• Looking to buy a cephalopod? Check out Tomh's Cephs Forum, and this post in particular shares important info about our policies as it relates to responsible ceph-keeping.

How do I get rid of this red cyano

Octavarium

Wonderpus
Registered
Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Messages
235
Location
East Haven,CT
So I have this slimey coating that is present on rocks and sand, and it is a maroon red color...I assume cyano. It is in the tank I removed my octo from that has metal halides...always used RO/DI water, ammonia/nitrite/and nitrate all 0 with weekly water changes. What could have been the cause of this, and most importantly...how do I remove it?
 
It could be related to cycling in which different algae types can come and go up to a year after setup. It could be nutrients and will appear in low flow areas.

People have reported great success with having lights out for 3 days on a thread on Reef central. However, this might not get to the root of the problem.

Heres the thread.
No Lights for 3 Days Every Couple of Months Works Wonders! - Reef Central Online Community

There are chemical products that wipe out cyano, but I would hesitate in using that since we have no idea how it would affect a ceph.
 
Well this is the tank he used to be in, so I might check these chemicals out. The tank itself is almost 9 months old...so maybe it is natural cycle of algal growth...there is good flow on the areas it grows also. Im going to go read the reefcentral thread now, thanks paradox
 
Try some blue leg hermits. I put 15 small hermits in a gross looking 40gal and they had it all cleaned up in 2 days. You could also try some phosphate remover granules ( sorta like a white carbon ) or try growing some caulerpa somewhere in your system to slow and keep out the slime and hair algae.
 
This is one of the challenges of keeping a ceph tank. Especially an octopus tank since it will eat all the hermits and snails.

Old lights and nutrients can promote cyano.

Things that help with nutrient export are refugiums (to remove some phosphates and nitrates), deep sand beds (remote or in tank to remove nitrates), Phosban reactor (This works great to remove phosphates), sulfur denitrators (to remove nitrates).
 
I have a pretty deep sandbed, over an inch in areas...in both tanks. But since I just took my octo out of this tank Ill go with a bunch of hermits...I didnt think they really cleaned up well according to some people online Ive heard. But thats cheap so Ill try that, wont be able to do it in the octo tank obviously...hopefully the breakout doesnt occur in his current tank due to the far superior skimmer.
 
I have had good success with a product from Chemiclean called Red Slime Remover (I have used another brand but highly prefer this one). I use a different method than the recommendations though. If you have a cannister or overflow filter, place a very small amount on the first water contact side of a the filter media (I use a Poly-Filter and a hang on overflow style filter for this) so that the water contacts the pad then flows through the filter. This maximized the water contact with the chemical but minimizes the chemical contact with the tank critters. I have not tried it while an octo was in residence but have not had any ill effects with corals.
 
Check your silicate levels, a high count is often the case for red slime too.

Either that, or the Martians are invading! :bugout:
 
cthulhu77;115860 said:
Check your silicate levels, a high count is often the case for red slime too.

Either that, or the Martians are invading! :bugout:

or both :rolleyes:
 

Shop Amazon

Shop Amazon
Shop Amazon; support TONMO!
Shop Amazon
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Back
Top