An outbreak problem

[Guest Rileyporter]

Hey guys been awhile busy with life an all. Anyhow I thought I would turn to you guys to help me figure this thing out. I recently have been getting a redish maroon film on sand and corals. If i fling water at it it will come off but its starting to kill some stuff. anyone have any idea what this is or how to get rid of it?

 

Thanks,

 

Riley

Edited August 20, 2007 by Rileyporter

[lmeyer]

Look up Cyanobacteria. Sounds like that could be your culprit. Regular water changes with RO and stepping up filtration should help.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Sounds like red slime algae.

[bigJPDC]

'starting to kill some stuff' sounds bad. You could be in for a battle, try the usual things first - water changes, reduce lighting and feeding, test parameters, remove foam and sponges. What changed near the time you first noticed the stuff?

 

Most of the time I see cyano it's from not using 0-1 TDS RODI - what are you using for water?

 

HTH

jp

[gsedlack]

The other usual culprit is not enough water movement in the area in addition to too much nutrients

[Almon]

try to siphon out as much as possible when doing water changes

[fab]

Are you using Reverse Osmosis (RO) or RODI (and de-ionization) to polish your source freshwater? If not then you may need to consider this. Buy a cheap TDS meter and test your total disolved solids at your water source. See how high the TDS measures and let us know.

 

fab

[Black Mammoth]

Also, make sure you are getting enough flow in your tank. If you have one particular spot where you get the cyano, then it might be due to the lack of flow in that section. Change things up a bit to get flow there.

[scott711]

Riley,

 

I would imagine it is cynobacteria. increasing water movement in the area and watching the amount you feed (excess nutrients) should help out. Siphon out as much as you can when doing a water change. I can come take a look if you want.

 

Scott

[NRehman]

Riley, I killed the light in my main tank for 2-3 days...that got rid of over 95%. No issue with the corals.

[Guest Rileyporter]

Thanks for the help guys.

 

Yes I am using RODI... movement shouldnt be an issue. However I could use to step up the water changes... I think I will do one tonite see if that helps.

 

Riley

[davelin315]

You joined last year, are you still on the same bulbs as before? As the spectrum of your bulbs shifts and they start to lose their usefulness the cyanobacteria can take hold. An increase in flow (one that does not allow detritus to settle anywhere) and replacing bulbs is often the best cure, even if you do have some nitrates in your water.

[Guest Rileyporter]

Hmmmm bulbs might be it too.

 

Got any good places go get 2 MH 175's?

 

Riley

[Guest han012]

Riley, I killed the light in my main tank for 2-3 days...that got rid of over 95%. No issue with the corals.

 

i also see a couple of strands of red slime algae but i dont think its spreading. i know its because of tap water because i siphon the water into the tank in one area that's away from my gbta & that's where most of my red slime algae is.

 

do you think if i kill the lights for 2-3 days, it will affect my gbta?