Getting rid of red slime algae

[kebber1223]

Is it true that if you turn off your metal halide lights for 2 to 3 to maybe 4 days and only leave the actinics on that this will eliminate the red slime algae? I have a 150 gallon Reef setup with within perfect water chemistry:
ph = 8.2 to 8.3
dKH - 10 to 12
Salinity = 1.024 to 1.025
Calcium - 450
Phosphates - 0 ppm
Nitrates - 5 ppm
No nitrites or ammonia

I do not feed that much to the aquarium. My lights are relatively new and bought in late August which consists of 3 Metal Halides at 150 watts each and actinics. The light is mounted on plastic legs above the water surface by maybe 6 to 8 inches. My water temperature is maintained by my chiller and / or heater at 75 to 77 F. Everything is healthy, but I have begun to get red slime algae. Now I did dose for a week or so about 3 weeks ago, Iron supplement.

Any suggestions? I am removing the patches of Red slime algae with a siphon and did add one dose of the Red Slime algae remover. Help please

 

[Michael7979]

Do you have a sand bed?
Any cleaners to sift thru the sand?
I had some red slime/ cyano. issues and I feel it was because the sand wasn't being turned over. That is where the build up of waste started and that is what needs to be addresed. It most likely will return when you turn your lights back on.

 

[kebber1223]

Thanks Michael. I am going to shut off the metal halides for a few days to see if this can stop the patchy red slime algae. I will do a manual sand turnover myself today. Will any stony's like my acropora or montipora die without the meatl halides for a few days?

Thanks and I look forward to some further replies by other aquarists.

 

[returnofsid]

I wouldn't suggest no lighting as a way to combat Cyano. Cyano isn't as light dependant as algae, so it won't be very successful. I've had great success battling cyano by adjusting flow to get more flow into the effected areas. That usually clears up the problem quickly. Siphon what you can get to, adjust or increase flow and it'll be gone before you know it.

 

[small alien]

I've battled it recently. I removed as much as I could by hand. Also added about 15 small nasarius snails to turn the sand. Added a power head. None of these really helped.

Got new bulbs for my pc lights. Also dosed 1/2 dose chemi-clean (after thorough manual removal). Seems to have done the trick. We'll see how long until it comes back. I think the chemi-clean really did it. Though I got the new bulb at the same time. I put an airstone in the tank during treatment as I understand the product to limit oxygen to some degree. My LFS recommended 1/2 dose for safety. My fish, inverts and corals seemed unaffected by the treatment.
I'm generally very in favor of looking to the root causes of a problem for the solution. In this case, however, I'd been battling the cyano for months and it looked like crap. I'd heard multiple places the product worked. And it did and I'm happy I used it. If the cyano comes back, I will try again to pinpoint its cause.
Good luck.

 

[small alien]

I've battled it recently. I removed as much as I could by hand. Also added about 15 small nasarius snails to turn the sand. Added a power head. None of these really helped.

Got new bulbs for my pc lights. Also dosed 1/2 dose chemi-clean (after thorough manual removal). Seems to have done the trick. We'll see how long until it comes back. I think the chemi-clean really did it. Though I got the new bulb at the same time. I put an airstone in the tank during treatment as I understand the product to limit oxygen to some degree. My LFS recommended 1/2 dose for safety. My fish, inverts and corals seemed unaffected by the treatment.
I'm generally very in favor of looking to the root causes of a problem for the solution. In this case, however, I'd been battling the cyano for months and it looked like crap. I'd heard multiple places the product worked. And it did and I'm happy I used it. If the cyano comes back, I will try again to pinpoint its cause.
Good luck.

 

[warforged]

ive read and read and read and tried and failed many times over with Cyano.

Flow prevents not cures cyano. And I say this because once its there ...flow does nothing but spread it to some other area of your tank. It doesn't mean you will have a mass break out...i think those who used flow were dealing with a small amount and the system naturally dealt with the cyano bloom itself cause they did proper tank maintenance which cured it but gave credit to the powerhead vs there maintenance.

Cyano blooms for one reason... We have an environment that enables it to grow and spread. So we need to study our tank a little and determine our source.

Symptoms are dealt with by water changes and siphoning what we see. The root problem you have to find. Where is your DOC's source coming from?

Cyano survives by lots of food and long photo periods. Lack of flow just allows it to settle in areas and grow.

Start by Siphoning all Cyano you see. Take a toothbrush and glass of hot water scrub and siphon then clean off the brush before moving to another area. Do a very large water change. Cut back photo times 5 hours vs 8 for instance.

Check on it daily and suck out what you find....

So far in my display my method is not condoned by naturalists here but:
1. I siphon all I find
2. Large water change
3. Blue LIfe Red slime remover dose
4. Day 5 I do another large water change.

The end.

The reason I believe Flow prevents vs solves the symptom (seeing growth) is I have had Cyano grow on high flow spots. Literally on the nose of my Korila #4 powerhead. And outtake of my Fuge. Obviously Flow was not the issue but FOOD source for it to grow out of control.

 

[surf_buddy]

Is it true that if you turn off your metal halide lights for 2 to 3 to maybe 4 days and only leave the actinics on that this will eliminate the red slime algae?

Any suggestions? I am removing the patches of Red slime algae with a siphon and did add one dose of the Red Slime algae remover. Help please

Do you have a refrigium set up on your system? In my experience I have noticed drastically reduced cyano once I started a refrigium. Cyano will compete with the macro algae for the same nutrient source, in my refrigium it is cheto, and cyano has become almost non existent. My main display has been completely free of cyano, but from time to time I do find it in the dark, low flow, rubble rock area of my refrigium. I would recommend this approach if you don't already have a refrigium. Plus there are many other added benefits to a refrigium as well. For eample, it will help remove nitrates, it will provide an optimal environment for pods to grow, it will provide more stable Ph in your system with reverse light cycles, and it helps to filter the water.