saltwater reef

Question
we have a 130 gallon saltwater reef tank we have had it set up for 9 months, we have vegetation growing like crazy and we keep getting that red alage growing, we have used red slime remover, it works for a minute, then it comes back, we also have a problem keeping our snails alive, our fish are fine, some of our coral dies because of the red slime. what are we doing wrong?

Answer
Hi Donna. If your tank is nine months old it is right on track for this "alga" bloom. Usually when a tank has been up and running for 6-12 months it is typical to see a red slime algae outbreak. Slime algae is not an algae at all but a bacteria. Like most bacteria treating them with the slime removers will often lead the strain in your tank to build up an immunity to the medication which in turn will make it less effective each time you use it. You have to get to the root of the problem in order to really fix it. Red slime algae grows in water that is rich in organic nutrients. This means that you are really having a problem with your water quality. First check all your levels; ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH, alkalinity and phosphate. One or more of these may be slightly elevated because of the build up of wastes that usually goes hand in hand with a cyanobacteria bloom. Sometimes raising your alkalinity will help. How efficiently is your protein skimmer running? You should be collecting a thick brownish-green substance that needs to be emptied once to twice a week. If you are collecting too watery of a liquid than you may need to adjust your protein skimmer. Protein skimming is just one of the things that helps cut down on the wastes in your tank. Strong water flow is another thing that will help to control slime algae. Areas that are a little stagnant tend to build up more waste than areas with a good water flow. Simply utilizing some good power heads in your tank will help with this part of the problem. Fresh activated carbon somewhere in you filtration system Is another tool to employ. Activated carbon absorbs hydrophobic(water hating) organic molecules by bonding to the actual structure of the material. Along with unwanted organic matter, there are many other unwanted substances that may build up without the use of fresh activated carbon every month or two. Lastly, how often are you doing your partial water changes. Water changes should be done at least once a month under normal tank conditions. If you are experiencing algae blooms of any kind you may have to up the frequency of your partials. Try doing more frequent partial water changes of about 20% of your tanks volume once a week or more if needed until you get this under control. Never use tap water for mixing with your salt. Use only high quality reverse osmosis or distilled water. If you are very diligent and employ all these that I have told you, you should see a reduction in the amount of slime algae with in two to three weeks. Pay special attention to the partial water changes. I have found that simply doing them more often has cured many a tank of this pesky bacteria and your water quality can improve leading to a healthier environment for all.