Red Stuff
- Thread starter youtoo54
- Start date
drm180
Reefing newb
Smitty
Reef pro
Sounds like red turf algae to me also...
wontonflip
I failed Kobayashi Maru
If he's saying it looks more like moss, it might be just red slime? Is it like this:
Pics would help. You saw the red hair algae in the algae section? See if it looks like those.
Reef Nutz
Reefing newb
Red slime algae is actually not a "true" algae at all, but classified as a cyanobacteria. Often considered to be the evolutionary link between bacteria and algae, cyanobacteria are one of the oldest forms of life on earth and date back at least 3.5 billion years. These organisms produce oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis, and scientists believe that if it weren't for this microscopic organism, there would be no blue skies on Earth.
Commonly referred to as "red slime" algae, the name cyanobacteria literally means "blue-green" algae. Despite the naming, only about half of these organisms are actually blue-green in color. Most forms found in saltwater are other colors, ranging from blackish green to blue-green, from orange-yellow to reddish-brown, and often appear deep purple to fully black in color. Starting out as small patches, it spreads out from there as a mat of sheeting covering.
What Makes Slime Algae Grow and Solutions For Eliminating This Problem
We suggest that you don't try to put all of these solutions into action at one time, because if you do, when the problem subsides you'll never really know where the problem was coming from and which solution worked to fix it. Start with one solution and see what results you get, and if that one doesn't work, try another one, and so on, until the problem is resolved. Now, in order for all forms of algae to grow, they require only two things; light and nutrients.
Commonly referred to as "red slime" algae, the name cyanobacteria literally means "blue-green" algae. Despite the naming, only about half of these organisms are actually blue-green in color. Most forms found in saltwater are other colors, ranging from blackish green to blue-green, from orange-yellow to reddish-brown, and often appear deep purple to fully black in color. Starting out as small patches, it spreads out from there as a mat of sheeting covering.
What Makes Slime Algae Grow and Solutions For Eliminating This Problem
We suggest that you don't try to put all of these solutions into action at one time, because if you do, when the problem subsides you'll never really know where the problem was coming from and which solution worked to fix it. Start with one solution and see what results you get, and if that one doesn't work, try another one, and so on, until the problem is resolved. Now, in order for all forms of algae to grow, they require only two things; light and nutrients.
- Lighting: The use of improper bulbs, lack of maintenance, and extended lighting hours are contributors that can lead to all sorts of algae problems. While these organisms do well in the 665 to 680 nanometer (nm) wavelength range, they are quite active bewteen the 560 and 620 nm range as well.
- Solutions: Only use bulbs that are designed for aquarium use, run the lights 8 to 9 hours a day, and following the basic wattage rule of thumb, try different types of bulbs to increase the intensity and the spectral qualities of the light in the aquarium, particularly when it comes to any type of full-spectrum or color enhancing tubes being used.
- Nutrients: Phosphates (PO4), DOCs (Dissolved Organic Compounds), and nitrates (NO3) are primary nutrient food sources for red and other slime algae.
- Phosphates (PO 4 ) are commonly introduced into aquariums by means of using unfiltered fresh tap water, and through many aquarium products that may contain higher than normal concentrations of this element, such as sea salt mixes, activated carbon, KH buffers, foods, and many other sources. Also, for established reef tanks the long-term use of kalkwasser precipitates phosphates out of the water, and these phosphate based compounds can settle on and in the live rock and substrate.
- Solutions: Use RO/DI filtered make-up water, a high quality sea salt mix, and be aware of the elements contained in other common aquarium products you may be using. For solutions to problems that can arise from using kalkwasser, refer to The Fishline's Microalgae article.
- Phosphates (PO 4 ) are commonly introduced into aquariums by means of using unfiltered fresh tap water, and through many aquarium products that may contain higher than normal concentrations of this element, such as sea salt mixes, activated carbon, KH buffers, foods, and many other sources. Also, for established reef tanks the long-term use of kalkwasser precipitates phosphates out of the water, and these phosphate based compounds can settle on and in the live rock and substrate.
Reef Nutz
Reefing newb
Red Algae Control
This is a guide on red algae control in marine aquariums. Popularly known as red slime algae, it is actually not an algae at all. It is a Cyanobacteria like spirulina is.
They are fully photosynthetic and are the devil to deal with once they start getting out of hand. Cyanobacteria, brown algae, hair algae and dinoflagellates are 4 of the biggest problem algae marine aquarists face.
Almost everyone has had to deal with them at some point or another. The reason why they're so widespread a problem is because they're so easy to get. And they're so easy to get because most of us aren't making sure our nutrients are at appropriate levels.
Bad Infestation
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Boyd-Enterprises-Chemi-clean-Gram/dp/B001EUJOE8%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02%26tag%3Dflameangel-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001EUJOE8"][/ame][ame="http://www.amazon.com/Red-Slime-Remover-Treats-gallons/dp/B001EUE7QI%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02%26tag%3Dflameangel-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001EUE7QI"][/ame][ame="http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-187-PhosGuard-1-Liter/dp/B000255PH6%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02%26tag%3Dflameangel-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB000255PH6"][/ame][ame="http://www.amazon.com/ROWAphos-Phosphate-Remover-250-mL/dp/B002NPZY4C%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02%26tag%3Dflameangel-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB002NPZY4C"][/ame]
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Two-Little-Fishies-Phosban-Phosphate/dp/B001EUG6T4%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02%26tag%3Dflameangel-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001EUG6T4"][/ame]
Red Algae And Nutrients
If you're looking to purchase red slime removers and are unsure if they really work then i'll go ahead and say that they work. But they don't address the cause of this infestation. Red slime will simply come back if used on its own. You can however, use them to accelerate the process. Chemi-Clean by Boyd Enterprises is by far the best slime remover on the market.
The appearance of pest algae in a saltwater aquarium can almost always be traced back to elevated nutrients. Nutrient control is how we're going to tackle red slime algae.
The two nutrients we are going to be concerned about are nitrates and phosphates. Both of them are constantly being produced in an aquarium.
Fish waste, fish food, detritus and anything that is rotting slowly in the tank contributes to nitrates and phosphates.
Lets start with fish waste. The more you feed, the more waste so we should begin by feeding smaller amounts at longer intervals. Uneaten food in the tank is less of a problem by feeding less as well.\
Next, we have to manually remove as much red algae as we possibly can. With red slime algae it isn't too difficult as they tend to form carpets that can be removed with ease. Scrape your live rock, glass, pumps and any other surface they are growing on. Make sure too remove any floating bits of red algae as well.
Clean up the entire tank by removing any detritus and uneaten you find.
Nitrate is removed primarily through water changes so perform as many as needed. Aim for a reading of zero. While phosphates are also removed during water changes, they tend to bounce right back within a day or two.
Employing phosphate removal media is highly recommended. Put it in an area of high flow. Follow the instructions and put the appropriate amount according to your aquarium size. Your phosphate levels should read zero in 48 hours.
Red Algae And Lights
If your bulbs are older than 6 months then you should change them. As bulbs age, the light emitted will slowly start changing in spectrum. In the case of reef lighting, they start entering the red spectrum.
And the red spectrum, is where all pest algae really thrive. Cut down your photoperiod to 4-5 hours a day.
Red Algae And Water Flow
Red slime algae really does not do well in high flow. If you notice where the majority of growth is taking place, it will probably be in a very low flow area.
You must increase flow to these areas immediately.
If you do all of the above then you are well on your way to getting rid of this pesky problem. But you must be patient, don't expect any real results after a few days. Getting rid of cyanobacteria takes weeks of diligent care. Follow these steps for a month and you'll likely be rid of red slime algae
This is a guide on red algae control in marine aquariums. Popularly known as red slime algae, it is actually not an algae at all. It is a Cyanobacteria like spirulina is.
They are fully photosynthetic and are the devil to deal with once they start getting out of hand. Cyanobacteria, brown algae, hair algae and dinoflagellates are 4 of the biggest problem algae marine aquarists face.
Almost everyone has had to deal with them at some point or another. The reason why they're so widespread a problem is because they're so easy to get. And they're so easy to get because most of us aren't making sure our nutrients are at appropriate levels.
Bad Infestation
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Boyd-Enterprises-Chemi-clean-Gram/dp/B001EUJOE8%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02%26tag%3Dflameangel-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001EUJOE8"][/ame][ame="http://www.amazon.com/Red-Slime-Remover-Treats-gallons/dp/B001EUE7QI%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02%26tag%3Dflameangel-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001EUE7QI"][/ame][ame="http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-187-PhosGuard-1-Liter/dp/B000255PH6%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02%26tag%3Dflameangel-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB000255PH6"][/ame][ame="http://www.amazon.com/ROWAphos-Phosphate-Remover-250-mL/dp/B002NPZY4C%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02%26tag%3Dflameangel-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB002NPZY4C"][/ame]
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Two-Little-Fishies-Phosban-Phosphate/dp/B001EUG6T4%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02%26tag%3Dflameangel-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001EUG6T4"][/ame]
Red Algae And Nutrients
If you're looking to purchase red slime removers and are unsure if they really work then i'll go ahead and say that they work. But they don't address the cause of this infestation. Red slime will simply come back if used on its own. You can however, use them to accelerate the process. Chemi-Clean by Boyd Enterprises is by far the best slime remover on the market.
The appearance of pest algae in a saltwater aquarium can almost always be traced back to elevated nutrients. Nutrient control is how we're going to tackle red slime algae.
The two nutrients we are going to be concerned about are nitrates and phosphates. Both of them are constantly being produced in an aquarium.
Fish waste, fish food, detritus and anything that is rotting slowly in the tank contributes to nitrates and phosphates.
Lets start with fish waste. The more you feed, the more waste so we should begin by feeding smaller amounts at longer intervals. Uneaten food in the tank is less of a problem by feeding less as well.\
Next, we have to manually remove as much red algae as we possibly can. With red slime algae it isn't too difficult as they tend to form carpets that can be removed with ease. Scrape your live rock, glass, pumps and any other surface they are growing on. Make sure too remove any floating bits of red algae as well.
Clean up the entire tank by removing any detritus and uneaten you find.
Nitrate is removed primarily through water changes so perform as many as needed. Aim for a reading of zero. While phosphates are also removed during water changes, they tend to bounce right back within a day or two.
Employing phosphate removal media is highly recommended. Put it in an area of high flow. Follow the instructions and put the appropriate amount according to your aquarium size. Your phosphate levels should read zero in 48 hours.
Red Algae And Lights
If your bulbs are older than 6 months then you should change them. As bulbs age, the light emitted will slowly start changing in spectrum. In the case of reef lighting, they start entering the red spectrum.
And the red spectrum, is where all pest algae really thrive. Cut down your photoperiod to 4-5 hours a day.
Red Algae And Water Flow
Red slime algae really does not do well in high flow. If you notice where the majority of growth is taking place, it will probably be in a very low flow area.
You must increase flow to these areas immediately.
If you do all of the above then you are well on your way to getting rid of this pesky problem. But you must be patient, don't expect any real results after a few days. Getting rid of cyanobacteria takes weeks of diligent care. Follow these steps for a month and you'll likely be rid of red slime algae
fastrd400
It wasn't me!
You first need to find the source, as stated above. What are you using for top-off water? Phosphates will cause Cyano, and tap water is usually the #1 source for that. How old are your bulbs in your fixture? MH bulbs should be replaced every 6 months, and T5 every 9 months due to drop in PAR values. Lack of flow can also cause this. Sometime, just the addition of an inexpensive well placed power head will take care of the issue.
