ok what is it, and how do i get rid of it

[harleymike]

I keep sucking it out, but it keeps coming back.
What can i do too control it.
Thanks for the hellp

Mike

 

[Poseidon]

red slime algae... once i got it i have never been able to get rid of it...

 

[yveterinarian]

It looks like red cyano.  Often it is a flow problem.  Try to see if you can adjust the flow in that area.  In the meantime, keep sucking it out carefully, making sure you don't disturb the sand.  When I used PhosBan I was able to get rid of mine but it takes time and diligence.

 

[mark0933]

Old bulbs will also contribute to it I used to find.

Your tank looks fairly new (based on the sand bed) - this is a normal part of a new tank (especially if you didn't use RODI water when you started the tank.


Mark

 

[harleymike]

Tank is fairly new. I didnt use rodi water until a few weeks ago.
Just ro water and only for a few weeks berfore that. I originally used tap water for a number of months.

Bulbs are only about 4 months old.
Is there maybe some sort of sand sifting creature i should have in there too.

 

[yveterinarian]

I have been told that there aren't any sand sifting creatures or snails that actually eat this stuff.  If you have switched to RO then it should start to clear up with regular removal of the cyano.  As stated before, mine left with the use of PhosBan.  I didn't put it into any kind of reactor, just the bag and rinsed it before putting it in the sump.  I just made sure the return water flowed vigorously over it.  I have to replace it every 3-4 months. 

 

[Salty Cracker]

Tap water, bad flow, high phosphates, old bulbs, overfeeding.  <----Any one of those can be the culprit.  Believe me when I say I am familiar with red slime. 


"Slime free since 8/30/2011"

 

[harleymike]

phosban in a bag. MIght have too try that in my filter then.

 

[nitro069]

When I started to have a cyno outbreak i used rowaphos in a reactor, heavy skimming, siphoned the cyno, a few water changes and did a 3 day lights out. mine wasn't overly bad(looking at your sand bed maybe the same or a little less) and when the lights came back on it was cleared up. thankfully haven't had it again. now dinos is another story.....

 

[Duke]

manual removal so it doesnt get out of hand is a good idea, adding a sand sifting goby or starfish would help keep the sand churned up and will help the algae from getting out of control... more power heads to increase the flow also will keep it from getting out of control, but that would just be masking the problem, less food for now and some phosphate reducing setup is also going to be a great help. a reactor with GFO is pretty much the standard setup most have, but there are others.Does anyone here have experience with using Chemi pure inside a canister filter? that might work to get you started.

 

[harleymike]

Im picking up a gfo reator on friday. I was going too put it on my other tank. Maybe i should put it on this one, and put a bag of phosban in my canister filter for othe one.

 

[TORX]

DONT rush it. Let it run it its course. Big changes will be worse. Suck it up during water changes and, switch to RO/DI...maybe add more flow.

 

[davesolo29]

+1 to what torx said.
manual removal, more flow, and time.  wait it out.  it will go.

 

[harleymike]

anything wrong with adding a gfo reacotr now, or should i waite.
Picking one up on friday.

 

[Duke]

anything wrong with adding a gfo reacotr now, or should i waite.
Picking one up on friday.

theres no wrong in doing that, its the right thing to do. just take it easy and start with a small amount of GFO and work up bit by bit.. you dont want to strip the water of phosphates too quickly because that can be hard on coral.

 

[Duke]

actually i shouldnt really say that because there are some people who can control there PO4 levels just fine without GFO, its just alot easier with GFO.

 

[harleymike]

Thanks duke
I will add it slowlly at first. I think i will put the reactor on this tank with the red algae and put it in the canistrer fiter on the other one.

 

[Salty Cracker]

Just my opinion, but I would never use chemi pure on a tank no matter how bad it was.  Too harsh, too effective, too quick, too dangerous.

 

[harleymike]

Just the chemi pure product or any gfo.
Im still trying to figure all this out. New too it.

 

[Salty Cracker]

chemi pure.  It works REALLY well, but way too fast.  It can drop phosphate levels too quickly and shock a tank, creating new problems.  Personal opinion, but I think it just cleans the water, but doesn't do much for rock or substrate, so you get a drop in PO4, then a rebound when you remove the media and it comes out of the rock.

GFO tends to work much slower, and as with everything, slow is better.