Help with Red Slime

[weemanpow3]

My tank is just starting to get some red slime and Just did a 5 gallon water change. I am just about to treat it with Red Slime Remover. My question is should I leave my skimmer on (Coralife 65 super skimmer) or off? Also with my filter (AquaClear 50 Powerfilter) with Carbon, BioMax, and Foam sponge. Should I remove BioMax and carbon or just carbon?

thanks

 

[Ziggy953]

Using Red Slime Remover will not correct the problem. What are you water params? When red slime (cyano) shows up in a tank that means there are excess nutirents, NitrAtes. Doing regular PWCs will help get those numbers down. How often do you change your carbon? Typically it is only good for about a week in a SW tank.

 

[roka64]

I would also think the carbon would soak up the slime remover as well....

 

[weemanpow3]

I remove the skimmer and carbon yesterday. The red slime started right after moving some rock around. Their wasn't alot of red slime it was just starting to grow. My water changes are every week and a half with RO/DI water. I had the same carbon for 3 weeks and every week I take it out and rinse it and put it back in the filter. Im gonna get a new carbon pack this weekend. Ill just keep an eye on everything and it should clear up just fine. Do you think a UV-Sterilizer is worth getting?

 

[Ziggy953]

The carbon really needs to be changed weekly, after a week it isn't doing its job anymore. The slime is growing because of nutirents that your PWCs will take care of. If you are doing a 10% PWC bump it up to 15% for a while. Remember to mix your SW up at least 24 hours before use.

I don't have a UV sterilizer on my tank, though I have thought about adding one. There are pros and cons to them. I just can't find enough pros for my personal tank to add one at this point.

 

[melosu58]

Here is a good article on cyano

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=48

Also GAC only is good for about a week. It does no good to rinse it out and use it again. IMO Can you give us a reading on your nitrates and phosphates.