Red Slime Algae eaters?

todd_nano · 07-07-2001, 01:09 PM

I am having a breakout of red slime algae on my substrate. At least thats what i asssume it is, being as its red and slimely. I am wondering what I can buy that eats this stuff.

Thanks,
Todd

reefhead · 07-07-2001, 06:21 PM

purchase some Strombus Maculatus from IPSF they will eat it!

Joe

Dr.Ron speaks of them here

http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin...threadid=27276

todd_nano · 07-07-2001, 06:41 PM

Yeah i actually have a large amount of those prolly 10 or so in a 12G. They don't touch the stuff.

-Todd

Randy V · 07-07-2001, 07:18 PM

How about strombus gigas? Mine eats it right along with the diatoms. Though it prefers the latter.

RudeBoy · 07-07-2001, 08:12 PM

My tank has only been up for 5 months and I had a breakout of that a month ago. I went to my LFS and bought this small capsule of Red Slime Remover by Ultra Life Reef Products. It comes with a small measuring spoon and what you do is take about 2 cups of your tank water and mix it with 1 spoon of this powered stuff. Then you pour it in. It will turn your water yellow but the algae will start to die in the first 20 minutes this stuff is in the tank. It's UNBELIEVABLE how fast it worked. I did my tank at about 7pm and the following morning, 90% of the slime was gone. The water will be yellow for about 48 hours but the slime will be GONE! It's not harmful to your fish or your nutrient levels. You will have to clean whatever sponges you have in your skimmer (if you have one) after all the algae is gone. The stuff works good and it even killed these annoying 'branches' that I had growing out of some of my LR. Good luck!

chromis · 07-07-2001, 10:37 PM

I second strombus gigas, they scarf the stuff down with their proboscis. You will have to find a better and bigger home once the cyano and diatoms are depleted.

HTH

Andrew

RudeBoy · 07-08-2001, 09:16 AM

I've never heard of Stombus Gigas, but, I'd like to know more about it. I've read that it's some sort of Conch but I know nothing about those. Can someone enlighten me because it sounds like a more natural alternative. Thanks.

Randy V · 07-08-2001, 09:25 AM

It is a queen conch. Not always easy to find. Premium Aquatics sometimes has them in stock.

RudeBoy · 07-08-2001, 09:32 AM

What are they and what do they do? I know nothing about Conchs.

Randy V · 07-08-2001, 09:42 AM

They are a type of snail. They get very large and grow pretty fast. They eat diatoms primarily, but also hair algae and cyanobactre. When small they climb the rock and sometimes the glass to get at their food in addition to the sand bed which is their primary habitat. When they get larger they are pretty much restricted to the sand. I'm new to this board but if you do a search on reef central or reefs.org there are a fair number of posts that would provide additional info.

RudeBoy · 07-08-2001, 10:18 AM

Thanks a lot and welcome to Reefland. I've been here a short time myself, but, EVERYONE here is great and very helpful. Thanks again for your info. BTW, are diatoms the kind of brown stuff that is found on top of the sandbed?

Randy V · 07-08-2001, 10:27 AM

Thanks for the welcome. Yes, that's how I would describe diatoms. Although early stages of cyano can look like that also. I originally got my first queen conch to take care of red hair algae, which it did better than any other critter I have ever had, including emerald crabs. But diatoms are its primary food. I have never found any down side to these guys as they are completely vegetarian IME. They do grow large pretty quickly though. Mine seem to put on about 2" per year.

07-07-2001, 01:09 PM	#1
todd_nano Citizen Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Barrington, Rhode Island Posts: 100	Red Slime Algae eaters? I am having a breakout of red slime algae on my substrate. At least thats what i asssume it is, being as its red and slimely. I am wondering what I can buy that eats this stuff. Thanks, Todd

07-07-2001, 06:21 PM	#2
reefhead Governor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: st.petersburg,Fl. Posts: 1,513	purchase some *Strombus Maculatus* from IPSF they will eat it! Joe Dr.Ron speaks of them here http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin...threadid=27276 __________________ Joseph Abrams Enjoy Being, LLC www.NanoReefCentral.com Last edited by reefhead; 07-07-2001 at 06:24 PM.

07-07-2001, 08:12 PM	#5
RudeBoy Citizen Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 144	My tank has only been up for 5 months and I had a breakout of that a month ago. I went to my LFS and bought this small capsule of Red Slime Remover by Ultra Life Reef Products. It comes with a small measuring spoon and what you do is take about 2 cups of your tank water and mix it with 1 spoon of this powered stuff. Then you pour it in. It will turn your water yellow but the algae will start to die in the first 20 minutes this stuff is in the tank. It's UNBELIEVABLE how fast it worked. I did my tank at about 7pm and the following morning, 90% of the slime was gone. The water will be yellow for about 48 hours but the slime will be GONE! It's not harmful to your fish or your nutrient levels. You will have to clean whatever sponges you have in your skimmer (if you have one) after all the algae is gone. The stuff works good and it even killed these annoying 'branches' that I had growing out of some of my LR. Good luck! __________________ "If you don't want to hear the truth, then please don't ask ME."

07-08-2001, 09:16 AM	#7
RudeBoy Citizen Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 144	I've never heard of Stombus Gigas, but, I'd like to know more about it. I've read that it's some sort of Conch but I know nothing about those. Can someone enlighten me because it sounds like a more natural alternative. Thanks. __________________ "If you don't want to hear the truth, then please don't ask ME."

07-08-2001, 09:32 AM	#9
RudeBoy Citizen Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 144	What are they and what do they do? I know nothing about Conchs. __________________ "If you don't want to hear the truth, then please don't ask ME."

07-07-2001, 06:41 PM	#3
todd_nano Citizen Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Barrington, Rhode Island Posts: 100	Yeah i actually have a large amount of those prolly 10 or so in a 12G. They don't touch the stuff. -Todd

07-07-2001, 07:18 PM	#4
Randy V Just Moved In Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 23	How about strombus gigas? Mine eats it right along with the diatoms. Though it prefers the latter.

07-07-2001, 10:37 PM	#6
chromis Mayor Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Lynchburg, Virginia Posts: 518	I second strombus gigas, they scarf the stuff down with their proboscis. You will have to find a better and bigger home once the cyano and diatoms are depleted. HTH Andrew

07-08-2001, 09:25 AM	#8
Randy V Just Moved In Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 23	It is a queen conch. Not always easy to find. Premium Aquatics sometimes has them in stock.

07-08-2001, 09:42 AM	#10
Randy V Just Moved In Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 23	They are a type of snail. They get very large and grow pretty fast. They eat diatoms primarily, but also hair algae and cyanobactre. When small they climb the rock and sometimes the glass to get at their food in addition to the sand bed which is their primary habitat. When they get larger they are pretty much restricted to the sand. I'm new to this board but if you do a search on reef central or reefs.org there are a fair number of posts that would provide additional info.

07-08-2001, 10:18 AM	#11
RudeBoy Citizen Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 144	Thanks a lot and welcome to Reefland. I've been here a short time myself, but, EVERYONE here is great and very helpful. Thanks again for your info. BTW, are diatoms the kind of brown stuff that is found on top of the sandbed? __________________ "If you don't want to hear the truth, then please don't ask ME."

07-08-2001, 10:27 AM	#12
Randy V Just Moved In Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 23	Thanks for the welcome. Yes, that's how I would describe diatoms. Although early stages of cyano can look like that also. I originally got my first queen conch to take care of red hair algae, which it did better than any other critter I have ever had, including emerald crabs. But diatoms are its primary food. I have never found any down side to these guys as they are completely vegetarian IME. They do grow large pretty quickly though. Mine seem to put on about 2" per year.

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