red slime algae and halimeda

[umbrellacorp]

whats the best way to get rid of this stuff? Now i have to deal with this. i dont know whats going on, but my tank is just going down hill. Still cant get nitrates under control, now im getting a lot of red slime algae. Whats the best way to get rid of it? Its on my LR, and spreading to my halimedia. Also could dying halimeda cause nitrate issues? thanks

 

[dakota9]

Do you run Purigen? I know this isn't what it's really meant for, but when I have a cyno outbreak, my purigen turns the same color as the cyno, quite quickly. I figure it's trapping the stuff thats causing the outbreak


i keep changing out the purigen bags everytime they start turning red, which it only takes a few days. That with vacuuming and adding Macro Algae is your best defense against the stuff.


As far as dying halimeda causing the issue, I'm not so sure. Common since tells me that anything that dies can cause nitrates, but Halimeda is calcium based, I would think that dying halimeda would be the last thing that could die and create nitrates..

If you are using an API NO3 test, have it checked with a different test kit, as my API NO3 test was recently way off.

 

[ralph atl]

chemi-clean

 

[dakota9]

Not yet Ralph!

Let's save that as a last resort

 

[KrisDeitz]

Your Nitrates are probably high because of the puffer. I had one also in a small tank and it would never go down. Also do you have enough flow hitting the sand bed

 

[umbrellacorp]

Dakota9;717140 wrote: Do you run Purigen? I know this isn't what it's really meant for, but when I have a cyno outbreak, my purigen turns the same color as the cyno, quite quickly. I figure it's trapping the stuff thats causing the outbreak


i keep changing out the purigen bags everytime they start turning red, which it only takes a few days. That with vacuuming and adding Macro Algae is your best defense against the stuff.


As far as dying halimeda causing the issue, I'm not so sure. Common since tells me that anything that dies can cause nitrates, but Halimeda is calcium based, I would think that dying halimeda would be the last thing that could die and create nitrates..

If you are using an API NO3 test, have it checked with a different test kit, as my API NO3 test was recently way off.

actually yes.. that and seagel, the LFS told me to add a bag last week but said it would last a month then take it out.. ill check it today to see if its turned red yet.

 

[krcraig1]

Interested in reading comments on this thread.

I'm fighting the same problem with an outbreak of red slime. I've been trying to get rid of it with aggressive water changes and vacuuming. I was going to try chemi-clean but I'm still researching that option.

 

[dakota9]

PFCDeitz;717187 wrote: Your Nitrates are probably high because of the puffer. I had one also in a small tank and it would never go down. Also do you have enough flow hitting the sand bed

Yes! Messy carnivores like puffers create nitrate factories

UmbrellaCorp;717426 wrote: actually yes.. that and seagel, the LFS told me to add a bag last week but said it would last a month then take it out.. ill check it today to see if its turned red yet.

Well, just check it after a few days, I'm just relating what happens with my tank, yours may be different.

You know, the Purigen bag can be reused, once bleached and then soaked in dechlorinator. You should never let it completely dry out though, for best results....

krcraig1;717427 wrote: Interested in reading comments on this thread.

I'm fighting the same problem with an outbreak of red slime. I've been trying to get rid of it with aggressive water changes and vacuuming. I was going to try chemi-clean but I'm still researching that option.

I have a dusting of cyno in my tiny little tank at work, but my tank is so small, I can suck much of it up with a baster. I'm starting weekly waterchanges on it....