should i wait it out...red slime prob.

[crazybizzle]

Ive had red slime start on some of my rocks and coral for the last month and seems to be spreading quick.  I have added more powerheads for flow and am running a media reactor with gfo and carbon. My paramaters areas follows.
Ammo. 0
phos. .25
n02.;0
No3 0
cal 410
alk/dkh 7
Salinty 1. 025
I have boyds red slime remover should i dose the tank or wait it out as i have just started more flow for last week and just started running reactor for last 3 weeks any suggestions? Other than i know my cal and alk is a little low?? Also i have changed my lights 3 weeks ago to 2 aqua blue spec 12k. ...3 blue plus and 1 purple.tank depth is a 65 48x12x24.  I was thinking of removing a 12 k maybe having 2 is to much

 

[Blob-79]

I personally prefer to not use any sort of cyano treatment. Thats just me though, I have read about alot of bio pellet users using it, with no adverse effects. I would definitly google it if I were you. mylself I would rather wait it out, clean it out if it gets thick, and allow your tank to sort itself out. Most tanks go thru a cyano phase, if you let it run its course it will eventually go away and never come back..

 

[crazybizzle]

well one spot were it had originally started at is gone,  has spread to other places but on some of my corals and i cant neccesarily clean the corals offf without damaging them, but im gonna try wait it out then i guess, i didnt know our tanks went thru a cyano phase.  thanks blob

 

[Blob-79]

if it starting on you corals what you should do is get a turkey baster. you can use it to blow water at the corals blowing off the cyano.

 

[shayneh]

If your bulbs are new then the only other culprit is your water quality.....Are you using RO/di water and what is the TDS reading? Is there a lot of detritus in the tank? Are you feeding too heavily? Your phos and nO readings are useless because the cyano is using what is actually in the water as a food source. If your water TDS readings are good (under 5ppm) then I would suggest some extra water changes and blowing off the rock as there is likely some detritus that is fueling the cyano. If your not using ro water then prepare to watch your tank spiral downwards to the point where it's just a giant dead mess...sorry but that the easiest way I can put it.

 

[shayneh]

Oh I forgot to ask how old the tank is and if your dosing Kalk? I presumed it was a newer setup but you didn't actually say....

 

[Blob-79]

ya, I believe his tank is fairly new. shayneh is correct, cyano will feed off excess nutrients in the tank, which could be the cause, another cause could be lighting, as lights get older, spectum can shift slightly to the yellow spectrum, cyano likes the yellows. Just be concientious of what your putting in your tank. I found that when my tank went the the cyano phase, the more I did, the worse it got. With cyano it seems less is more. Make sure you test your water you are doing water changes with, its possible the cyano is actually getting food by you doing water changes. keep your hands out of the tank, and if you have to..make sure you wash them first. watch how much you are feeding. I actually reduced my water changes, cyano used up all its food. its gone now, and has never showed up again.

Another thing you may consider is dosing zeobak or a similar product. All it is, is a beneficial bacteria culture. but it will help greatly with cyano.

 

[shayneh]

Yes I should have said if your not using water that has low TDS then all water changes will do is feed the cyano. The "easiest" item to address is your water quality. If the cyano has nothing to feed on then it won't last.

You also have to watch what your washing your hands with...some soaps and detergents also contain phosphate so rinse well....... Ha ha ha just pictured my daughter humming twinkle twinkle while she washes her hands and thinking it has merit. 

 

[Blob-79]

absolutly, most soaps are loaded with phosphate...rinse and rinse well my friend

from my past research on the matter...little rusty, but u know..we all know cyano is a bacterial infection basically, most newer systems encounter a cyano outbreak, because as a immature system, all the bacteria in your system is basically imbalanced. These imbalances give openings to allow for cyano to occure. You can take poor water parameters, have them in a new system and bang..cyano. On the flip side you can take the same poor water parameters and have that in a mature system..and no cyano, just corals and whatnot not doing the best.

IMO though..dont use red slime remover, ever since ive seen it, all I can think of..what else is it killing? I prefer not to use any chemicals in my tank, other then the base dosing type elements. You should use this as a rule of thumb..if its a "quick fix" dont use it. Nothing good is quick...only bad things happen fast.

 

[shayneh]

I wonder if VSV (vodka/sugar/vinegar) dosing would wipe it out? I haven't had cyano on my last 3 tank builds and ironically enough I have been dosing VSV for all three. VSV introduced a carbon source for the beneficial bacterial strains to feed on allowing their populations to grow. I would bet they would outcompete the cyano. You could try it and the side advantage is your corals will color up and water clarity improves. Check out  http://glassbox-design.com/2008/achieved-through-observation-and-experimentation/ 

I didn't add any strains of bacteria and just relied on what was already in my tank but this is the same formula I use. (shot for me.... shot for the tank LOL!)

 

[crazybizzle]

. My tank is 9 months old. I use ro/di water from a local water company tds is pratically 0. All 6 bulbs are brand new.  i make sure i rinse my hands really good no soap before they go in. It seemed to start when i started dosing calcium on the regular everynight. Only thing i can think of is i might be overfeeding.i do 3 feedings a day of omega flake half a teaspoon.i have 10 fish

 

[crazybizzle]

Do u think it would help if i add some sort of benifical bacteria solution

 

[shayneh]

I would still look for detritus trapped somewhere in the tank. I would try VSV but no bacteria solution required IMO! What is your sandbed comprised of?

 

[crazybizzle]

I would still look for detritus trapped somewhere in the tank. I would try VSV but no bacteria solution required IMO! What is your sandbed comprised of?

no detrius at all ive got a pretty good mix of clean up crew, sand bed is 2 inches of caribsea live sand from petsmart at least i think that was the name of it. Also same sand in my. Refugium that is a 6 inch sand bed with lr and cheato

 

[shayneh]

Ok I would say change food (could be the source), or cut back on feedings, or alternate 3 feedings one day, 1 the next, 3 feedings next, 2 next, 1 next or something like that.

Or read up on VSV dosing and start that while keeping feedings the same. Not the best method but will likely help.

http://glassbox-design.com/2008/achieved-through-observation-and-experimentation/

http://glassbox-design.com/2009/vsv-dosing-on-cyano-bacteria-over-15hrs-by-unrulymck/

 

[Blob-79]

I wonder if VSV (vodka/sugar/vinegar) dosing would wipe it out? I haven't had cyano on my last 3 tank builds and ironically enough I have been dosing VSV for all three. VSV introduced a carbon source for the beneficial bacterial strains to feed on allowing their populations to grow. I would bet they would outcompete the cyano. You could try it and the side advantage is your corals will color up and water clarity improves. Check out  http://glassbox-design.com/2008/achieved-through-observation-and-experimentation/   

I didn't add any strains of bacteria and just relied on what was already in my tank but this is the same formula I use. (shot for me.... shot for the tank LOL!)

ya Im sure that would work as well. I cant say for certain, if its carbon feeding the beneficial bacteria, or the super clean water that results from vsv dosing but im sure it plays a hand in inhibiting cyano.

 

[crazybizzle]

ok thanks guys

 

[shayneh]

Good luck!

 

[Blob-79]

Just curious, why do you have a 6" deep sand bed in your refugium?

 

[crazybizzle]

Just curious, why do you have a 6\" deep sand bed in your refugium?

its actualy 4 inches, my fault ,its in the middle section, i read somewhere that having a deep sand bed in your fuge is good?