Red algae build up...

[bigjackstud]

I am having the worst time with red algae building up on my sand bed. I tried skimming the top of it with power heads and mostly get the sand blowing all over the place. Is there any tricks to this problem? Thanks...

[bigjackstud]

Anyone? No one has had an algae problem before, and had to deal with it?

[mnestroy]

Check your phosphates, also check the age of your lights and how long you leave them on.

Lights, Phosphates, Flow are the main reasons for Red Algae.

[rbtwo4]

Might be overfeeding along with low flow area

[mnestroy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10717745#post10717745 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rbtwo4
Might be overfeeding along with low flow area

Overfeeding = High Nitrates & High Phosphates

[bigjackstud]

Phosphates at 0 nitrates are .025 Hardly feed them now as it is! Lights are all on timers. Only about 8 months old now. Had the problem almost instantly when I set up the tank! No coraline at all... Just put on a uv sterilizer. This is helping great deals! Maybe in a few days the algae will go away. The water cleaned up in one day with this.... I'll give it a few more days, and see if that helps.... Thanks all!!!

[God of thunder]

What kind of lights do you have??

[Avi]

Everyone's on the right track, IMO, with pointing out that water quality is the main thing you should be addressing to get the "red slime" problem under more control. Overfeeding, making sure you do frequent water changes with a good source water, effective skimming, normal photoperiod, good water movement in every part of the tank,etc. are the things the concentrate on.

At the same time, if the red slime (cyanobacteria) threatens your coral, you could apply one of the commercial additives that will effectively (temporarily) wipe out the problem. If allowed to go unchecked and the stuff starts to grow on the rockwork, it very well can start to grow over some corals and prevent light from getting to them and so even kill the coral. These products are safe so long as the instructions are strictly followed, bearing in mind, once again, that they are only a temporary fix. I personally wouldn't use any of those products if the only place you see the red slime is on the substrate, though, because in that case it is only an aesthetic problem, and instead would rely on water quality maintenance entirely to rid the tank of the problem.

[JByrd]

A great product to get rid of the red slime is called Chemi-Clean. I works great, after the full treatment get on a good water change regiment using RO water and don't feed heavily. Small portions acouple of times a day.

[Avi]

I have used that very one on a couple of occasions and it is very effective, and I saw no negative side effects from applying it.