red slime algae

[rodeoclown]

hello all,
Im new to the hobby and ive noticed red algae growing in my sand and on my rocks. What is the best way to control this. I have a new AI hydra and i was wondering if anyone has experience with this light? What settings to minimize red algae growth and any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
thanks
john

 

[Tonyscoots84]

What size is your tank?
What fish do you have in your system?
How much and what do you feed?
What is your water change schedule?
How many hours do you have your lights on for?
Are you running a carbon and phosban reactor?
Have you checked your levels (nitrates, phosphates)
What do you have for flow and what is your return pump?
Do you have a skimmer?

just a few questions to get to an idea.....

 

[piranhapat]

First tells us some information
1. How long the tank been running.
2. What are you using for bio load. Live rock ect,
3. How much you feed a day?
4. Phosphate level
5. Lights how long and how old are bulbs.
6. Current do you have good water movement.
7. Amount of Bacteria in tank can effect the cause of red slime. Have you change you media say carbon or GFO in last month if your using any media.

If your tank is new its normal to get out break. What is happening your tank is going through a cycle stage with bacteria. To much of bacteria it can handle. It will balance out as long you keep phosphate down and don't over feeding. As long your bio load can handle it. Other wise out breaks will come and go. You can add bacteria from bottle that can help with a newer tank to mature.

 

[pkane11384]

what size is your tank?
What fish do you have in your system?
How much and what do you feed?
What is your water change schedule?
How many hours do you have your lights on for?
Are you running a carbon and phosban reactor?
Have you checked your levels (nitrates, phosphates)
what do you have for flow and what is your return pump?
Do you have a skimmer?

Just a few questions to get to an idea.....

+1

 

[rodeoclown]

ok I started a nano fluval edge II 12 gallon, used live sand for the sandbed about 4 inches deep. Have approximately 12-15 lbs of live fiji rock. Its a nano so I have been using the stock mechanical filtration with foam and phosphate removing filter media. I have to koralia powerheads situated in the back corners with a wavemaker to alternate flow. Water changes are about 2 gallons bi weekly. I dont have a reverse osmosis filter so I been buying it from my local fish store. Got rid of the stock lighting and placed an AI hydra for the corals-mostly zoas and palys with a tiny frogspawn and torch. lighting was on at 6am and off at 7pm with a 3 hour ramp.
current inhabitants are:
2 clowns
2 peppermints- found a few aptasia on a zoa frag
and a scooter blenny
blenny ive been feeding pods
Freeze up misis, cyclop eaze and brine feed it to them in chunks usually 1 time daily
parameters are all within normal limits, I really think its the lighting
tank is 4 months old

 

[rodeoclown]

ohh no skimmer, phos ban reactor or anything like that. And i meant to write "two" koralia powerheads. The water is actually premade with correct elements to grow corals. nutri sea
clean up-3 turbos 3 nassirius 2 hermits and a stomatella snail

 

[mdenesha]

bump - i'm following along

 

[slideways03]

With no skimmer on the tank i would do more frequent water changes. 2-3 gallons weekly. I would also shorten up your light period.

 

[peteyboyny]

It's cyano. It's not actually an algae, it's a bacteria. Like the above comments, frequent water changes (NOT WITH TAP WATER!) Get a RO/di unit if possible, buy a box of salt, a brute garbage can and mix your own water. It's much cheaper in the long run. Plus, you have control of the mix. How are you "topping-off" for evaporation? (Not with tap water!)
Then, get a protein skimmer, and a GFO Reactor.
As for the cyano, Chemi-Clean. Follow the instructions on the package, and do a large water change 24-48hrs later. Bye bye cyano. NO TAP WATER!

 

[rodeoclown]

the chemi clean is reef safe? Ive been using nutri sea water.

 

[peteyboyny]

Chemi Clean is going to kill that red slime. You dose once, followed by a 30%+ water change 24-48hrs later.
I've never used NutriSea myself. I've always mixed my own salt. I also have a much bigger tank.
Put together a cleanup crew for your system.
Some Nassarius snails, they will move through that deep sandbed you have.
Some Cerith snails or Astreas for algae control.
Maybe a turbo snail - algae control (they will knock over anything not glued down).
Cleaner shrimp-to keep your fishes clean.