ok. i will get pics up in a bit, but this stuff is killing my zoas...slowly. i have taken most out twice over the last month and a half and did iodine and coral rx (i think..what ever we got at the big feb meeting). it is only affecting zoas and palys, not acans or anything. the tank does not have really bad algae like on the sand or anything..only on zoas...what should i do?
purple/red algae killing zoas
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Pictures would help.
Is it Cyanobacter? Aka red slime "algae" (it's not really an algae hence the "")... if so, you'll need to do a few things to stop it at the source..
Please post all of the parameters that you have - along with tank size, inhabitants, how much you feed/what you feed/how often. How often do you change water, how much?
How old are your lamps and what kind of lighting.
That for starters will help us figure out the cause.
Jenn
Is it Cyanobacter? Aka red slime "algae" (it's not really an algae hence the "")... if so, you'll need to do a few things to stop it at the source..
Please post all of the parameters that you have - along with tank size, inhabitants, how much you feed/what you feed/how often. How often do you change water, how much?
How old are your lamps and what kind of lighting.
That for starters will help us figure out the cause.
Jenn
bullshark13
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i have this all so...
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I'd just kill the lights for two or three days. That seems to work for me whenever I seeit in my tank. Of course this is just my plan of action and I in no way condone trying these actions without speaking with a parent or professional reef keeper first.
) it is in a big bright living room. should i cover the tank with like a blanket to hold out the light? feed as normal during blackout? thanksPlease post your parameters. You might kill it off temporarily with lack of light - but if there's an underlying chemistry issue it will just come back.
Hard to see - pix aren't focused... better pix would confirm - but in any event parameters would be helpful to fully assess the problem and suggest solutions.
Jenn
Hard to see - pix aren't focused... better pix would confirm - but in any event parameters would be helpful to fully assess the problem and suggest solutions.
Jenn
I've never heard of covering a tank - that risks restricting the oxygen exchange.
Still waiting on parameters - odds are there's an underlying issue, and once that's addressed, the bulk of the cyano manually exported, the problem should be brought under control.
Jenn
Still waiting on parameters - odds are there's an underlying issue, and once that's addressed, the bulk of the cyano manually exported, the problem should be brought under control.
Jenn
Almost positive "covering" the tank means putting a towel, or cardboard, etc... around it so no light can enter.
I'm visualizing putting a sheet or something completely over it, rather than wrapping it.
I still have never seen anyone resort to that. The solution to the problem begins with water parameters - chances are there is phosphate and/or nitrate to be dealt with. Then manually exporting the existing cyano by vacuuming. At the end of the photoperiod is best, when the stuff is at its most dense.
Magnesium level should also be checked - many do not test this routinely. If that's low, upping that to 1300 or so should help combat it.
If the tank is starve of light for a few days, that will cause the stuff to die back and re-release the nutrients it has taken up, back into the water, potentially causing other issues, and not solving the underlying problem.
Jenn
I still have never seen anyone resort to that. The solution to the problem begins with water parameters - chances are there is phosphate and/or nitrate to be dealt with. Then manually exporting the existing cyano by vacuuming. At the end of the photoperiod is best, when the stuff is at its most dense.
Magnesium level should also be checked - many do not test this routinely. If that's low, upping that to 1300 or so should help combat it.
If the tank is starve of light for a few days, that will cause the stuff to die back and re-release the nutrients it has taken up, back into the water, potentially causing other issues, and not solving the underlying problem.
Jenn
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Could also try Boyd's "Red Slime Remover"
That's a last resort in my book... and again, if the underlying problem isn't fixed, it will just come back.
From the pictures, it isn't that bad *yet*... best to try to just fix the issue.
Chemiclean does work - but one MUST, without fail, do a 20% water change after treatment. Again, killing the cyanobacter causes it to release the nutrients it took up as it grew... that has to be exported, or it can make a bad situation worse.
Jenn
From the pictures, it isn't that bad *yet*... best to try to just fix the issue.
Chemiclean does work - but one MUST, without fail, do a 20% water change after treatment. Again, killing the cyanobacter causes it to release the nutrients it took up as it grew... that has to be exported, or it can make a bad situation worse.
Jenn
