Brown Slim Nightmare

[harris51]

So hears a horrible story.............

My beautiful 78 bow reef was a year old when suddenly,
the entire tank crashed in a sea of brown slim and hair algae. It happen rather subtly at first, then to my horror everything was covered in less than a week.

I couldn't figure out what was going on at first.....
Mechanical removal..... nope
Water changes....no luck.
Phos-lock scrubber..... no luck
New protein skimmer.... nothing


I my rush to figure out my problem, I tested TDS and discovered 800! This is where it gets horrible.

In the process of changing out my RO/DI unit, I discovered that my plumber had switched my plumbing lines and my ice maker was getting the RO/DI and my tank was getting the best of Phoenix's rock hard tap water.

My question;

How does one best recover from toxic waste dump of a brown slim infestation.

1) Correct RO/DI situation
2) Water changes
3) Scrub live rock
4)...........................What else?

Thanks

[TimH07]

ship me some ice for my scotch please

[Reefland]

That is the best path to take. You should do some very aggressive water changes and manually remove as much as possible. It will be an uphill battel but can be won with persistance.

[charlie]

Scott is right on with what he says. Now that you have the plumbing straightened out, your protein skimmer should start doing it's job a bit more efficiently, your scrubber will scrub!!!!
Do the water changes, maybe 10-15 gallons at a time, 2-3 times a week until you start to see some difference. I think by that time, you may have it diluted enuf, then just sit back to 1 change a week. Scott is right, it is gonna take awhile. Any way you could get a refugium on there???
Just my thoughts.

[harris51]

Interesting, I have a hang on refugium which is really, rather slim free.

I think the algae mat blocks out light to the bottom and prevents anything but the most superior invasion.

Any thoughts on light restriction???? I have heard differing thoughts.

[charlie]

You could try the light thing, I think now that you have your water problem straightened out, things will get better.

One thing, did you call your plumber??????

[harris51]

That is the insult to injury part.

I had fired that plumber and the end of the job because he was such an ass.
So no, he and I are not exactly on speaking terms.....

and Yes, it makes this even more painful.... it is like he is sticking it to me from the grave ( A figure of speech ... he still draws air).

I thought I had gone back and check all his work.....

Guess not!!!!!!!!!

I should have caught it.

[Ninong]

Any thoughts on light restriction????

Skip,

Don't do that.

Fix the R.O./D.I. connection.

After that is taken care of, do a 20-gal water change every week for the next three or four weeks -- maybe even five or six weeks.

I would leave the rock scrubbing as a last resort.

[harris51]

Is it your opinion, that if I remove all of the excess nutrients via water changes, that the slime will die and be removed via the protein skimmer?

I guess I thought I might just get up the bulk manually?

Thanks for all your ideas

[Ninong]

I guess I thought I might just get up the bulk manually?

Yes, that's certainly a good idea if you feel up to it.