Maracyn for red cyano??

[Saltgator]

I have a friend that sent this to me. Anyone have thoughts or tried this???

1. Clean off as much red slime algae as you easily can before

2. Remove Activated Carbon, phosphate remover and other chemical media from the filtration system, turn off the protein skimmer

3. Put 1 tablet of Erythromycin (200mg) per 30 gallons in the tank. The product can be found under the name "Maracyn" at most LFS. Premix in tank water for easier mixing.

4. Wait 2 to 3 days and repeat the dosage, then after 2 or 3 more days, repeat the dosage 1 more time. Adding dosage to your tank a total of 3 times. 3 days after the third dose, the red slime should be gone. You may then replace the carbon in the filtration system and wait one more day for additional media.

5. Turn on the other filtration system reactors and turn the protein skimmer back on to low/reduced air input and adjust it back to normal function gradually over a number of days. If set back to normal too quickly, it will foam like mad and overflow the cup.

6. To prevent the return of red slime, use Chemi-Pure within your filtration system

 

[Saltgator]

Bump for any thoughts.

 

[shred5]

Most red slime removers are nothing but Erythromycin. Erythromycin is a broad spectrum antibiotic and it will kill red slime (cynao). Question is what other bacteria does it kill. it mainly goes after gram positive bacteria but also some gram negative bacteria which is some denitrification bacteria.


Some people have had success with red slime removers and other have had total losses. I would remove redslime (cyanobacteria) by controlling the real problem (nutrients) otherwise you end up with another possibly bigger problem or red slime again when it is reintroduced.

Dave Polzin

 

[LPS Hunter]

I used it recently to remove red slime that wasn't going away...the more I cleaned and changed water the worse it got...I got the powdered version of FW Maracyn from Petsmart...7 packets on days 1, 3, 5, 9 per instructions from an old timer (I have approximately 135 gallons total volume)...kept the skimmer going, nothing else...no water changes, no removers....I had to dial way back my air intake on my skimmer...by the 7th day all signs were gone.

The LPS looked absolutely fantastic by day 7...the SPS never looked happy during treatment and took about a month after treatment to color back up....I associate part of this to the skimmer freaking out during the treatment....didn't lose any livestock during the process.

It has been about 2 months with no signs of coming back yet...I'll try to answer any questions you might have.

Mike :bigsmile:

 

[Raggamuffin]

way to risky IMO, I will aim to solve the problem instead of treat the symptoms thanks :)

 

[WesMeeks]

what nutrients cause the problem?

 

[Dowtish]

Over feeding and old bulbs are the usual suspects. Bad exporting of nutrients via a inefficient skimmer etc.

Cyano is a bacteria, and is caused by an bacterial imbalance in the tank. I have used Microbe-Lift Special Blend with great results, it will bring back the balance needed in tank. Slowing down on feeding and photoperiod during the treatment is always helpful.

 

[Saltgator]

Just was searching around for another route with my DT. I have red cyano now and haven't been able to take care of the problem. I've tried 24 lights out, no feeding for a week (only feeding every other day already), new gfo weekly, skimmed wet, mb7 as directed, mag at proper level, and added over 5000 gph just in DT!! Removed it through siphoning yet it's back again. All parameters are spot on, lights are 1 month old and on only 6 hours, 10 inches above surface. No high bio (2 wrasses 2 clowns 1 small tang). Trying another method now, no food, no lights, no carbon, no gfo for 24 hrs. we will see.

 

[wbond]

Tagging along. Does anyone know if it gets worse with lights on or off? Mine seems to get worse with lights off. Near the end of the lighting period, I have minimal cyano.

 

[shred5]

The limmiting factor for it is phosphate. Control them and you can control cyano.

Problem with using something that kills cyano is it is living off something which we know what that is. By not taking care of the problem the problem will grow and accumulate eventually leading to a bigger problem. Maybe you end up with a worse algae than cyanobacteria. You could start to bind phosphates to your live rock or substrate etc. which will lead to future problems.


Cyano requires light to survive.

Dave Polzin

 

[Viva'sReef]

I have used Maracyn 2 for freshwater years ago to treat Cyano with success. I was always told FW Maracyn2 is what you need though, not the regular stuff

 

[Saltgator]

The limmiting factor for it is phosphate. Control them and you can control cyano.

Problem with using something that kills cyano is it is living off something which we know what that is. By not taking care of the problem the problem will grow and accumulate eventually leading to a bigger problem. Maybe you end up with a worse algae than cyanobacteria. You could start to bind phosphates to your live rock or substrate etc. which will lead to future problems.


Cyano requires light to survive.

Dave Polzin

Any suggestion for a Phos media? Been using Phosguard for over a year (changing about 2 cups every 3 months).<< Thinking of changing this to chemi pure. I know how it got into the system, but now can't seem to knock it back out. It came in on a frag that I had to place directly into the DTand a old MH bulb that was replaced a month ago. My water that I top off and WC with has 0 TDS also.

 

[WesMeeks]

My phosphate are 0ppm, but still have cyano. Phosphate has been 0ppm for about a month. Cyano only popped up in the last week or so. Light is on for 5hrs at a time. so what would be the next step?

 

[shred5]

My phosphate are 0ppm, but still have cyano. Phosphate has been 0ppm for about a month. Cyano only popped up in the last week or so. Light is on for 5hrs at a time. so what would be the next step?

First of all that is impossible to have zero phosphates, nothing would be alive in your reef. You have algae or cyano you have a phosphate problem with the exception of dino's.
Fact is measuring for phosphates in your tank is worthless. Most hobby grade kits do not measure low enough and they only measure ortho phosphate. . Also the algae is consuming the phosphate so you will get smaller reading.

Dave Polzin

 

[shred5]

Any suggestion for a Phos media? Been using Phosguard for over a year (changing about 2 cups every 3 months).<< Thinking of changing this to chemi pure. I know how it got into the system, but now can't seem to knock it back out. It came in on a frag that I had to place directly into the DTand a old MH bulb that was replaced a month ago. My water that I top off and WC with has 0 TDS also.

Get rid of the phosguard it is based on aluminum and not really good for a reef.. Get a iron based (gfo) Granular Ferric Oxide phosphate remover. Most gfo is the same so most are good. Rowaphos is decent or just save money and get some from bulk reef supply.

Chemi pure is more of a carbon I believe.

Dave Polzin

 

[WesMeeks]

okay well that still doesn't explain why the cyano only just popped up. Nothing new has been added in over a month, so it didn't hitchhike in.

 

[shred5]

okay well that still doesn't explain why the cyano only just popped up. Nothing new has been added in over a month, so it didn't hitchhike in.

Well phosphates probably have been building for a while or your filters used for water purification needs to be changed. Phosphates can also bind with calcium carbonate and its possible that has been happening for a while.. Eventually it can start to release them back into the water. Cyno is also thought to be able to extract nutrients from substrate such as live rock or your substrate.

Could be detritus has started building up some where too.

Dave Polzin

 

[Saltgator]

I'll look to get some Rowaphos. I read a couple reviews stating that it can color the water. Any experience with this? also, no reactor yet, so mesh bag for now or... Thanks shred5

 

[kuyatwo]

Most red slime removers are not antibiotics but actually oxidizers. It was thought to be an antibiotic but last time I researched it someone actually looked at a sample and determined it was an oxidizer not antibiotic


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[shred5]

Most red slime removers are not antibiotics but actually oxidizers. It was thought to be an antibiotic but last time I researched it someone actually looked at a sample and determined it was an oxidizer not antibiotic


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Chemi clean isnt there may be more but most are plain old Erythromycin.. I wrote them a letter several years ago and they claimed there was non in there but they would let me know what is in it.

I have to ask though why you would think a oxidizer poored directly in the tank would be better? Is it going to target one type of bacteria? Hmm how about Potassium permanganate which has been used in some older red slime removers.?

Dave Polzin