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I've almost run out of ideas;
my 152 gal is suffering from slime algae and I have tried almost everything.
From a fiend, who is a biologist, I understood that cleaning out the tank and desinfecting it is the only option. He couldn't tell me what to desinfect it with; have you guys got any clue?

The other option, which is a lot more friendly, consist of adding 5 SAE to the current list of inhabitants. They are said to eat slime algae. I'm afraid however, that they'll get in a fight with my flying fox. Has anyone got any experience with combining the two?

Last edited by tinfoil at 07-Dec-2004 10:53

Don't know if the SAE will mess with the flying fox. What about cleaning as much of the algae off as possible and installing a UV sterilizer to try to reduce the floating algae in the water. Then maybe SAE (if compatible) or some other algae eater will be able to keep the algae in check.

As for tearing down the tank and cleaning it. I use a weak bleach solution (1:10 to 1:20) but that is a real hassle as you'll destroy all your bacterial colonies.

Do you have any idea what caused the algae in the first place? Maybe you could figure out why its thriving and make the tank less hospitable to the algae...

Tearing your tank down and dis-infecting it is a tough choice.

You will mostlikely loose most of your beneficial bactera, and go through a HUGE mini-cycle, and take the risk of poisioning the tank with the bleach.

I would try an algae eater, or darkening the tank for a few days.

If by slime algae you mean cynobacteria or blue green algae then just tearing down the tank will take care of the problem, but you're likely to have it come back again.

If it looks like bright green cobwebs, as tough as snotty boogers to pull from the tank and has a slight "fresh corn" scent to it then it's most likely cynobacteria. Being a bacteria nothing will eat it. It can be fought with antibacterial meds, but will put the tank in minicycle. AND unless the root cause is discovered will come back.

I'd suggest a complete blackout for 3 days (not just lights off, but cover the tank compleatly) stop all ferts and CO2. Perform a partial water change, getting as much of the gunk up. Test to make sure you have @least 10-20ppm nitrates, if not you'll need a few more steps.

^_^
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bleach, take all living things out, bleach the inanimates for 40 mins, then bleach any plants too. everything that you put back in needs to be bleached or new.

use a 1:20 bleach to water solution and make sure its plain, not lemon scented!

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

"The other option, which is a lot more friendly, consist of adding 5 SAE to the current list of inhabitants. They are said to eat slime algae. I'm afraid however, that they'll get in a fight with my flying fox. Has anyone got any experience with combining the two?"
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I do, I have a flying fox and 3 SAE's in my 90g tank. I bought the SAE's to eat my hair and brush algae (which they are doing a bang up job on btw). My flying fox totally ignores them, and sometimes the SAE's try to school with him, but he still ignores them.
I wouldnt forsee a problem that way.

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I can vouch for that---flying foxes tend not to bother SAEs, as well as most other active, rigidly finned, species.