CYANOBACTERIA (RED SLIME ALGAE) AND METHODS TO COMBAT IT

CYANOBACTERIA (RED SLIME ALGAE) AND METHODS TO COMBAT IT

by Orphek

Cyanobacteria are the bane of all marine aquarists and at sometime, most every aquarist will experience this dreaded bacteria.  Cyano can appear in different colors depending on the specie that may develop.  The term Red Slime Algae isn’t necessarily true; it can be blue, blue/green, purple, etc. depending on the specie.  Cyano, if present in large colonies can affect both the fishes and coral’s health.  Cyano generally appears when aquarists slack off in maintenance because “everything looks good”.

There are many factors that contribute to Cyanobacteria; light, excess nutrients, and poor water flow.  When these conditions are present, Cyano can develop and when it starts, it can spread rather fast.

Light:  Poor lighting in terms of intensity and correct spectrum is one contributor to cyano growth.  It has been proven that intense light of the proper spectrum hinders Cyano growth since it prefers lower light intensity and a poor spectrum.  The chart below shows Cyano adsorption rates of different species and how they react to a particular spectrum.  Orphek LED lighting products are all designed to inhibit Cyano growth by providing high intensity output and using the spectrum that is most beneficial to corals or other photosynthetic invertebrates.

Nutrients:  Excess nutrients are another contributor of Cyano growth.  It can be in the form of excess food, fish waste, and dissolved nutrients.  An overrated quality protein skimmer is recommended to reduce excess nutrients.  Quality activated carbon is also very useful as it will remove contaminants that a protein skimmer will not remove from the water.

Water Flow:  Poor water flow creates stagnant areas in the tank where Cyano spores are allowed to settle and start growth.  Total water flow, including power heads, should be at least 10 times the volume of your tank.  Wavemakers or smart pumps are highly recommended.  The goal is not to let suspended food or waste settle but to keep it in suspension so it can enter the sump and be filtered out by chemical or mechanical means.

Combating Cyano:  The three contributors listed above must be addressed and corrected as a first step in eliminating Cyano.  There are also products available said to kill Cyano and one such product is Ultra Life’s Red Slime Remover but there are similar products that will have the same effect.

A word of caution when using any of these products; Erythromycin or a similar antibacterial medication is used in these products.  Since Cyano is bacterium and not algae, the medication attacks the bacteria.  The downside is that the medication is not selective; it will kill both good and bad bacteria.  Your corals may lose color and stop growing until the treatment period is over so caution and a careful eye is advised.  

Before you begin dosing, it is a good idea to do a water change and suck out as much Cyano as you can.  

It is highly recommended that you follow the instructions to a tee and not eliminate any step.  Be as accurate as possible in determining the dosing level you require.  Under dosing has little to no effect and overdosing can be disastrous to invertebrates. For best results it is imperative that the three contributors listed above be corrected before dosing any medication.  If this is not corrected first, the Cyano will return shortly after the medication period is over.  It makes no sense to dose first, then correct the problem later.  Doing so will require you to do another dosing period which puts further stress on your livestock.

Orphek does not endorse or guarantee that any of the Cyano removing products will be effective and safe for your system.