Chemiclean for red slime algae?

SimplyVibing

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Doesn’t respond to fluconizole unfortunately. I’ve been told chemiclean + an air pump works fine. I’m about two months into a bad outbreak. Online I found a guide, PLEASE let me know if any of these steps are unnecessary or harmful!

1) Turn off skimmer

2) lights out for 3 days

3) large (40%) water change

4) repeat as needed

I’ve also been told to dose more than what’s recommended on the box. Any tips?
 

Jr villa

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I’ve used this twice, once in my 5 gallon nano and cleared it up. when I upgrade to a bigger tank used it again and it worked like a charm, no complaints. I use as directed on the box. Kept my lights on, if you turn off skimmer make sure you have an air stone in the water column. Lastly, you will need to do a big water change, I’d recommend a 50%
 

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Chemiclean works great for cyano outbreaks. Use as directed. It’s safe and fast.
 

mrbryan809

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Trying to figure out if I have cyno as well can anyone identify the image
IMG_20191218_195819.jpg
 

hyprc

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Chemiclean works but always remember, it's a bandaid. You're not solving anything (other than a temporary aesthetics issue) and it will be back. Oxygenation is important as mentioned above with any antibiotic vs cyano as your o2 will drop.

Guy above me could be dino or brown cyano... hard to tell from just that pic.
 
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I’ve used this twice, once in my 5 gallon nano and cleared it up. when I upgrade to a bigger tank used it again and it worked like a charm, no complaints. I use as directed on the box. Kept my lights on, if you turn off skimmer make sure you have an air stone in the water column. Lastly, you will need to do a big water change, I’d recommend a 50%

Thanks for your suggestions! I reallllyyy didn’t want to go lights out lol
 
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SimplyVibing

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Chemiclean works but always remember, it's a bandaid. You're not solving anything (other than a temporary aesthetics issue) and it will be back. Oxygenation is important as mentioned above with any antibiotic vs cyano as your o2 will drop.

Guy above me could be dino or brown cyano... hard to tell from just that pic.

Thank you for the reminder. I’m not really sure what I could be doing wrong to get algae, but I’ve heard cyano thrives in clean conditions (just what I’ve heard, I could be wrong) and previously I also had an issue with bryopsis which also tolerated low nutrients. So I’m thinking the issue is my lights, which are pretty cheap.

Met a guy recently who had two connected tanks with identical equipment except lights, and the tank with the more expensive light had 0 algae while the cheap light tank had tons.
 

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The major downside is sometimes people use it and then get dino....with the cyano gone.... A new and worse invader can move in.

If you are registering low to 0 nutrients this is a real possibility.
 

Jr villa

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Also once you dose with chemiclean, makes sure you stay on point because like tamberav said, something else can move in. With my first tank, I ended up getting real bad green hair algae
 

hyprc

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Thank you for the reminder. I’m not really sure what I could be doing wrong to get algae, but I’ve heard cyano thrives in clean conditions (just what I’ve heard, I could be wrong) and previously I also had an issue with bryopsis which also tolerated low nutrients. So I’m thinking the issue is my lights, which are pretty cheap.

Met a guy recently who had two connected tanks with identical equipment except lights, and the tank with the more expensive light had 0 algae while the cheap light tank had tons.
It's important to remember Cyano is a bacteria, not an algae. Every single system has it, but it is not dominant in every system. Cyano is a basic building block of the reef. It hates good flow and tanks with balanced C/N/P (do some reading on Triton's modified Redfield Ratio).
 
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The major downside is sometimes people use it and then get dino....with the cyano gone.... A new and worse invader can move in.

If you are registering low to 0 nutrients this is a real possibility.

When you say nutrients, do you mean nitrates? Sorry I’m kinda new to this. My tank last had an outbreak of bryopsis to the point it was literally everywhere, and red slime came less than a few weeks later. If I got Dino idk what I’d do tbh.
 
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SimplyVibing

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It's important to remember Cyano is a bacteria, not an algae. Every single system has it, but it is not dominant in every system. Cyano is a basic building block of the reef. It hates good flow and tanks with balanced C/N/P (do some reading on Triton's modified Redfield Ratio).

That’s good to know. I’ll do some reading :)
 

Terry Mattson

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Chemiclean as directed worked great. I left skimmer on but turned collection. Cup upside down and I added a air stone also just to make sure o2 ....
 

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Yes, nutrients equal nitrates and phosphates in reef tank talk.

Ideally you would want some nitrates and phosphates. Around 5ppm N03 and a trace .02 phosphates.

Dosing chemiclean per instructions to the letter. If you can, run your skimmer without it's collection cup and let it run over. It will aide in 02 in the water column. If running a UV, turn it off during this time.

After 48 hours, do a large water change, run some GAC. Your skimmer will keep over flowing for several days after all this. Its normal for it to do this.
 

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When you say nutrients, do you mean nitrates? Sorry I’m kinda new to this. My tank last had an outbreak of bryopsis to the point it was literally everywhere, and red slime came less than a few weeks later. If I got Dino idk what I’d do tbh.

Yes Nitrate AND Phosphate.

I have also seen people lose fish after chemiclean even with air stones, it's not common though but I am assuming it may be because strains if cyano have palytoxin in them so when chemiclean kills it, the toxins can take out other life.

Most of the time it isn't a problem but is it 100% safe all the time? No. I think everyone should know there IS risk.
 
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SimplyVibing

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Yes Nitrate AND Phosphate.

I have also seen people lose fish after chemiclean even with air stones, it's not common though but I am assuming it may be because strains if cyano have palytoxin in them so when chemiclean kills it, the toxins can take out other life.

Most of the time it isn't a problem but is it 100% safe all the time? No. I think everyone should know there IS risk.

Thanks for the heads up, I’ll keep an eye on them. I read yesterday that there’s over 7000 strains of Cyanobacteria! So hopefully I don’t have one of the nastier varieties.
 

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