phosphate=red slime?

[fishy_business]

Ok so I tested the aquarium for phosphate and its showing slightly higher than recomended phosphates (over 1.0mg/L)
I tested my water supply and phosphates are virtually undectable.So if this high level of phosphate is the cause of my cyano,how do I bring it under control? weekly water changes? less light?? I have a phosphate sponge in place right now...should I buy some red slime remover? I need help:guns:

[ovidio]

in my opinion is caused by overfeeding, frozen foods, mostly
if you don't defrost and drain most of the blody water, before
ading it to the tank. I actualy tested tis in my tank about
4 months ago, I stoped all frozen foods and minimun of any other dry foods, for abouth 2 months, and regular water change aprox. 10% every other week, and the reed slime desapear, but gues what? I started again with frozen foods,
just because I love to see them so happy, eating from my hands, and I see reed stuff coming back, so I will slow down
to 1 frozen food feed per week.
good luck. ovidio

[fishy_business]

Over feeding was a consideration,however I have never fed them frozen food of any kind and I only feed a pinch of flake food once a day..back of can says min Phosphorus -1%
not sure if thats related to phosphate.
What I cant figure out is why the phosphate level has increased?

[mouse6196]

Do you use soap to wash your buckets etc????

Also, check every additive you use...for instance, KENT liquid reactor has phospates in it. Minimal but they are there. Just test some tank water for phospates, add your additives and test again.

Then check your top off water and water you use for water changes. If you are not using R/O or distilled water, then you may be adding phospates that way.

Don't buy Red Slime remover yet. You have to get rid of the cause first or it's money down the drain. Increase your water flow/ movement. Decrease light by 2 hours a day for 2 weeks. Then when the cyano stabilizes or decreases, then use the Slime Remover.

Thaw your frozen food in tank water...use frozen once a week with a good feeding. Flake food every second day.

:D

[reefmutt]

Phosphate test kits are not completely reliable because phosphate takes at least a couple of forms in a reef- inorganic and organic phosphates are having a ball in the tank and test kits have trouble distinguishing between the two, let alone giving an accurate level of either. Some kits test for one and some test for the other. And, I'm not sure, but I'd be willing to bet that when the same test kit is used for fresh water(tapwater) and then in saltwater, the readings are probably not comparable...We could really use a chemist here...
In my experiance red slime is more related to nitrates then phosphates..it will, however, take whatever it can get to grow. If some sort of sand bed is not encorporated into your system..consider it. If you are using tap water, there doesn't have to be any detectable (by aquarium test kits) nitrate or phosphate in it to still aid in causing a red slime bloom. Iron and a whole lot of other crap in tap water will help red slime along just fine.
As for phosphates in your tank- there wiil always be some - where there is life in a tank with nutrient inputs, there will be some phosphate. The most effective way of ridding your tank of phosphate (besides bottled/r.o. water) is Kalkwasser additions on a regular basis. KW binds with phosphate and helps remove it from the water.
Macro Algea (harvested regularly) and good protein skimmer will also help export phosphates...

[fishy_business]

Thanks guys for the info...very helpfull to say the least.
As for washing buckets etc with soap..the only thing I do is a rinse with straight water..I dont use frozen food whats so ever and I will be cutting down on my lights.
I have tested for phosphates in my tap and top off whater and the tests didnt reveal anything.It did in the tank of course.I've never used kalkwasser before and I wouldnt know how much to add or how I can tell..65g,80lbs LR 2" CC ..4 star fish,1 coral banded shrimp 2 peppermint shrimp,1 arrow crab a pink tip aneome ,4 small damsel fish and a percula clown.
adding kalk sounds appealing as I hear it may help my purple coraline to grow as well??
Im using the old style seaclone...no room for a sump..maybe one of those hang on skimmers Harley makes might also do wonders..anyone use one before??

[reefmutt]

Kalkwasser is an excallent method of maintaining both alkalinity and ph which will in turn encourage the corralline algae to grow. It has a very high ph so it should be added when the ph in your tank is at its lowest- just before the lights come on. Ideally it should be added slowly during the night, but if you cannot rig a doser, a shot in the morning will do. To make a concentrated solution, add aprox 1 tbs per gallon of purified water and then let it settle. You can make a stock to last around a week, after that it looses its potency. Try adding maybe a quarter cup of clear solution each day. While doing this you must also be watching you alkalinity and ph as well as checking your calcium periodically. Kw can be mean stuff and can throw you tank off its ionic balance, so start off slow and watch the ph and alkalinity so that they don't get too high. You want a ph in between 7.9 and 8.4 no higher. Alk between 8 and 10 dkh, again no higher
You might find some very good d.i.y info here as well, for making a doser if you want.

[MalHavoc]

Here's a little tidbit I learned about a while ago. Figured I'd share. How many of you feed frozen table shrimp to your corals and anemones and such? Almost every brand of frozen shrimp makes heavy use of sodium triphosphate since it increases the "juiciness" of the shrimp (more water content). It's right there on the list of ingredients, but many people never really look. Buy fresh! :)

[Lynn]

From what I've read red slime is a bacteria not a algae so light restriction won't help. More water movement can help and of course less nutrients into the water. Some syphon it out and say that helps. I feed 4- 6 times per day and I only have the problem in the reef tank.?? Also before you cut back on feeding you should decide whether that is going to hurt your fish and corals? some fish like anthias need to be feed several times per day? you don't want to be cutting him back to once or twice a week.
I've read a few posts about the red slime remover doing big time damage to guy's tanks... I'd put up with it, rather then have that happen.

[Grimstalk]

Is redslime and cyanobacteria the same thing?

[heniochus18]

Lynn -
How in the world do you feed that much without stuggling with algae?
Do you have a HUGE skimmer??:eek2:

[reefmutt]

Yes red slime is one of many forms of cyanobacteria