aqua-ed Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 As the title suggests, I'm having a bit of a time with red slime in my sump. The thing is, my main tank is completely free of the stuff. I have the normal green stuff that grows on the glass, but other than that, my algae battles are won up top. My DSB gets a red slime coating that I think is probably lower it's ability to perform properly. I also have some sun corals that I am raising in there (easier feeding and not as much light) that are starting to get a coating, too. My rock rubble, live rock, tank sides, protein skimmer, and cheato are all falling prey to it's grasps too. Any suggestions? wiping it off isn't doing squat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Turn off the sump light for 3 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqua-ed Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 That won't effect the cheato? Should I move the cheato up? Also, does lighting make difference? Since it is just my sump, I use a HD fluorescent bulb. would I be better with an actnic or daylight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I'd increase the flow in the sump and get the excess nutrients out of the water column. Cutting lights might help with the symptom (the cyano) but likely won't help much with the problem (too many nutrients in the water column). Perhaps you are overfeeding the tubastrea, and the excess food is fueling the cyano growth... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Increasing flow won't do it(as the 5500gph in my tank can attest, the stuff grew right on the output of my 2000gph sureflow mod), you need to cut out its food source = light and nutrients. Lights off for 3 days will kill it all off, but it may return. I would venture to guess that feeding the sun corals in there is causing this. Do you have any type of clean up crew in there? How often do you feed the sun corals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqua-ed Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 I just got the suns last week and the cyano has been there for a lot longer than that, so I don't think feeding them is the prob. I have two hermits and two nassarius in there, but they always climb over the baffles and I have to put them back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Sounds like excess nutrients then. Only thing i've found that works is frequent WCs, heavy skimming, manual removal, and adding PO4 absorbing media. It should eventually go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqua-ed Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 Ok, so what defines "nutrients"? I've always assumed we're talking food, but does it include supplements? I add calcium, stontium, and lots of iodine, should I cut back on them, too? Excess food isn't an issue because i only have two fish and feed them pellets until they stop taking them. The clean up crew quickly pounces on what they miss. Now, of course, there is a lot more missed food because of the brines I feed to the suns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Yes food is a large part of it. There is a chance that the supplements you are adding contribute nitrates or phosphates, and if they do that negative is offset by the positive of what they add IMO, ie calcium or alk. How much they may be adding i have no idea. The nutrients could be leaching from the rock as well. I think that is where my problem was coming from. They could also come from your newly mixed up salt or RO water. I'm curious why you are adding iodine? Do you test for iodine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqua-ed Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 I'm curious why you are adding iodine? Do you test for iodine? Nope, don't test for it. Someone told me iodine was something to add for softies. Is that a myth? I just add 6 drops a day (as directed). I have heard of baking rocks, but how do I do that with all the flora and fauna I have growing on them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 IMO three days with no light on the sump will tell you if the problem has been corrected, or if the problem still exists. If the problem is still present the cyano will return. IMO flow has something to do with it when keeping cheato as it can be a detritus collector, you do want a good amount of flow through the refugium IME. By keeping the flow up you keep the detritus suspended so the other filtration can remove it. Also IME 3 days with no light won't even phase cheato. I would be very leary about osing Iodine without testing for it and make sure your supplement is actually IodiDe not Iodine. Iodine is found in salt and food and IME is never something I have needed to supplement. I'm not anti supplement, I dose for a ton of stuff including Iron and amino's so I do use stuff most wouldn't, but not even I touch iodine. JMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Iodine is one of the things i would not add without a test kit. Just a couple drops could put you over the top and kill off everything. With regular water changes, any iodine should be replaced IMO. I can't say whether it would be contributing to your problem though. To bake the rocks, you would have to remove any corals and macro algae you want to keep. Then the rock are stored in a bin that is kept free of light. Basic equipment like a powerhead and heater is all you need, a skimmer would reduce the need for frequent water changes, but WCs will still need to be done. What this does is force the bacteria to feed on the nutrients already inside the rock, since you aren't adding any additional nutrients. When the cooking is done, you have clean, nutrient free rock with lots of bacteria and open pores for it to grow. Also i agree with Kevin on the flow and keeping detrius suspended. I simply meant that upping flow would not correct your cyano problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqua-ed Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 Ok, got it. No more iodine. I have a powerhead in there that keeps the water flowing good. The question still remains, why is the cyano limited to my sump? Is it because I don't have a full clean up crew down there? I hate to put it off, but I'll be switching tanks after I graduate this summer and get a job with an income, so I might save rock baking for then. How long do you leave them in the bake tub? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Didn't see Ed's post before I posted. 6 drops a day? I would cut that. Cooking rocks like Miles is talking about is cool. I ended up cooking mine for about 8 months ( I planned on two, some things came up . . .) but I couldn't be happier. The 65g tank the cooked rock is in still has very little algae growth despite a very cheap and I think broken skimmer, and a 20gish refugium. Tank will have it's one year birthday in a couple weeks. I used a 55g rubbermaid, a 800gph pump and a pair of 100W heaters set at 91. I fed the tank pure unscented ammonia (about 5mL) a few times a week and added vodka once a week or so as I remembered. Over the course of the 8 months I am sure I missed some feedings, thought I missed some and fed extra, I'm not that calculated of a person on somethings. When I removed the rock and placed it into my system there was no cycle. I added 5 cubes of food the first day, tested after 8 and 12 hours, tank was ready to go. It was easy for me moving here from out of state to do such, but at this point it would be hard for me to tear down a tank just to rid the algaes and phosphates. I do think it is good practice and am happy I did it but would understand if you didn't want to tear a system apart. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 I keep posting while your posting. Cause could be a few things. Deadspots building up detritus. Kelvin range of the bulb. Photoperiod. Just hasn't had time to invade the display yet. Lots of things. If your going to be moving that would be a great time for cooking. I would say 6 weeks or longer is best IMHO. 8 months worked good, but I don't think I'll do it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqua-ed Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 That's part of my problem: my tank is small, set up and it is the only one I've got. Taking out and baking my rock isn't really feasible for months. BTW: my nitrates always test at 0-5ppm. This could be crappy test equipment, too. Is there a way to create a really stank nitrated sample? Like putting a bunch of food in a cup of tank water for a few days? That will let me see an actual color change if the tester works. I will get some phosphate tests today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Experiences differ -- I had some (small) problems with cyano in the corners of my tank. I upped the flow and the cyano faded. That's not to say that upping flow will cure all cyano problems, but it can be part of the problem. Regarding iodine... [language filter], that's a lot of iodine to add :eek: If you aren't measuring it, don't add it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqua-ed Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 Regarding iodine... [language filter]' date=' that's a lot of iodine to add :eek: If you aren't measuring it, don't add it.[/quote'] It's measured drops, 12 drops= 1mL. It's a poor chemistry teacher's trick. So 6 drops is .5mL for a 25+10gal tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Hey Ed, i would do one thing at a time. Stop the iodine see if anything improves. I don't know if cyano feeds on iodine, but if it does even just a little then stopping the iodine should give you an improvement. If it doesn't, on to the next thing! If you put some flake food in a cup of water for a day or so, you should get a reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Yeah, I realized after I posted that you were probably using an iodine supplement. When I experimented with iodine for my xenia, I used lugol's (which is pretty concentrated stuff). Adding that much lugols would kill the tank and make your neighborhood a superfund site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqua-ed Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 Yeah' date=' I realized after I posted that you were probably using an iodine supplement. When I experimented with iodine for my xenia, I used lugol's (which is pretty concentrated stuff). Adding that much lugols would kill the tank and make your neighborhood a superfund site [/quote'] (laugh)(scary) I've been adding that much iodine to my tank for 4 months now with no such affects. I use Kent's iodine supplement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pledosophy Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 You got any shrimp or pods in there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aqua-ed Posted February 27, 2008 Author Share Posted February 27, 2008 No shrimp in there, but maybe some pods. I do have some pods in my main tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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