red slime algae problem

[salttanklife]

I'm battling red slime algae and it's starting to get me a little aggravated. I wasn't using rodi water but I went and got a system last week and started. I was using water from my fridge to top off the water in the tank daily (I'm pretty sure this was part of the problem). My bulbs was getting close, if not over a year old. I put in new Phoenix 14k bulbs last week as well, I'm thinking this was part of the problem as well. I have done 2 water changes since replacing the bulbs and changing to nothing but rodi water. My question is, how long should it take for the red slime algae to start going away? Is it safe to take some of the lr out and wash it off with fw to get it off? Does the red slime algae put off air bubbles when it's dieing off?
All my water parameters are good other than my calcium being at 500. I haven't checked my phosphate, mag, or alkalinity due to not having the testers for it (these testers are what I'm buying next). Everything else is at 0 with my salinity be 1.023.
My tank is a 90 gallon bowfront that has been up and running for a little over year now. I change my filter sock in my sump every 5 to 7 days. My skimmer runs 24 hours a day as well. Actinic lighting cuts on at 11:00 AM and off at 9:00 PM. I have my current sunpod 250x2 metal halide cutting on at 12:30 PM and off at 8:00 PM.
As for livestock
1 Foxface
3 Clown fish
1 Coral beauty
1 Firefish
1 Tailspot goby
1 blue damsel
3 Cleaner shrimp
10 or so snails and hermit crabs
Toadstool coral
Green star polyps
Kenya tree
Trumpet coral
3 types of zoa
4 mushroom
xenia pom pom
Candy cane

 

[salttanklife]

I tried to vacuum out as much as I could while doing the water changes, but it's back in the same spot the very next day. I also thought about taking the lr that I can move without causing to much havoc in the tank, and holding it directly in front of the circulation pump to blow it off. I figured I should be able to grab the stuff floating around with a net, but then again, this makes me feel like I might just spread it more throughout the tank. I also left some livestock out, 1 arrow crab, torch coral, and 1 lps that I can't think of the name

 

[booth2010]

10 hours a day of light may be too much. I have the same problem in my 10 gal and I've cut back to 7 hours a day and every 3 days I only run it for 2 hours. It's helped a lot but it's still pretty bad. Tomorrow I plan to do a 80% water change and scrub the rock

 

[NanaReefer]

I'm fighting cyano myself Have done the 3 days lights out, only to have it come back 2 days later. Did a ChemiClean treatment, didn't touch it. Changed 100% of my water within a week, did nothing.
I'm beginning to wonder if the new lamps I put in (ATI Aquablue Specials) may be the culprit. Bad bulbs maybe?

 

[salttanklife]

Thanks for the reply, I had my metal halide lighting going for 9 hours a day up until last week. They're cut back to 7.5 hours now and I'm going to reduce them to 7 hours. My lfs told me that the actinic lighting didn't matter on algae control and to run them 2 hours before/after my mh. I never seen the red slime bubble until I started making these changes, does that mean it's dieing? I worry about dropping my lights any lower because I don't want to affect my corals health, does your 10 gallon have coral and if so, have you had any problems with the 2 hours of light days? I also had a maroon clown and cleaner shrimp die at the same time the red algae really took over, I couldn't find them in the tank. I got both of them from a guy whose tank was about to crash during our big ice storm here in the south that caused prolonged power outages. I couldn't save them but I sure wish I could have found them

 

[salttanklife]

I was thinking of trying that chemiclean treatment but I've heard mixed reviews on it. Some say it works, some say it's a waste of time and money, I want to try everything possible before going the chemical route. I went 2 days without power before going to get a generator when the ice storm hit here and it didn't help with it. I hoping something in these changes I'm making will help. New lights, good water, cutting back on light time, and the 2 water changes hasn't done nothing, but it's only been a week since the changes, maybe I'm just being to impatient.

 

[Ole Man]

That red slime problem is a bacteria that is hard to get out of the water I battled with it myself and the Chemiclean if you follow the directions correctly worked for me when I used it.Remember follow the directions that's the key and the water change afterwards,good luck and happy reefing.

 

[salttanklife]

Chemiclean is my next step after giving it 2 more weeks of water changes. The directions states that a air stone should be used, did you use 1 when you did yours? I've got two large Hydor circulation pumps and the return from the sump blowing in the tank, would I need more than that? Was there any harm to your fish or coral? I read that adding more wavemakers will get rid of it as well due to it not being able to settle on the sand/lr. I might try this method as well, but then again, I don't want to overdue the circulation either.

 

[Dowtish]

Instead of adding an airstone, you just take the collection cup off of your skimmer and let it overflow into the sump. Your skimmer will overflow anyways when you dose it, so it just kinda works out. haha

 

[jason g]

I had some redslime algae myself. I've been using this product called Nualgi. Go to the website and request a bottle for a free trial this stuff works wonders. It took my cyano away in less then a week and this was with the first dose. Nualgi Aquarium | Spend less time cleaning your aquarium & more time enjoying it! try it out.

 

[booth2010]

I worry about dropping my lights any lower because I don't want to affect my corals health, does your 10 gallon have coral and if so, have you had any problems with the 2 hours of light days?

I only have a small thing of zoas about 20 polyps and they do fine even when I do 3 days on 2 days off with the light

 

[salttanklife]

I just applied for the free trial, hopefully it'll work. I accept anything free in the expensive hobby. The wife wasn't to happy with the 400 I spent last week on the rodi, new bulbs, and a trumpet coral frag lol. I told her that was cheap and she looked at me kinda crazy

 

[jason g]

I just applied for the free trial, hopefully it'll work. I accept anything free in the expensive hobby. The wife wasn't to happy with the 400 I spent last week on the rodi, new bulbs, and a trumpet coral frag lol. I told her that was cheap and she looked at me kinda crazy

I was hesitant at first to try it but after watching all the videos and reading the feedback and seen photos I was sold. I've witnessed first hand the results. Unbelievable. Good luck. Oh and I get that same crazy look from my wife. Lol

 

[MistaOrange]

Cyno is easy to get rid of... Either change the flow direction or increase the flow (I'd increase flow), add an airstone in the sump as the tank is being starved of oxygen, skim more wet as it would draw more nutrient out... Should be gone within a week or so...

 

[Zero Nitrates]

You might try stabilizing the tank. Keep everything the same for 3 to 4 months. Use a turkey baster to blow off the rocks every time you do a water change. It will go away with time.

 

[Connie]

Ultra Life Slime Stain Remover got rid of my cyano problem in 48 hours and didn't hurt a thing in the tank. That was two months ago and it hasn't come back.

 

[NanaReefer]

Well I started a 2nd ChemiClean treatment last night. It's all I've got on hand and I had to do something! Let ya all know how it goes

 

[salttanklife]

I was just thinking of my red slime problem a little earlier and thought about my bag full of carbon that's in the sump. That stuff has been in there for over a year and I read once it takes up all it can, it'll start releasing phosphates into the water, I think this could be a part of my problem and I removed it from the sump tonight. This bacteria is going to cause me to pull all my hair out