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Old 05-06-2006, 07:19 PM   #2
FragOutpost
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Red slime algae (cyanobacteria) can be a nusciance but it is also one of the easiest algaes to remove manually by siphoning with a 6' length of 1/2" vinyl tubing. I use the term algae loosely as cyanobacteria is really a bacteria and not algae. I have not seen anything that will eat cyano but according to "Algae: A Problem Solver Guide" by Julian Sprung blue-legged hermits (clibanarius tricolor) are supposed to eat it as well as the florida fighting conch (strombus alatus), but this has not been my experience. Is your skimmer running optimally? Are you running carbon? Have you tried increasing the flow in the areas where the cyanobacteria likes to grow? Cyanobacteria is also known to prefer water with lower alkalinity. There are antibiotics such as red slime remover but I would definitely recommend against them because they are designed to kill bacteria and will not discriminate against the types of bacteria that it kills wiping out colonies of certain beneficial bacteria as well.
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