Red Slime Algae
- Thread starter arvind
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Could be cyanobacteria or spirulina. both of which can be called red slime. check out this thread.
http://reef2reef.com/threads/cyanobacteria-questions-answers-and-solution.253823/
http://reef2reef.com/threads/cyanobacteria-questions-answers-and-solution.253823/
jsker
Reefing is all about the adventure
Here is your three options
I was almost at the point to take the nuclear option with frustration. The reason I did not, was I want to figure out what the source was and fix it for good and I went with option #2. Another question: how old is your system, if the system is a young system this is part of cycling process and again check you parameters, pick you option.
- Basically the thread at @cromag08 posted and it is a good thread to read through for grasping why to use H2O2. The dosing is 1 ml per 10 gallons twice and day. The dosing is done 1 hour before the light come on and 1 hour after the light go off. One dosing for 14 day. You best to purchase a new bottle of peroxide. Peroxide only has a shelf-life of 6 months once opened. If you use this method you should start see results in about 6 day.
- I had a real back outbreak of Green hair algae and red slime/cayno and the H2O2 really did not work on my system. My nitrates were running high, and my Phosphates were also above .06. I brought down my No3's buy running bio pellets and GFO and I only have a tiny patch of red slime/cayno left and that patch is getting thinner. I also run a probioatic system and the H2O2 was killing of the good bactria that I needed. Also there are other carbon dosing options such as vodka, vinegar etc that will help reduce you nitrates.
- You can nuke the tank with chem clean.
I was almost at the point to take the nuclear option with frustration. The reason I did not, was I want to figure out what the source was and fix it for good and I went with option #2. Another question: how old is your system, if the system is a young system this is part of cycling process and again check you parameters, pick you option.
OP
OP
arvind
Active Member
My situation is I have two tanks. a 60g and a 180g running in the same system. I only have the cyano issue in 60g. I would hate to treat the entire tank with Hydrogen Peroxide. I have sporadic hair algae in the 180g system though. This sudden algae outbreak I am not sure where it is coming from. I was running the tank fallow for 2+ months and reintroduced the fish back. I am guessing this is due to the sudden nutrient overload, but I am not sure.
I think I have to look into solutions like Vodka or Vinegar which might address the issue systemwide.
I think I have to look into solutions like Vodka or Vinegar which might address the issue systemwide.
OP
OP
arvind
Active Member
I have been manually removing them once a week and it keeps coming back. Phosphates are reading 0 not always a reliable reading. Havent tested nitrates recently I will now. Turning reds off is something new. I will do it right away.
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arvind
Active Member
Thanks. I actually was reading lots of positive reviews on chemiclean. I in fact was about to place an order and then I thought let me try this spot treatment first. I'll see how it goes.
well in my experience doing a spot cleaning first is a must then run the chemiclean. i had a horrible out break awhile back and after weeks of trying differnt things chemiclean was the only one that wiped it out. another great product for after the cemiclean is cyanoclean from Kz they sell it on BRS. its a bacteria that will eat the cyano. i started using it after chemiclean and have not gotten any returning. you can use that one to treat all the cyano as well but it will take a very long time this way. best way for me was to run the chemiclean and then after doing the treatment start dosing the cyanoclean twice a week. havent seen any sense.
Reefcowboy
Well-Known Member
I've fought red slime in tanks with very high flow and excellent husbandry. Sps were doing great growing and coloring while I had tiny spots come back after removal. Nitrates were 5-10 which is not a bad parameter. I tried chemiclean which cleaned it all but sure enough a week or two they were back slowly.
I only completely got rid of it once I started carbon dosing. The first couple of days it got smaller and withered away, never coming back again for 2 years.
Granted my Nitrates are 0.2-0.5 so I'm sure it played a role on them, but keeping them lower than 5ppm without some help is a tough task for a reef
I only completely got rid of it once I started carbon dosing. The first couple of days it got smaller and withered away, never coming back again for 2 years.
Granted my Nitrates are 0.2-0.5 so I'm sure it played a role on them, but keeping them lower than 5ppm without some help is a tough task for a reef
Funny thing is in 30 years I never had cyano or extreme algae issues until I started using leds. I narrowed it down on my tanks at least to the red, yellow, and green spectrum leds. You usually get enough red in any violet or even blue led, that any additional red can be contributing to cyano and algae. Think about it, algae scrubbers use red leds. The yellow and green tend to be aesthetically unpleasant to me and that color spectrum also feeds algae.
Are you sure this isnt red hair? i have some green hair that appeared after my crash and has two dime size spots of red. It looks just like the green hair though and isnt slimy or anything. I wanted to transfer my corals and turn lights out for a while to starve off but I am afraid if it is cyano than that will get in my new tank or quarantine that was supposed to be for fish but havt used it yet.
I actually have little specs on frag plugs too, that are exact same color and dont think they were there when I got then so also thought it could be coraline and its making the green alae look red because its very bright. I have no idea what to do. I know the green hair is very short and hard to grab so maybe I should let it grow or maybe its turf! How will I know with out sending it off to be tested? I am new at this and never had algae before and that tank is 7 months old, my other is 3 months. ihave been lucky with algae until the crash from low salinity!
I actually have little specs on frag plugs too, that are exact same color and dont think they were there when I got then so also thought it could be coraline and its making the green alae look red because its very bright. I have no idea what to do. I know the green hair is very short and hard to grab so maybe I should let it grow or maybe its turf! How will I know with out sending it off to be tested? I am new at this and never had algae before and that tank is 7 months old, my other is 3 months. ihave been lucky with algae until the crash from low salinity!
