may not work or is worn out or overburdened.

Jploman - I'm still interested in your success (whether short lived or not) with the slime remover, but I think we may have found the key to the long term issue.

 

[JPloman]

I think we are going to get a protein skimmer this weekend. Thanks for the advice!

 

[austinsdad]

Didja try the slime remover?

 

[JPloman]

My store doesn't carry that brand. I did get a protien skimmer and about 50 new turbo snails. They seem to eat the slime. I did test the water and the quality is better than last time we checked it... I think its going to take a little time now. I will get another report to yall toward the end of the week!

You guys all rock!