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cbarney 
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 Topic: Blasted Cyano!
Posted: May 03 2008 at 7:23pm |
I have had a Cyano bacteria problem for about 4-5 weeks now, and it is driving me nuts! I have already read about causes and solutions, and talked to several people about treating it, but I beleive you can never have to much advice so I am going to the board.
Here is the info on my tank, Recent changes,
and action taken.
46 gallon bow front
Current nova extreme t-5 234 watt fixture 10,000k & 460nm actinics
Koralia 1, Koralia nano, and Maxi jet 600
Emperror 400 bio wheel
Aqua- C Romero skimmer, added about 3 weeks ago, replaced coralife super.
Sorry, I can't post pictures until tomorrow evening
Fish
Long fin fairy wrasse
Marron Clown
Pygmy Hawk
3 Green Chromis
Green Clown Gobie
Water
pH 8.4
Nitrate ND
SG 1.0235
Temp 73-76
dkH 12
cal 420
If I am missing and relevent perameters LMK
Tank has been running for about two years now mainly as a FOWLR
Added lights 3 months ago.
Started the addition of tech CB soon after Lights and coral were added
hand feed LPS, and started feeding zoo plex twice a week.
I am sure that the initial out break was from over feeding.
Moved koralia Nano lower in tank for better movement around the rock
Added Koalia 1 (blew cyano all over the tank)
Added scarlet reef crabs, 3 tiger conches, and a sea hare ( who has now left us, RIP)
Siphoned substrate, brushed all the rock, physicaly removed as much cyano as possible.
Stopped all feeding for two days now
At the moment the substrate is clear but there is new growth on the rock.
Ordered chemiclean red slime remover as last result
I am very frustrated and at my wits end, any help or suggestions would be much appricated.
Edited by cbarney - May 06 2008 at 10:17pm
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john hill
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Posted: May 03 2008 at 8:23pm |
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i would like to know how to beat it also i get it from time to time and hate it
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out with the large and in with the nano
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KludgeGuru
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Posted: May 03 2008 at 10:32pm |
I had a cyano problem for awhile on my sand bed. I pulled out as much as I could and added more sand over top of it cause I was sick of looking at it. It did not come back. I'm not saying that covering it up with sand is a solution as I'm sure what ever was causing it fixed itself, but my tank sure looked better after adding more sand on top of it.  Sorry this post was pointless.  I'm slowly trying to get up to Mike Savage's 11165 posts.  I've got a long way to go.  -Rocks
Edited by ClimbRocks - May 03 2008 at 10:35pm
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cbarney
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Posted: May 07 2008 at 5:51pm |
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Added pics any help would be appreciated
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ReefBones
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Posted: May 09 2008 at 2:08pm |
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I don't see any Cyano in the pics that you posted .. I see a TON of Coraline algae though .. tank looks awesome!
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140 gallon Reef
65 gallon Reef
55 gallon Aggressive
www.thesalttank.com
801-865-6074
"encourage other divers and sea enthusiasts to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but bubbles"
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Mike Savage
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Posted: May 09 2008 at 2:32pm |
I don't see any cyano either and the tank does look beautiful!
Mike
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cbarney
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Posted: May 09 2008 at 4:02pm |
Thanks for the compliments, It is there in the rocks and on some of the corals, I try to remove the big clumps as it grows. I just did a second treatment of of the red slime remover it seems to be working... sort of.
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mcbrown
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Posted: May 09 2008 at 4:12pm |
I actually just got over a cyano bloom. I had the same issues that you did in trying to control it. I added some Chaeto (thank's Mike Savage) to my tank to fight for the nutrients the Cyano was using. However, for me the real help was the treatment I bought. I had actually purchased the ChemiClean treatment you have but opted not to use it as it seemed to complicated (add treatment, but have an air stone, after 48 hours do a water change, then add charcoal into filtration).
However, last week I stopped by Bird World and they had a Cyano treatment that worked wonderfully. You mix the correct portion of the treatment (it's a powder) with some tank water, remove the charcoal from the filtration system, add the mixed product, and let the tank run. 48 hours later you add the charcoal back in. Had no ill affect on fish or softies (my cabbage leaf looked gloomy for one day but looks fantastic now). Best part is, I have no more Cyano. I wish I could remember the name of the product, all can remember is that it is the one the lady recommended and it cost $21.99. If you are interested in knowing which treatment it is let me know and I will send you the name of it.
Edited by mcbrown - May 09 2008 at 4:13pm
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Dutch
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Posted: May 09 2008 at 4:17pm |
I am against chemicals....
Carbon,turn lights off for a couple days or lessen time,cut feeding back and maybe a phosphate sponge.
It worked for me..and I had a ton!
Dutch
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Honda nut(If you need your Honda worked on give me a PM)
"For the last 10 years of my life I get paid to hurt People, thats what I do, I hurt people" -Jeremy Horn
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cbarney
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Posted: May 10 2008 at 5:38pm |
Thanks for your advice Dutch and Mcbrown. Dutch, how long did it take for your cyano to go away with that treatment? I always have carbon in my filtration and i always use RO, and my phosphates test at zero. I am just curious, does a shorter photo period make that big of a difference?
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: May 11 2008 at 4:51pm |
Cyanobacteria is always present in our tanks. It's one of the oldest organisms in the world. I've heard numbers something like it produces 25% of the oxygen in the world.
I would not use chemicals either. There is no need for that.
I would modify the biofiltration so that Cyano doesn't need to grow. It's only growing now because there are more nutrients going into the water than the biofiltration can process. We have discussed this here on the board before.
Dutch said it right, overfeeding is a major cause. My long-standing advice in this area is to stop feeeding for 4-5 days and then feed half as much thereafter. Adding Macroaglae to the tank and/or setting the Refugium lights to a longer photoperiod is also very helpful.
Though he may not realize it, ClimbRocks did one of the most effective modifications of the biofiltration. He added more sand which allowed more LS for bacteria to grow in. This increased the biofiltration capacity of his tank. Even a just a few cupfulls of Oolitic sand can do the trick. 
I use chemicals in my tank all the time - the right ones. But Chemiclean, Red Slime Remover and all the rest are like taking a cold remedy and believing that killed the cold. A dose of chemicals will fix the problem for a while but the Cyano may come back later with a vengence, because the root cause of the Cyano was never addressed.
Phosphates are being eaten by the Cyano so they will most always test at "0".
Tanks that have a Cyano problem are prime targets for other kinds of Algal blooms. This means the hobbyist should check the number of snails and add more to keep from getting a hair algae problem which will come without sufficient snails.
my 2 cents
Edited by Mark Peterson - May 11 2008 at 4:57pm
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jpiotrowski
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 12:07pm |
The only thing I don't see suggested is increased water flow to keep nutrients in the water column. You don't need to aim at the sand or rocks. In my experimentations with cyano this approach caused the cyano to disappear overnight (not an exageration).
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CrimsRayne
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 12:53pm |
I've found that if I'm having cyano issues that if I increase flow or change it up, do a water change using a tube to suck the cyano off the sand and rocks, and feed less for several days it clears up.
As a last resort I use Red Slime Remover. I dose once and if it comes back I know I didn't fix the original cause and do the above steps again.
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"What we know from this hobby is too hard to share with the people who just want to look and not get wet." -Rioreefer
"The Puffer Girl"
Zoo freak :)
West Jordan
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cbarney
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 5:02pm |
Thanks to everyone and your help, This is the first time I have had to deal with cyano and I have learned a lot! At the moment it looks like it is under control, and it sounds like one of the best things to keep it in check is a refugium. So since my tank is not drilled and it would be a huge pain to break it down and get it drilled, Ryan at aquatic dreams gave me a sweet deal on a shipon overflow, and I am going to build a sump/fuge out of a twenty gallon tank I have. Wish me luck! 
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Mike Savage
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Posted: May 13 2008 at 5:12pm |
Good luck! I think a refugium is a great way to go.
Mike
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