Red slime/ algae outbreak help

[xxStLxx]

I have a 12g aqua pod that has been running for around almost a year and a half now. I've recently seen a decline in purple and pink coralline algae and a boost in green coralline and now within the last week I've had a huge red slime and green hair algae outbreak. Can some one please help or give me some ideas as to help manage/ eliminate the problem?

My current water conditions as of Saturday were: temp 78, sg 1.024, calcium 450ppm, alk 8.4, mag 1380ppm, nitrate 4ppm, phosphate .08ppm, iodine .06ppm. I use red sea pro test kits.

 

[shamrock13]

This is a post I just left on another thread

Yep it's absolutely red slime. Had this problem about a month ago. You can suck it up with during water change but will come back within a day or two. I went to get LFS and they gave me red slime remover by a company called ultra life. Within 24 hours it was all gone! And I had a lot more then you did. It says it could take two try's or even lower your ph, but I never had any problems. Do a couple small water changes, even though you can't see it, it's still in your tank. Clean filter pads, etc.

 

[Crabs]

I also ran into this problem several weeks ago. Even with the chemical additive it will come back if u don't correct the cause. It's cyano bacteria and not algae. Cut back on feeding, additional water changes and check into the type of filtration u have. I started using chemi pure elite as well as purigen and this corrected the problem within a couple weeks. I never used the afore mentioned chemical additive. Although I considered it as a last resort

 

[xxStLxx]

I just got rid of the crushed LR in one of the chambers in the back that was a nitrate factory and not doing any good for my corals but I think removing it kicked up a bunch of nutrients in the tank. Right now I just have a bag of phoszorb that I change once a month and a media bag of ROX carbon that I change every 2 weeks. Ive herd about the chemipure elite what all does it do? And purigen?

 

[Crabs]

U can find all the info on these products online. I'm not going to advertise for them. They worked for me. Good luck

 

[scottayy]

I've used chemipure. Works great, caused a nitrate spike for me though. I recently got rid of some cyano in my sump (not purposely, but as a result of lowering my nitrates) and it was cool to see it disappear naturally.

 

[xxStLxx]

Is it possible to run a bag of Purigen, Chem Elite, phoszorb and carbon all at once in a media reactor or witll they counter-react one another? The Chemipure Elite stuff sounds amazing also, but I want to have the best quality water possible.

 

[xxStLxx]

** typo not a reactor but individual media bags

 

[Crabs]

Never asked before. I'm assuming ur starting with RO/DI water, because the best way to have the cleanest water is by pwc with the cleanest available. If ur using tap water, good luck cleaning it up with media filtration

 

[xxStLxx]

I only use RODI water. For top off and mixing my saltwater.

 

[bootz]

is it necessary to use some form of chemical additive can you just continue to do more waterchanges and perhaps increase the amount of turbo snail etc. just curious cause i am also starting to get an outbreak of this slime except mine is green

 

[xxStLxx]

Your algae could be hair algae if it's green. Which is a form of algae while as the red slime is is a form of bacteria. But I'll let the experts answer this question.

 

[Crabs]

I'm far from being an expert. I just share my experiences. I've had both red and green hair algae. Also had cyano bacteria. Mexican turbos and Trochus snails work great for algae. The bacteria is a whole different matter. Though both can be attributed to poor water quality. Yes, u need to know exactly what ur dealing with and target it specifically

 

[scottayy]

It's not necessary, per se, if you can get your nutrient levels down. The algae is feeding off of excess nutrients.

You can get them down by PWC's and being cautious with your tank.

 

[Crabs]

Sometimes it's easier said than done. Most of us with nanos don't have sumps and r dealing with much less water volume. Minuscule things can change water quality rapidly. I try do deal with problems naturally. Be it filtration media or critters. It's a learning process that takes time. I've got the right combo right now but tomorrow it could b something else. That's what keeps this hobby interesting. Frustrating at times but interesting

 

[scottayy]

Oh believe me, I know. Been struggling for months up until the past month or so. It's rewarding when you do something that works.

 

[xxStLxx]

I'm going to go ahead and get the chemipure elite today and also kill my lights for a few days and hope that makes everything die out without killing off my corals

 

[bootz]

I actually have good water parameters and over the past 2 weeks i have kept my feedings down. I have been doing about a 10% water change every other day. I need to order a better clean up crew mine is kinda weak.

 

[Crabs]

Yep. Trial and error till u get the right crew for u. Can't remember how many trips I made to my LFS, buying new and swapping old crew critters, till I found the right 1's for my tank. And as needs change, so will my crew

 

[xxStLxx]

My CUC was good to go up till the intro of the bacteria to my tank. I run with 15 cerith snails, 4 nassarius snails, 1 peppermint shrimp, 1 cleaner shrimp, and I have a couple blue legs running around somewhere. I dont know anything that will really eat out the bacteria. So tomorrow when I do my weekly 10%, supplements and switch carbon and add chemipure to the sump I'm going to kill the lights for a few days and bring them back slowly. And hopefully my monti and lps frags will survive