How to get rid off these red slime?

Hi guys,

I have multiple red spot in my tank. It is a 33G. I have two clown fish, 1 blue damoiselle and 1 yellow wrasse. I also have some crab and 4 turbo snails.

Look at the picture to have an better idea of me problem.

I am eager to have hints on how to get these red slime out of my tank.

 

I'm not seeing much red slime, other thank maybe a little in the center of the tank, on the sand. I do see a pretty sever caulerpa infestation though, I presume you want that there?

The caulerpa is over my head, but some things you can do for the cyano are:

1) Run GFO change out often.
2) 15%ish per week water changes using RO/DI water.
3) Run lots of carbon and change out weekly.
4) Wet skim
6) don't overfeed
5) siphon out existing cyano, or increase flow to get cyano and detritus into water column to be skimmer out.
6) Good clean up crew to consume excess food.

 

How old is your tank it looks about 1year old or a little less?

Also how much are you feeding? (last time i was at the LFS they told me they only feed once a week I dont think that is enough food so i feed about every 2-3days) most times with a very small CUC over feeding is one of the main reasons for cyano.

Water changes do you do them every week?

 

are you using RODI water?

 

I feed 4-5 times per day and don't have any red slime. IMHO, anyone who thinks underfeeding will help with algae problems and improve tank health doesn't understand the nutrient dynamics of a reef.


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You have Anthias in your tank correct? I didnt say underfeed to remove algae to to help with it but with only 4 turbos as you stated there needs to be a larger CUC so for immediate action IMO but i could be wrong if you feed every day i would cut back some as the fish the OP has doesnt need to be fed everyday.

 

You are right my tank is about 1 year old. I am feeding my fish twice a day. And changing water every week.

 

What is RODI water? I am using tap water that I treat with a product before adding it to the tank.

 

RODI water you get from a filtered source Reverse Osmosis & Deionization is what it stands for. Aquarium Reverse Osmosis Water Systems & Filters | Bulk Reef Supply - English here is what they look like, with any salt tank its always reccomened to use RODI water because tap water even if you use a water conditioner to break the chloramine bond tap water still has tons of phosphates in there. The phospahtes and uneaten food will cause cyano (red slime). I would reccomend a rodi unit or getting filtered water from your LFS or one of those water things outside a grocery store normally like .35 a gallon. You tank and fish will thank you greatly.

 

I do have anthias. That misses the point some, although, I'm not suggesting to feeding large quantities 4-5 times per day. However, spreading out the proper amount of food over multiple feedings is always better than less feedings with the same total amount of food. I am a big believer in proper feeding and have found keeping feeding input constant and at a proper level for the biomass of the system is the best way to reduce nutrients, nuisance algae, cyano ect... I'll try to explain my reasoning a bit...

Everything in the tank, from microbes to macro algae, to fish needs food. In this case, the tank is dominated with caulerpa, which is an extremely efficient nitrate scavenger. When inorganic nitrate is low, the caulerpa can't metabolize inorganic nutrients, such as phosphate as fast and it accumulates. The cyano does not need nitrate, just phosphate. So, there is an accumulation of phosphate, which now can drive the growth of cyano.

So first on my list:
1) Run GFO change out often.
This is a way to remove the excess phosphate that is accumulating.

2nd on my list
2) 15%ish per week water changes using RO/DI water.
Cyano can feed on organics, so, removing them via dillution is helpful. Also, macro algae such as caulerpa can be limited by trace elements, so, this helps replenish them.
It should help dilute PO4 too, if a pure water source is used.

3) Run lots of carbon and change out weekly.
Carbon is an extremely efficient scavenger of organics, which can directly, or indirectly, though decay, drive cyano. This should probably be #2 as it IME, after GFO, is most important in fighting cyano.


4) Wet skim
Similar to carbon, just less efficient, but cheaper.

6) don't overfeed
There is a difference between underfeeding and proper feeding. It's not just fish you should be thinking of though. Everything in your tank needs to eat. If it doesn't it dies off. Sponges, turnicates, algae etc.. will die off if the tank is underfed. This is a problem, as it will prevent the nutrients from going down, as die-off occurs. Maybe more importantly, all of these organisms, have potent antibiotic and other alleopathic chemicals. When they die, these chemicals can fuel further die off... A proper feeding level will result in the lowest nutrient level.


5) siphon out existing cyano, or increase flow to get cyano and detritus into water column to be skimmer out.
Cyano can store phosphate and can share useful products with various bacteria in the mats it forms. Sometimes once it's there, the only way to efficiently remove it is via manual methods.


6) Good clean up crew to consume excess food.
Anything to keep excess food from settling and collecting is beneficial as cyano will often have first dibs on these types of resources. The CUC will help break down these organic sources into inorganic fertilizer, which will tend to benefit the macro algae more than the cyano. Then can be exported by harvesting the macro algae.

So, especially considering my comments for #6, underfeeding is bad. However, it goes further. Going back to my first comments if there is insufficient input of nitrate i.e. food, the caulerpa and other algae will tend to slow down. This will give cyano an advantage. It's even likely that the algae will begin to die off and the cyano will directly feed on the decaying organic byproducts. So, in many instances, underfeeding will drive cyano.