jtinbc

Ok....I'm about to put an ad in the paper...."Free!! Saltwater tank setup" - I've tried everything, and can't get rid of red slime!!!! I have a 34 gallon Red Sea, all in one saltwater tank - plenty enough live rock, about 1 1/2 years old. It made it through two hurricanes, and all of a sudden, I have red slime. I have done water changes, used red slime remover (by ultra reef life), used the phosphate media (can't remember name, but it is black stuff you put in a bag), hand picked out the slime, even removed the sand with it on it!! Nothing works!!! My only fish in the tank is a clown, and a ghost cleaner shrimp. They seem to be ok, but it looks awful all the time. I have even used a toothbrush to clean it off the live rock. My copepods are still living in the rock, and the four snails are still cleaning, but can't get rid of the slime!!!! My water has been tested at the fish store (not a local pet store), and they can't figure it out either, it is great! Any ideas

Annadvn

What are the actual reading for the tank, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, phosphates, SG, alk, Ca etc..

How many power heads do you have in the tank? What's the GPH?

What lighting do you have, when were the bulbs last changed?

What's your cleaning schedule and feeding schedule?

I have had cyano bacteria in my tanks in the past and have got rid of it so don't despair and get rid of the tank just yet!

I would recommend doing a water change and using the syphon to remove the cyano, if you pick if off by hand you run the risk of leaving bits behind and it regrowing from there. I find the prime reason for having cyano bacteria is lack of water movement. I would recommend rearranging the live rock to get maximum water movement around the rock and over the sand bed and adding another power head (you cannot get too much movement - well rarely).

Also with the amount of fish you have i would guess you are maybe over feeding causing a nutrient spike which the cyano is feeding off (i maybe be totally wrong).

I would stop using products that claim to get rid of the cyano as this does not get to the root cause of the problem and the cyano bacteria will only come back again.

If you can answer the questions above i would love to help you more in getting rid of the cyano bacteria.

Anna

jtinbc

I have purchased 2 power heads (first a 400 gph, then a 600 gph), plus have the one built in the tank - I don't have the exact readings from the last water check, but the fish store pro guy said that there is nothing out of the ordinary on my numbers - the lighting is 2 - 55W T5 PC Fluorescent 10,000K/Actinic (one is about a year old, the other is about 2 months old) - I am forced to clean it about once a week, but when I syphon, it doesn't pull the slime real good, that stuff breaks up so easily! Like I said, I literally have scooped the sand and have thrown it away (I scoop down about a 1/2 inch!) Anyway, hope this additional info helps. Praying for a miracle.... oh by the way, I only feed about once a week.

Annadvn

OK, You sound like you have good water movement in the tank. Maybe rearranging the rock to keep as little as possible on the sand and piling it up in the center of the tank will create better water movements around the rock.

Cyano bacteria likes growing in "dead" areas of water movement, so maybe whilst you have a good amount of water movement over all there are areas that are not getting enough.

I would replace the light thats a year old, ideally SW lights should be replaced every year. Light can have an effect on the cyano and periods of extended black out (Do not do if you have corals) can make the cyano bacteria disappear.

Sorry about the feeding, i know a lot of people over feed tanks, me included.

Removing the most of the sand bed might have disrupted things as the sand bed has beneficial bacteria in.

I find the cyano bacteria i have/had syphons fairly easily, it breaks up a bit but holding the end of the syphon close if not touching the cyano usually gets it to disappear up the syphon.

Do you have a sump with any macro algae such as cheato or calpura? Having some macro algae will help compete with the cyano for nutrients in the water.

Can we see some pictures of the tank?

Anna

ATP

Do you use tap water?

jtinbc

I've done the whole move the live rock around, and seem to be getting great flow......I never use tap water, only R/O water. There is no additional sump, just the sump that is built in to the tank. Oh by the way, it is not pulling hardly any protein off of the tank since the slime has been around.

Annadvn

Yes i use RO/DI water.

When you say its not pulling any protein off the top of the water, what protein skimmer are you running? And if you don't have one may i recommend you get one asap. These are really important, they help remove excess nutrients in the water. I would also get the next size up from the gallons you have and at the very least get a needle value protein skimmer as these work loads better.

When i had my 24g nano cube i had to modify the hood to allow a protein skimmer to HOB and add lights so the cheato could live in the sump area. That was before i built an over flow box and added a sump to the cube.

Anna

jtinbc

I really don't know the differences in the skimmers, the skimmer that is built in to this Red Sea tank, has always worked fine. I guess I will just sell the thing. I think I will put an ad in the local shopping ads, and just say $400.00 for everythng. (I have over a 1000.00 tied up in it all). It is just too much stress. Fortunately my freshwater cyclid tank and community tank are doing well. Plus, we live in a hurricane prone area, and lose power occasionally, which always freaks me out anyway!! (my fresh have gone up to 2 weeks without power, and survive.....saltwater, several hours, and its dreadful). Thanks for all your help!!!

ATP

you probably didn't adjust the skimmer right

Annadvn

Before you do sell the tank, take your water into the shop that tests your water and ask them for the actual numbers of the test results.

There is a cause of the cyano and once we can figure out what is causing it its easy to solve.

Anna

jtinbc

ok....you've talked me into it - I will get it tested in the next couple of days (*its a 30 mile drive, so I usually try to make the trip worth while with other errands!) Thanks again for your help....will post by the weekend!!!

Annadvn

Maybe whilst you are at the LFS you could purchase your own test kit?

API reef master is a very good kit, it cost a bit of money but you get loads of tests for the kit and over a period of time works out to be very cost effective, especially if you have to drive 30 miles just to get your water tested.

Will check this thread over the weekend to see the results.

Anna