Dark red alge?

[CRUSHER]

I have baseball size area of some what looks like dark red alge in my new SW tankImageUploadedByTapatalk1344216020.649872.jpg

[Sea-agg09]

Cyano- welcome to every saltwater keeper's problem. siphon it before it grows anymore

[raleigh19]

cyanobacteria for sure...

[CRUSHER]

I'll just take that rock out since it the only one effected

[Bakapuma]

LOL. Ok dont freak about the cyano. Cyano is always present in the system. When you get a bloom like that it is normally caused from high nutrients and/or low flow. Give the rock a good saltwater rinse and place it back in your system. You will need to make some water changes. Please use R0/DI water or atleast distilled water with your saltwater mix. Also, you need to increase the water flow rate in your tank with some additional power heads.

[CRUSHER]

Thanks Baka

[flipside]

API makes a product called "E.M. Erythromycin Powder Packets." According to a very good source, (a guy from another board I frequent, that services tanks for a living) it's supposed-to work wonders on cyano (bacteria). I would give it a shot if I had the problem.

[CRUSHER]

Thanks for the tip! I'll go get some today :)

[flipside]

You're welcome! Please let me know how it goes, so I can report back with how it does for you. The guy I know that is doing this says that it's a "miracle" on cyano bacteria.

[Darbex]

I personally wouldnt go down that road. I would just do what Baka said. Just like the problem with medicine in humans if you begin to treat with medication for something that its not needed or dont fully use the dose then you allow other more nasty bacteria the ability to gain immunity to the medication. If you just start medicating the whole tank just to get rid of cyano then you are potentially creating a bad super bacter that once your fish get sick EM will do nothing to it. But in the end its your tank and money so you can do whatever you want. But I personally would just do WC and get some GFO/carbon/bio-pellets. I am seeing some cyano in my tank and I am about to up my WC schedule.

[johnnytrinh]

i got hit with some cyano on my new reef tank. order the dual BRS reactor with GFO and carbon. that solved the problem

[flipside]

I personally wouldnt go down that road. I would just do what Baka said. Just like the problem with medicine in humans if you begin to treat with medication for something that its not needed or dont fully use the dose then you allow other more nasty bacteria the ability to gain immunity to the medication. If you just start medicating the whole tank just to get rid of cyano then you are potentially creating a bad super bacter that once your fish get sick EM will do nothing to it. But in the end its your tank and money so you can do whatever you want. But I personally would just do WC and get some GFO/carbon/bio-pellets. I am seeing some cyano in my tank and I am about to up my WC schedule.

I would generally agree with you and Baka, but in this case I respectfully cannot...

I guess it boils down to how much you want to spend. :) That medication is just that. It's medication to treat bacteria. One can expect to throw their skimmer into overdrive during the process, should one go the medication route.

FWIW, I have never carbon dosed, used GFO, or bio-pellets. I've tried carbon, and it just made my water crystal clear. Also, there is a link to it and HLLE (and other forms of fish ailments). While still theoretical, it has been reproduced in lab environments. In any research, it's hard to find the true loaded gun, but why risk it at all?

Bio-pellets is actually harder to run "correctly" than most think. Many have reported more cyano breakouts when using them (Randy Holmes-Farley via an RC thread). If you have the need, dose Vodka. It's cheaper, and easier to do.

As for GFO... It simply costs too much to upkeep. It's also another "thing" to worry about filling, buying at the LFS, figuring out how to dose (bag, or reactor... what's more efficient... etc...).

With all of the above, once you start... you shouldn't stop. If you do, your tank will suffer algae blooms and a possible crash.

Here's my source for the medication. It shouldn't have any ill-effects on anything and should knock the cyano out, first try. Of course, I've never done it, but this source is a very good one:

http://www.reefersparadise.com/smf/index.php?topic=3209.0

You should expect to see the bacteria decline/dissipate in 12 hours. The good news is, it doesn't seem to come back. :: shrugging shoulders ::

Please keep in mind that many marine tank manufacturers will sell their kids to gypsies to turn a buck. Most all of the "stuff" you see out there is designed with that sole purpose, IM-Humble-O.

And yes... even water changes, with today's technology, are becoming more-and-more obsolete. I know guys that haven't done anything other than top off their water and dose... and their reefs look pristine.

[rage]

As for GFO... It simply costs too much to upkeep. It's also another "thing" to worry about filling, buying at the LFS, figuring out how to dose (bag, or reactor... what's more efficient... etc...).

With all of the above, once you start... you shouldn't stop. If you do, your tank will suffer algae blooms and a possible crash.
...

The GFO may cost some money but I don't think you have to keep doing it forever.
My tank had the red slime for year+ until I installed the BRS GFO/ carbon reactor. I ran it for 3 months, changed out the media once a month. The red slime went away and I shut off the reactor in April, the tank is still looking good. I think the key is not to add phosphate back into your system with impure water.

And yes... even water changes, with today's technology, are becoming more-and-more obsolete. I know guys that haven't done anything other than top off their water and dose... and their reefs look pristine.

Water change is made for several different purposes.
1) To remove some bad things. (nitrate or other things)
2) To add back some good things. (calcium, other traced elements)
It depends on the tank, someone might benefit more than others. One person does not need it does not mean no one needs it. That other person also may do other things to compensate.
It's very similar to other practices that people apply, you want to know why and what before you can really make educated judgement.

[CRUSHER]

That crap is gone from the rock, now it's all over the sand....

[flipside]

What have you done to counter it?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2