Losing my battle with red slime

[Dowtish]

Matt, I'm telling you, you are experiencing a bacterial imbalance. Cyano (a bacteria) is out competing your natural amounts of nitrifying bacteria. Go to the critter and get some microbacter 7, or go to Petco and get some microbe lift special blend. Dose accordingly....

 

[11f150]

Matt, I'm telling you, you are experiencing a bacterial imbalance. Cyano (a bacteria) is out competing your natural amounts of nitrifying bacteria. Go to the critter and get some microbacter 7, or go to Petco and get some microbe lift special blend. Dose accordingly....

Ok will do

 

[Saulsa]

Just because the water is from your LFS doesn't mean they are being religious about changing the membranes or cartridges. I speak from my own experience...**sigh** If they have a TDS meter on their RO, it's never rude to ask if you could see it to eliminate that possibility.

I also think a skimmer would help a lot. CPR, Octopus, and Eshopps HOB skimmers are all pretty popular and would help keeping excess nutrients low inbitween water changes..

 

[mallorieGgator]

Ok I have been battling my red slime for about a month now, and it is covering my sand bed and a few rocks. This is what I have changed so far and I am not seeing results. I clean the red slime out of my tank about 2 times a week. I recently bought a MP10 for more flow. I starting using chemi pure elite about 2 weeks ago. I am only running my lights for about 8 hrs for the past month. I feed my fish 1 time per day and they devour what I put in there.
I have a JBJ 28gal CF Quad. The light bulb has not been used for 2 months yet. The tank is fairly new and has been up for little over 2 months so Im not sure if this is a stage I need to go through but some advice please. I really dont want to put a phosphate remover in there quite yet, I would like it to clear up without it.

Im also considering getting a led light fixture so possibly that would help compared to the CF. Thanks

This is what is happening. A lot of tanks go through phases....diatoms, red slime and green slime, and then hair algae is the last battle. I was having problems even running a skimmer and biopellets. I have been doing a 12 gallon WC (on a 120) and I first turkey baste the rocks to blow out detritus (with the pumps and return off). Then I suction out all of the detritus on the rocks and sand bed. I've also REALLY cut down on feeding and only target feed corals once a week now. Cyano is almost all gone. Oooo also! Another thing is that if you have ANY light hitting your tank from outside, it WILL cause cyano. I put up black out curtains and the cyano decreased by about 75% afterward.

 

[robf]

This is what is happening. A lot of tanks go through phases....diatoms, red slime and green slime, and then hair algae is the last battle. I was having problems even running a skimmer and biopellets. I have been doing a 12 gallon WC (on a 120) and I first turkey baste the rocks to blow out detritus (with the pumps and return off). Then I suction out all of the detritus on the rocks and sand bed. I've also REALLY cut down on feeding and only target feed corals once a week now. Cyano is almost all gone. Oooo also! Another thing is that if you have ANY light hitting your tank from outside, it WILL cause cyano. I put up black out curtains and the cyano decreased by about 75% afterward.

Dittos to Mallorie's comments. I wouldn't be so concerned about the water from the LFS as I would about over feeding. Your tank will go through phases as it seasons.

 

[mcarroll]

I change 5 gallons every Monday with water straight from my LFS. The tank is kept right around 80 degrees, it changes from 79.5-80.2. I do not run a skimmer currently, but I will look into them and see what I could get on my jbj cube.

+1 to all former advice.

Also, double check the TDS at the LFS. :neutral: Really.

Stale filters will yield higher TDS and cyano....did for me.

Have also had Tropic Marin Pro Reef cause slime, so if that fits your case switching would be another option.

I second the use of an oxidizer whether h2o2 or a commercial remedy. They are a proven, if a bit dramatic for some, remedy - and a better risk than letting corals get choked. Try careful powerhead blasts and daily siphoning first, i f you haven't already. You should be doing ~25%/week water changes including all this slime siphoning. Airline+rigid airline tubing make a great "detail siphoner".

Don't let it make you crazy!