Big problem with Hair algee and Slime

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Froggyhonkey

AC Members
Apr 17, 2006
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:help:

So instead of explaining, I figureed I would show you. This 90 GL has been up and running for 2 years as a marine only. I was maintaining 2 tanks. The other was a 40 gl Reef. I decided to consolidate. I made this refuge out of a 30 gl to feed the 90. I then brought my entire 40 gl over to the 90. Everything was workign well at first but then I started getting tons of sime alge and hair algee(at least I think that is what it was) My consern is that it is micro algg from my fuge.

I am using RO water. Feedings have been reduced.

I used Phosphagard to try to reduce my phosphates. They are at 0 now.

My nitrates have come down dramaticly from 80 in the beginning to 15.
Amonia is 0
Nitrites 0
The only areas I am still having issues with is ....

My PH seems to drop easy and my calcium is low.

As you can see in these pics, I have hair algee growing out of control. I have also lost my blue cromies, I am not sure if that is due to water Quality or my brittle star.

Now my Antheius's scales look weak and stripped.

I believe there are multiple problems.

1. How do I reduce the hair and slime alge? (Could the hair algee be micro algee)
2. What can I do to keep the ph up besides ph buffer, I know KH can cause this issue, but the only resolution I have found is water changes.
3. same with calcium, could it be because my corals are growing quick? How can I control those levels better.

Any help would be much appreciated.

my tank 002.JPG my tank 009.JPG my tank 011.JPG my tank 006.JPG my tank 004.JPG my tank 016.JPG my tank 008.JPG my tank 005.JPG
 
Let's have a go!

1/ How many powerheads do you have, what GPH?

2/ When did you last change the filters on your RO unit? If it's shop bought water, when did they last change their filters?

3/What type of lighting do you have and when did you last change the bulbs?

4/ How often do you feed and how much?

5/ You say your calcium is low - what's the actual reading?

6/ What salt do you use?

7/What's you SG reading?
 
My stab at it.. hair algae problem not to serious but needs to be taken care of. Turbo snail or Rainford Gobies work great for that...

More serious problem is the Red Slime.. Cyano Bacteria. My neighbor has the same problem and I keep telling him how to fix it but he wont. He has a 75G tank, does 20G a week water changes.. should be doing more IMO for his tank with the cyano problem.. but the biggest problem that is causing his Red Slime is FLOW. If you don't have A LOT of flow in a tank.. doesn't have to be a directed blast.. but you need a lot of water movement you will get Red Slime any place there is a dead spot. Like you, Phosphates are good.. he uses a SQWD on his return for a wave maker but he doesn't seem to think a powerful return pump from the sump is important so his return barely comes out. I bought him one Koralia4 power head and a Phosban reactor for x-mas but I told him he needed at least another Koralia4 powerhead and to put at least a 1200GPH pump on his return.. right now he is using a 400GPH pump, and after a 6' lift of water he is lucky to be getting 100GPH out of the pump. He doesn't understand the GPH rating it at the output of the pump.. once you add 6' of vertical hose.. that number goes out the window.

From looking at your tank I don't see many powerheads.. so that is why I am making a guess that the cyano is flow related.
 
what about your skimmer what are you using in it? do you have bio balls/bail? i know i started to get this from using bio bail... did not redgester on my test kit but it was the problem for my tank. removed that and it has all but gone away, not to mention that i have got a few more zebra leg hermits some pyrimide snails a dimond spot sifer goby and a coral beauty......wow the more i type what i have gotten in the last month i relize that i may have found that my stocking is more responsible for this than my removal of the biobail lol............
 
Guys,
Alk/Ca/Mg is very important here as it precipitates PO4 before it can ever be used.

The use of Kalkwasser dripped nightly and keeping Alk levels as close to 10DKH helps even more.

Once the Alk is at 10DKH get the Ca over 420ppm/under 500ppm.
To help maintain the levels use Mg and keep it at 1350ppm or higher.

This will enable corals and coralines to grow faster and use more nutrients also.

The main thing though is the precipitation of PO4.

Also, add a DI cartridge to your RO unit as IME RO is not enough to be used alone.

HTH, Rich
 
Can you explain a little more about the precipitaion of PO4? What exactly does that entail and will that give a false reading on a PO4 test? My neighbors PO4 levels are at 0-.25 which seems like nothing to me (Has a Phosban reactor also) but yet his red slime continues to stick around, even after chemi-clean treatment. It will go away for a little while after treatment but comes back in a couple weeks.

I think I understand what your saying about keeping the other levels proper.. helps the corals be able to take in more nutrients.. but I am fuzzy about the precipitation part.

Thanks!
 
My neighbors PO4 levels are at 0-.25 which seems like nothing to me (Has a Phosban reactor also) but yet his red slime continues to stick around, even after chemi-clean treatment. It will go away for a little while after treatment but comes back in a couple weeks.
Click to expand...
Red slime isn't an actual algae. Have your neighbor change his water movement as dead spots are usually the big cause of the red slime. Also, make sure he doesn't try stirring the slime up. It will only cause it to pop up in new spots in the tank.
I just read what you posted first, so I am sure you know this info already. Sounds like your neighbor just needs to listen to you better.
 
It is very true that increased flow helps dramatically with cyano and dinos to bring oxygen to higher levels in otherwise "stagnant" areas of a tank.

To elaborate more on the PO4, phosphate will bind to carbonates in the water column and settle out or be exported with a strong skimmer. If the pH was to drop quickly, the PO4 would return to solution and increase in levels.

By maintaining a high "Carbonate Base" via Alkalinity you aid in this precipitation event. By maintaining the proper Ca and Mg levels you achieve the proper chemical equilibrium for excellent algae free coral growth.

Mature stable systems with regular water changes with excellent source water, coupled with daily doses of Kalkwasser, along with steady salinity readings(very little fluctuation day to day), and the proper Mg level to keep things in balance hardly ever have issues with nuisance algae.(bryopsis being the exception as it is very virulent).

HTH, explain some things.
Please test for Ca/Alk/Mg and test source water for TDS with separate hand held TDS meter. These tools are essential to long term success. Also make sure Salinity is at 1.025.
 
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