Red Slime Algae

[Stuart.Wiltshire]

I recently introduced some new live rock into my tank and have a problem with red slime algae. I have tried to remove it manually, for it to come back again very soon after.

I am keeping a reef, soft and hard coral with fish and looking for a natural solution to this problem.

Is there a critter fond of Red or would anybody out there try Antired by Aquamedic?

 

[chrissaysyes]

red slime needs nutrients and light to grow...starving it is the best way to remove it. Check your water parameters, including phosphates. Chances are your phosphates are up or you're leaving your lights on for too long. Has anything died in your tank recently? Do you use RO water?

 

[Lynden]

Red slime 'algae' (Cyanobacteria) do not require phosphates, nitrates, silicates or any other common nutrients to grow. They fix nitrogen gas and use this as 'food'. This means they can grow in very clean aquaria, but will be helped further by the presence of other nutrients. They can also live in low light, and can even continue to divide in shade or darkness for several days. So, shutting the lights off on a tank won't kill it all and even if it does the nutrients and toxins the dead ones release can cause a re-cycle and even more cyano to grow.

In my opinion the only way to keep it under control is competition. The chemicals produced by more plantlike algaes (such as macroalgae and hair algae) and chemicals produced by symbiotic cnidarians (such as light-loving corals and anemones) will slowly marginalize cyanobacteria. I used to have this stuff all over the sand but since adding chaetomorpha and a large sarcophyton and anemone, it has come back less and less each day, until now I only get diatoms and the odd small patch of cyano.

 

[Stuart.Wiltshire]

"In my opinion the only way to keep it under control is competition. The chemicals produced by more plantlike algaes (such as macroalgae and hair algae) and chemicals produced by symbiotic cnidarians (such as light-loving corals and anemones) will slowly marginalize cyanobacteria"

How long since adding the competion did the red slime start to receed? I have had his red slime for about 2 months. It came with the rock, it hasnt been majorly out of control, it looks like it is occupying space on my rocks that corraline or other good algaes would ordinarly be growing on.

I have since added a two Anenome since 1 month, i cant say its better or worse.

Would you use a chemical control, Antired? i have read on here after posting my initial message, certain snails have a liking to red slime, how effective could this measure be? i.e. 100 gallon tank versus XXX snails to consume the problem

 

[Lynden]

Is your anemone coloured, or white? Typically the white ones are bleached, and so won't be competing much with the cyano.

Algaes are better at competing with cyano than corals. Perhaps try to get some caulerpa or chaetomorpha; my cyano started receding after a few weeks of chaetomorpha being added. My tank is pretty overstocked, as well.

Few snails actually eat cyano but many will bury it when roving the sand. Conches, whelks, and astreas are good "attackers".

Finally, I do not rcommend chemical control. It can hinder nitrogenous compound processing bacteria, and can even create resistant strains of cyanobacteria. Also, the large amount that will initially be killed of will pollute the water, and it will grow back as soon as you stop treatment.

 

[chrissaysyes]

You could use a phosphate remover...something containing iron (iii) oxide, or ferric oxide. Ive been battling it for a while. I had green hair everywhere and red slime patches. I started with doing water changes. Siphon that crap out of there. As much of it as possible, even substrate with algae growth on it, just add more substrate later. Then I added caulpera prolifera maxima. This stuff grows so well, I have to prune it atleast weekly, it's to the point where I'm throwing fronds into the garbage. That pretty much killed off the green hair. There's hardly anything left of it. Then I added phosphate remover. That slowed the slime down a lot but it's still there and still growing. I just added chaeto to my sump today. We'll see what happens.

 

[Stuart.Wiltshire]

Thanks again Guys,

My Anenome is a bright florescent green and iappears to be thriving. I water change 25% every 2-3 weeks. At the last water change, i emptied the sump and had a right old attempt at hoovering the algae, probably a 50% water change that day. within a few days it returned to the same places it was before.

I use a phosphate remover, its a deltec 509 fluidiser used with rowaphos, this media has been changed twice in the last 4 months. I use RO with a TDS of 8, i use the same aquamedic salt at 1024 SG.

Dont get me wrong, it has not taken over the tank.I consider the problem to be mild to annoying. However, i recieved some mail order frags, 5 in total, 2 were DOA and 2 died within 24 hours, when i sent the pictures back to the supplier he is questioning my water conditions. I added a further 6 from a different source on the same day and they are all fine.

"There is could well be something aiding their demise and I would like to help you sort the problem if there is one, what is your nitrate alk,calc,mag,p04 parameters ?"

"I know you are showing me a picture of the tank but certain sps corals do need certain conditions to fair well.
If you do not mind me saying there does seem a bit of an algae problem with the red cyno type algae and the bubble."

Anything that can help?

 

[Lynden]

The seller is using the cyano as an excuse to not pay you back for obviously unfit corals. Like I side before, cyano can fix pure nitrogen and thus can thrive even in well-maintained aquaria. There is nothing wrong with your tank as far as I am aware and the fact that your nem and other frags are doing well is proof of that.

 

[chrissaysyes]

Let us know how the seller responds and who he is. I dont want to end up buying from someone like that

 

[DarrenUnwin]

Hi Chrissaysyes

If nothing else moves it you could try something like Redslime Remover. However when using these sorts of treatment my advice would be to use half dose as they are quite strong anti boiotic type treatments. Also it seems to thin the water so your skimmer will go through the roof and will probably need to reduce the air intake for a couple of days.

Having said all this I have only used it twice in my tank setup (setup nearly 3 years) but it does work.

Daz

 

[chrissaysyes]

hmm...any other damage other than bacterial?

 

[Lynden]

Using antibiotics at a low dose can cause resistant strains. Also, as above:

Finally, I do not rcommend chemical control. It can hinder nitrogenous compound processing bacteria, and can even create resistant strains of cyanobacteria. Also, the large amount that will initially be killed of will pollute the water, and it will grow back as soon as you stop treatment.

 

[DarrenUnwin]

Using antibiotics at a low dose can cause resistant strains. Also, as above:

Finally, I do not rcommend chemical control. It can hinder nitrogenous compound processing bacteria, and can even create resistant strains of cyanobacteria. Also, the large amount that will initially be killed of will pollute the water, and it will grow back as soon as you stop treatment.

Totally agree Lynde , I researched using them before hand and it was a fine line between getting rid of the red slime and the problem of the side effects. I decided on the half dose as a compramise but luckily over the past few years I have only used it twice. If I remember rightly, it was pretty much after something passed away in the live rock that I couldnt get at. The secret here is like everything else in this game, keep to a regular water change schedule and things tend to look after themselves.

Chrys, good luck with what ever method you choose

 

[chrissaysyes]

Chaeto, caulerpa, and water changes are taking care of the problem for me