Red Slime Algae
- Thread starter ajones2n
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Dowtish
5000 Club Member
cyano is a bacteria. you currently have a bacterial imbalance in the tank. The best way to treat it long term is to start dosing beneficial bacteria like microbacter 7 or something similar.
chemi clean will work but more than likely return if you dont gain the balance back. You could start dosing for 2 weeks and if it doesnt get better at all. you could do the chemi clean and continue dosing after the treatment.
chemi clean will work but more than likely return if you dont gain the balance back. You could start dosing for 2 weeks and if it doesnt get better at all. you could do the chemi clean and continue dosing after the treatment.
OP
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ajones2n
Active Member
I have relatively high flow throughout the tank so I don't think lack of flow is the problem. I did get new lights about three to five weeks ago. I upgraded from halides to LED's. I didn't see any signs of an outbreak before the lighting change. I've cut them back to about two hours a day. For nutrients, I've done two water changes within the past week to try and reduce phosphates and nitrates in the system. I've tested for both and the levels aren't high. I also assumed that even if they were the algae was probably consuming them and I wasn't getting a true reading.
Is there a natural way to maintain the balance of good and bad bacteria?
Also does chemi clean have any detrimental affects on the livestock?
Are there any natural predators of cyanobacteria?
Dowtish
5000 Club Member
The natural way is what I explained, by dosing bacteria.
Chemi clean did not cause me any issues whatsoever. My fish and corals were fine.
There are some snails and crabs that are reported to help with cyano, but Ive never seen them do a efficient job personally.
Chemi clean did not cause me any issues whatsoever. My fish and corals were fine.
There are some snails and crabs that are reported to help with cyano, but Ive never seen them do a efficient job personally.
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ajones2n
Active Member
Will do.
Is there a way to monitor the good and bad bacteria levels or do I just watch for cyano and when it shows itself I dose more of the good?
Also when dosing the microbactor7 will there still be the need to siphon out the cyano or will the good bacteria feed off the cyano?
Is microbactor the same as the bacteria that would come off a biopellet reactor making nutrient export more efficient?
Is there a way to monitor the good and bad bacteria levels or do I just watch for cyano and when it shows itself I dose more of the good?
Also when dosing the microbactor7 will there still be the need to siphon out the cyano or will the good bacteria feed off the cyano?
Is microbactor the same as the bacteria that would come off a biopellet reactor making nutrient export more efficient?
jewilson83
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How often do you do water changes? If you do 25% every 2 weeks cut you water changes into weekly for a month like 10% a week. Use a python siphon so it can suck the cyano that's under the surface of the sand. You don't have to go too deep into the sand. Blues don't feed cyano the whites do. So if you can cut those back. I've read a forum on here that helped. I went blue for 3 whole days after every water change and it help stop and remove cyano in its tracks. So if you can go blue or cut back whites by a large amount of time it'll help. It took a whole month to finally clear. Didn't have to use any chemicals (most destroy all bacteria, good and bad) if you have it on any hard corals that are on the sand take a toothbrush and brush off gently. As for hermits there's only about 2 that will go after cyano and I remember one is a zebra hermit crab it looks just like the name. My problem was water flow. I have a mixed reef with SPS all the top column and most of my flow was up top. You need flow below as well.
