red slime?

[TINAMARIOV]

it appears i have red slime(cyano) in my red sea max 34 tank. All my parameters test good, phos is at around .25. It went down from .5 a couple days ago after adding phosban. I wanted to know if a product red slime remover, by ultra life reef products is good to use. I know it will not remedy the problem but just want tank cleaned up while i remedy it so corals don't get smothered

 

[thesauce]

In my experience, the use of any products to solve the cyano issue is moderately effective and can some times just cause additional problems. Here are some steps that have worked for me:

Reduce feeding
Leave lights of for two days or so, then do a large water change siphoning off cyano.
Create a nutrient export (refugium, xenia etc.)
Increase clean up crew
Increase flow (random if possible)
Keep temp in check
older bulbs promote algae growth
And of course there is no substitute for regular water changes

In the meantime lightly squirt water at corals to remove cyano that may be encroaching upon them.

 

[TINAMARIOV]

kk ty. I did a water change 2 days ago and stuff came right back. I currently feed once every other day. Bulbs in tank are new so hopefully it will go away with time.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Are you using tap water?

 

[TINAMARIOV]

i did for occasional top offs in the past but have recently switched to distilled water.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I would get a phosban reactor and run it, that might be your problem. Phosphates can cause slime algae as can many other things.

 

[anthony27]

the best thing you can do is syphon it out I went away this weekend and I left off the lights for 2 days and it not there the skimmer picked up alot when I was gone and it looked like algie. Best thing thought is to syphon it with a turky baster.