Black slime on my plastic plants - EEk !

[dimmy32]

here's the official reply from Tech support at Ultralifedirect -

"I don't have any data for using the product with fresh water as red slime remover is a marine product. I would guess since it doesn't effect marine macro algae it would not effect fresh, but again, just a guess"

[Purrbox]

Well that certainly explains why I've never heard of the stuff. This is also why it's a good idea to research medications before adding them to your aquarium. I never use things that don't list ingrediants, since there's no way to know what they might do beyond their advertised use.

Basically at this point you'll just need to add a guinea pig plant when you're ready and see how it does. If you see no adverse affects then add a few more. If you wait until after the Activated Carbon has had plenty of time to remove the medicine, you'll have the best chance of things working out.

[dimmy32]

thanks, I'll wait til the weekend . I'm happy that my tank is a guinea pig for this medication. I cant be the only person that's tried it out on a freshwater tank.
I have some invertebrates, and theyre doing fine, as well as the fish.

I got another interesting reply -

"I wouldn't remove it unless you suspect a problem. The longer it is in the more time it has to work against the problem. For marine we don't recommend especially trying to remove it, just your normal skimming, filtering etc......"

[jsoong]

OK, I just did a quick Google on the stuff, and in Marine forums, people seem to think that the "Red Slime Remover" is Erythromycin. It is possible that it is also a combination of Erythromycin and other stuff.

In FW circle, erythromycin is a last resort for BGA. <It is however, safe for plants.> The Skeptical Aquarist suggests this regime:
"....the recommended dosage of 200mg/10 gallons....... Be prepared for the massive cyanobacterial die-off. Dying cyanobacteria can release toxins that will stress your fish and all the other organisms in the tank and could be deadly. Cyanobacterial toxins affect the neural system and damage the liver. Liver damage will not be evident perhaps, until a victim suffers symptoms of "dropsy" long afterwards. Rinse out the filter media each day. Manually collect as much of the cyanobacterial sheets as you can in a brine-shrimp net. After 48 hours, do a 40% water change and repeat the erythromycin dosage. On the fourth day, siphon again carefully and do another 40% water change."
Full article here: The Skeptical Aquarist

Personally, I'd wait 48 hrs & remove the stuff with water changes. I always feel better to have physically removed a material from the tank, rather than relying on carbon adsorption (whcih can be saturated, leeching back the material). Also, you would want to do pwc's to remove toxins from the dying bacteria, and also to limit any NH3/NO2 spikes from decomposing BGA &/or erythromycin's effect on the nitrifying bacteria.

[dimmy32]

wow, interesting ...
My black slime was growing almost exclusivly on my plastic plants...there was very little on the gravel or tank. I took the plastic plants out and placed them in a big bowl, and double-dosed the red slime remover, and after 24 hrs, rinsed them off and put them back in the tank.

The charcoal pillow has been in my filter since monday - the fish look healthy , tank looks crystal clean ( the lights have not been on since I treated the tank ) .
I think now is the time for action - I plan on going to my local fish warehouse tonight and filling my tank with tons of freshwater plants, and start my light cycle.

[dimmy32]

Just to update you guys -i bought a big bag of "eco-complete planted aquarium substrate "

CaribSea Planted Aquarium | Eco-Complete Planted | Eco-Complete Red | Floramax

mixed it in with the gravel.

I bought 10 plants - all mixed, so i dont know what they are - I asked for easy growing plants .

Also couldnt resist buying 6 gold tetras - theyre big and shiny.

So I put in the bag of substrate, and added the plants and fish. Keeping the lights off , of course, so the fish will be less stressed ou t.

We'll see tomorrow what happens

[dimmy32]

some vids from my tank this am - ( right click and save - faster )

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/2/22/808284/glass%20catfish.wmv

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/2/22/808284/fish.wmv