Very Frustrated! About to give up, need a solution.

[GottisEgo]

To all BRS,

I have been traveling extensively for the past 2 months or so for work. During that time you may recall me ranting about my red slime creeping and taking over the tank. Well as I come to find out, my lovely girlfriend has been topping off my tank with straight tap water. She was to lazy to use my RODI every time the ATO needed a refill.

So right to the point. My tank is a disaster. I've never seen redslime take over an entire powerhead. I recently used that redslime remover rememdy but nothing, not a freaking dent. On top of that, my MJ900 W/ a mod that I believe said it was Algae proof has ALGAE lol. I'm not kidding, but this is really taking over the environment. My rock's do not look like they used to, sand is a disaster, my powerhead's are being taking over. It's weird.

Could all this redslime and everything be due to all the tap water being put into my tank. Also, you can imagine the water changes have been limited to every 2-3 weeks.

I love my tank. I have spent time and money on my own little waterworld but I seem to be doing a horrible job. As the fall comes near I will attempt to shift everything over to a more advanced 90gallon system as I have planned for so long but how can I do so when the basics seem to be failing me.

Sorry for the rant everyone but I need some sort of plan or I'm going to let everything go.

Regards,

Doug

 

[delta]

Oh yeah easily the tap waster. The nutrients in the tap water are feeding the Cyano. I would syphon of and much Cyano as you can before you treat it again. I prefer to use chemi clean though.
I would say some agressive water changes Carbon and GFO. Then hit it with the Chemi clean or redslime remover.

Water changes- 30% twice the first week, then once a week until everything is squared away.
Change out the carbon and GFO with every water change and syphon all the detritus out of your sump, overflows etc.
Also take a PH and blow or all your liverock.

Definately keep your skimmer at its peak performance. just not during the treatments.


I would also clean all your flow pumps, in tank powerheads and/or closed loop pumps. Make sure you have good flow you want everything in suspension not sitting on the bottom of your tank.

 

[GottisEgo]

Delta,

Thank you for the response. I was not to positive that this much damage could be done by tap water but I can believe it. In regards to Carbon I have a ton so I will do as your recommended but how do I use GFO or ChemiClean? Is ChemiClean=Chemi Pure? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4177

My sump also may be the issue as I have not siphoned that think off in month's and also still have the BIO Balls in there. I'm going to get them out of there also, ASAP.

Any other suggestions?

Thank you!

 

[delta]

This is chemi clean just follow the directions.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...=PROD&Product_Code=CHEMI-CLEAN&Category_Code=

GFO (granular ferric oxide) can be used just like carbon but is best in a fluidized reactor like the one phosban makes. Make sure you rinse it well
and you want a small amount of flow with GFO

Remove the bio balls slowly to allow you system to adjust I would consider replacing them with LR

You might consider adding a few poly pads to absorb any metals that may have been in the tap water. These are also useful to put under the outlet of the phosban reactor when you first start it to absorb any loose iron from the GFO.

 

[GottisEgo]

This is chemi clean just follow the directions.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...=PROD&Product_Code=CHEMI-CLEAN&Category_Code=

GFO (granular ferric oxide) can be used just like carbon but is best in a fluidized reactor like the one phosban makes. Make sure you rinse it well
and you want a small amount of flow with GFO

Remove the bio balls slowly to allow you system to adjust I would consider replacing them with LR

You might consider adding a few poly pads to absorb any metals that may have been in the tap water. These are also useful to put under the outlet of the phosban reactor when you first start it to absorb any loose iron from the GFO.

I'm have "Ultralife's Red Slime Remover". Is this not almost the same as what your recommending?

I figured the GFO was used with a Phosban reactor. Unfortunately I cannot add anything to under the tank at the moment. My stand was not ment for a SW set up and I have no room at all. This will be removed with a new stand shortly as work settles.

 

[delta]

Run reactor off the back, side or front of your tank whatever it takes. you can use it in just a mesh bag that comes with it, if need be.

The redslime result is the same, it is a temporary solution to your red slime problem. They two totally different treatments.

 

[Moe_K]

How about turning the lights out for a few days, and doing a MASSIVE water change using RO/DI water?
Cyano will perish without the light.

Massive water change will diminish nutrients.

 

[GottisEgo]

How about turning the lights out for a few days, and doing a MASSIVE water change using RO/DI water?
Cyano will perish without the light.

Massive water change will diminish nutrients.

I just shut them off. Will start doing the massive water change by Wednesday/Thursday. Enough time for me to get to the LFS for some supplies and going to pick up a Phosban Reactor. What size pump should I get for the reactor?


I am going to take before and after pic's.

Wish me luck!

 

[delta]

I use a maxi jet 404 dinky little thing.

I would be careful with the lights out keep an eye on your corals no telling the kind of stress they are under. Really depends in what was in the water nice part of lights out is you can bail out and got to a 4hrs lighting cycle which is what you want to once your done with lights out anyway. This is a nice way to nuke many types of nuisance Algea, while you get things under control

 

[Behrmon]

Good luck, you can get past it & it will be worth it.

 

[GottisEgo]

Thank you guys for the help and support!

 

[delta]

GL Keep us updated

 

[afboundguy]

Cyno is sooooooo much fun. Good luck with it...

 

[RayD]

Make sure your skimmer is off during the slime remover treatment as per the instructions. It is important to use "Red Slime Remover" or
"Chemi-Clean" EXACTLY as outlined in the pamphlet for it to be effective. Plus siphon off as much as you can.

You may be too inundated for the treatment to eradicate the problem. Manually remove as much as humanly possible and I think you'll have better results.

Chemi-Clean is not Chemi-Pure. Two different products.

Good luck! You may lose a battle or two but you WILL win the war. Just have patience. That is key in this hobby.

 

[stingythingy45]

"Boyds" Redslime Remover.

This is the product that seems to be the one used by many hobbyist to "reboot"the system.

 

[JayM]

Chemi-clean worked for me....then I got rid of the nutrients causing the cyano, and they haven't been back.

 

[jbishop]

Chemi-clean worked for me....then I got rid of the nutrients causing the cyano, and they haven't been back.

Same story only I used Red Slime remover. I'm guessing these two products are very similar in their ingredients.

 

[stingythingy45]

Yeah,that right.
It's Boyds Chemi-clean.
I only used it maybe twice.I been able to control nutrients enough that it hasn't returned.