Cyano- Help

[coloagro]

I am dealing with a rash of red cyano... Stringy, reddish purplish cyano. I'm able to blow it off the rocks but it comes back within days. I've read all the websites but I want feedback from you all. I've dealt with everything but this stuff! What's your solution(s)?
I'm checking params tonight so I'll post when I'm home. Ill also try to post pics. Shoot me your cyano fixes? Thanks folks -

 

[Cake_Boss]

I had cyano like mad with my 120, I got more nutrient export (upgraded lights in my fuge, better skimmer), didn't feed as much (1x every 3 days), got some critters to stir the sand (fighting conch, tiger tail cucumber), and increased my flow. It was gone within a few days when I upgraded power heads, added critters, and better skimmer. I can't say which one it was, as I added multiple things the same day.

DON'T TREAT THE SYMPTOMS, FIX THE ROOT PROBLEM

 

[2sweet]

Turn off all the lights and do a three day total blackout, works for me. Not even night lights

 

[09bumblebee]

Start dosing bacteria and it will go away. You have an unbalance of bacteria in your tank. Doing lights out will just make it go away temporarily. Join the brs group buy and get the zeo bak bottle it's like 20$ or less. I've been dosing for the past 2 years and don't have any bacterial blooms/issues. Trust me it works wonders.

 

[crustytheclown]

i am having the same issues. What type of lighting do you have? I am switching to a blue-er spectrum to help fight the issues. I also am adding some sand sifting stars, a sand sifting goby and i was thinking of using something like 09bumblebee had suggested. I hate Cyano so bad, its so hard to get rid of.

 

[cremer9]

carbon,gfo,rotating head on return pump & less food but I still overfeed,I never think my clowns never get enough. turned my tank around.I got a sea urchin for my hair algae too...

 

[303travism]

Change your flow worked for me add flow or just try to re direct it worked perfect for me, my biggest mistake was trying to treat it with chemicals and I nuked my whole tank think I had I coral left it sucked.

 

[ReeferMatt]

home made up flow turf scrubber worked for me!!

 

[daverf]

wow bumblebee, that's great insight on the bacteria issue. didn't know that.

i had it pretty bad. i did 3 big water changes in quick succession, about 40% each time. gone for good.

 

[Ghosty]

Great advice in this thread, definitely saving it for future reference.

Trevor, here is the ZEObak stuff that BumbleBee is talking about:

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/korallen-zucht-zeobak-microorganism-solution.html

home made up flow turf scrubber worked for me!!

Pics in any thread? Or details? Would love to see more DIY setups.

 

[Ghosty]

Start dosing bacteria and it will go away. You have an unbalance of bacteria in your tank. Doing lights out will just make it go away temporarily. Join the brs group buy and get the zeo bak bottle it's like 20$ or less. I've been dosing for the past 2 years and don't have any bacterial blooms/issues. Trust me it works wonders.

What size tank BumbleBee? And how much ZeoBak do you dose weekly? Looks like a 10ml bottle is just under $18.

Nevermind, found the recommendation, unless your dosage is different:

Start by dosing 2-4 drops per 25 gallons every day for two weeks. Subsequently reduce the dose to 1-2 drops per 25 gallons once or twice a week. Refrigerate after opening

 

[bigfoot610]

cut the lights off for 3 days and increase flow cyano bacteria cannot utilize ammonia nitrates or nitrights they cant use it as fuel

 

[bigfoot610]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/tropical-cyanobacteria-genome-sequenced they dont have the genes to do it some are sugessting lamp shift or excessive phosphates

 

[bigfoot610]

just read a new article sugesting excessive co2 is fueling it increased oxygenation from flow is the key aperantly

 

[DyM]

Lower PO4, and NO3... raise Mag and PH will help it go away faster but the bottom line is nutrients. Bateria (or simple carbon dosing) works as those lower PO4, but moreso NO3.

Every tank is different, but each must take the time to find that balance between removing the right amount of waste export and feeding the tank. I advocate keeping a slightly “dirty” tank (slightly detectable nitrates and phosphates) vs. one that is sterile (0 nitrates and phosphates) as using the Zevot method. So being a bit heavier on the import side seems to work for me. Faded, less colorful corals can be an indication that corals are starving from too much nutrient export.

I've also see changing things too much or replacing too much salt water disturbs the system and cryo pops up. I have 22 fish in my 72 gal, I know all to well about high po4..... and no3. It comes and goes, but always can be controlled with lowering nutrients.

 

[coloagro]

I ended up using Boyd's Chemiclean for Cyano and it knocked it out in less than 36 hours! The rocks had stringy cyano everywhere no matter how much I removed daily until I used this Chemiclean! This stuff cost me $8 and it saved my entire tank - Highly recommended

 

[reefmaster719]

The idea of it is pinpointing the source of why the cyano is there. Could be your sand or something else.

 

[bigfoot610]

Nitrites nitrates ammonia CANNOT GROW CYANO BACTERIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Culturing is akin to ‘farming’ the cyanobacteria, thus the new research indicates that the optimization of cyanobacterial growth requires a delicate interplay of CO2, phosphorus and sufficient light irradiation within the PBR vessel containing the microbial crop"

its po4 co2 and light contray to popular belief NO3 is NOT A FACTOR in cyano growth it lacks the gene to use any form of nitrogen....

article linky http://newenergyandfuel.com/http:/n...10/07/12/culturing-cyanobacteria-for-biofuel/