Red slime algae

[showjumper_girl2002]

Hello All,
I’m having a terrible issue with red slime algae. I’ve done a 25% water change and did remove as much as of the algae as possible prior to the change. It’s been about a month and due for its next water change and the algae is still terrible. I’ve checked the phosphates with the master reef tester kit I have and every time I test it shows no phosphates present. I’ve dropped my feeding down to once every 2 days. I have added chemi-pure to the filter in my sump. I just don’t know what else to do and what could be causing this if there are little to no phosphates. Please help!

 

[Dan_P]

Hello All,
I’m having a terrible issue with red slime algae. I’ve done a 25% water change and did remove as much as of the algae as possible prior to the change. It’s been about a month and due for its next water change and the algae is still terrible. I’ve checked the phosphates with the master reef tester kit I have and every time I test it shows no phosphates present. I’ve dropped my feeding down to once every 2 days. I have added chemi-pure to the filter in my sump. I just don’t know what else to do and what could be causing this if there are little to no phosphates. Please help!

It would help to remove the slime daily rather than with the once a month water change. No point in letting it take over the aquarium.

 

[sfin52]

It would help to remove the slime daily rather than with the once a month water change. No point in letting it take over the aquarium.

Use a 5micron sock and remove cyanobacteria into a 5gal bucket. Pump water back into the tank. Will save you from water changes and does the same thing.
Sounds like nitrates and phosphates are out of balance 0 nitrates and phosphates is not a good thing

 

[showjumper_girl2002]

Use a 5micron sock and remove cyanobacteria into a 5gal bucket. Pump water back into the tank. Will save you from water changes and does the same thing.
Sounds like nitrates ans phosphates are out of balance 0 nitrates and phosphates is not a good thing

Doesn’t this algae need phosphates to grow though? If there are little to none then how is it taking over my tank? Lol

 

[showjumper_girl2002]

It would help to remove the slime daily rather than with the once a month water change. No point in letting it take over the aquarium.

I agree, but that’s just a bandaid over the real issue. How do I get rid of it so it’s gone gone? Any tips/advise?

 

[sfin52]

Doesn’t this algae need phosphates to grow though? If there are little to none then how is it taking over my tank? Lol

No. It can thrive in phosphate deprived environments.

 

[sfin52]

I agree, but that’s just a bandaid over the real issue. How do I get rid of it so it’s gone gone? Any tips/advise?

Stop removing phosphates and nitrates. I really like dr tims recipe to control cyanobacteria.

 

[Dan_P]

I agree, but that’s just a bandaid over the real issue. How do I get rid of it so it’s gone gone? Any tips/advise?

Sometimes a bandaid is all you need

If you think your situation matches up with what someone posts, by all means try the suggested “cure”. I think the cyanobacteria will go away whether you nothing or try a suggested cure. I like trying cures because it makes me feel good doing something.

 

[Chris Spaulding]

Cyano is actually a bacteria. The Cyano is outcompeting good bacteria. Syphoning out as much as you can and refortifying with MB7 , DR Tims ,Bio Digest bacteria. Reducing light intensity as well.It takes some time but is defiantly beatable naturally.

 

[Miami Reef]

Cyano grows in high phosphates tanks as well as low phosphate tanks.

It seems to me that cyano scavenges and directly consumed organics and decomposing matter.

I think if I had a cyano outbreak, I would try to limit organics (via skimming) dosing CaCO3 as an organic flocculant, and siphoning it out.

But a few months ago I had dinos and cyano followed. Nothing I did removed it, but chemiclean really worked and I never saw cyano again. Sometimes chemi clean is needed and I wouldn’t hesitate to use it again if I had a stubborn case of cyano.

Unless the cyano is directly harming corals/inverts, I would use chemi clean as a last resort. I would try to be patient and maintain good water quality as best as I can. If it fails, I’ll go the chemiclean route.