Blackout while doing Chemiclean?

[buruskeee]

In addition to Cyano (tried for a month trying to beat it naturally, finally going Chemiclean - plus I see some STN on a couple corals so hoping it treats that too), I also have a very thick layer of diatoms (could also be Chrysophytes). Am I able to do a lights out period while I'm treating with chemiclean? I have a 150g system with 3 MP40s, dual returns, and a skimmer. I can position the returns with the RFG nozzles so they suck in a bit of air and blow bubbles in the tank too.

I have 6 fish (5 tangs and a wrasse) that are all 2-4" currently. I'm worried about oxygen without lights so I'm asking here before I dose it.

 

[Kmst80]

I would stay away from chemiclean. I did it once in my early days to get rid of cyano and just traded them for dinos.
Get your flow sorted to fight cyano and cut wherever the silicate comes into your system to fight diatoms.

 

[buruskeee]

I would stay away from chemiclean. I did it once in my early days to get rid of cyano and just traded them for dinos.
Get your flow sorted to fight cyano and cut wherever the silicate comes into your system to fight diatoms.

My silicates are not too high anymore, my ICP suggest that silicon is at 50 ug/l and the nominal range is 100, but i'm not sure how that corresponds with silica.

My tank is almost half a year old and have lots of filter feeders on rocks and the back wall at this point. I don't think I'll have dinos since my nitrates are at 8ppm and phostapates are at .04ppm and have held steady there for a bit now. The cyano is getting way too crazy. I can take an extra step of doing lights out after the tank recovers from chemiclean for the diatoms/chrystophytes, but rather do it all at once if it's doable without much issues.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

chemiclean worked for me the 2 times I used it, I would suggest to follow the instructions exactly. The instructions don't require a lights out, so I didn't do that.

 

[buruskeee]

chemiclean worked for me the 2 times I used it, I would suggest to follow the instructions exactly. The instructions don't require a lights out, so I didn't do that.

It also doesn't mention to keep the lights on. I won't kill the lights (not full blackout, just no lights) if it's going to cause issues that can kill my fish, but I want to know for sure.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

blackout won't kill your fish for sure, many folks do blackouts. Sorry, my answer assumed you had corals in the tank that would be bothered by lights out.

 

[buruskeee]

blackout won't kill your fish for sure, many folks do blackouts. Sorry, my answer assumed you had corals in the tank that would be bothered by lights out.

Reason I ask is chemiclean reduces oxygen in the tank, and light creates photosynthesis which feed CO2 and releases more O2 into the water. If there's no photosynthesis, will it kill the oxygen that much more? I do have corals in the tank, but they can survive a 3 day blackout no problem. I'm more concerned about my fish.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Do you have a skimmer? A skimmer will oxygenate the water. If not, you can put an airstone in the tank

 

[buruskeee]

Do you have a skimmer? A skimmer will oxygenate the water. If not, you can put an airstone in the tank

Yeah I have a skimmer and dual return nozzles I can make suck air bubbles to blow into the tank.

 

[slingfox]

Why do a blackout to battle cyano when Chemiclean by itself will wipe out cyano? If you are paranoid about oxygen just put in an air stone.

 

[Kzang]

no reason not to use chemiclean. you don't need to blackout. Chemiclean is a reef safe antibiotic basically. cyano is a bacteria. 100% reef safe and easy and safe to use, just make sure you use an airstone in the tank when you do it.

 

[buruskeee]

Why do a blackout to battle cyano when Chemiclean by itself will wipe out cyano? If you are paranoid about oxygen just put in an air stone.

no reason not to use chemiclean. you don't need to blackout. Chemiclean is a reef safe antibiotic basically. cyano is a bacteria. 100% reef safe and easy and safe to use, just make sure you use an airstone in the tank when you do it.

I wrote in my OP, I have either a super thick layer of diatoms, or chrysophytes, so I want to knock those out with lights out at the same time to kill 1 birds with 1 stone.

 

[Kzang]

I wrote in my OP, I have either a super thick layer of diatoms, or chrysophytes, so I want to knock those out with lights out at the same time to kill 1 birds with 1 stone.

It’s probably diatoms which is a natural process everyone goes through. Just use the chemiclean and airstone. You’re over thinking this. Just do it and be done.

 

[buruskeee]

It’s probably diatoms which is a natural process everyone goes through. Just use the chemiclean and airstone. You’re over thinking this. Just do it and be done.

It was ID'd as chysophytes prior, so when you say just do it, you mean lights out shouldn't be a problem with oxygen level further depleting right?

Here's what they were like before I scraped the walls. The rocks are much worse that these pics and it was difficult to brush them off. I believe chyrsophytes are just a type of diatoms anyways.

Tried to take the best pics I can take. Any ideas? I’ve seen a couple references to this in old threads but no one has came up with an ID.

Hoping I can get one to plan a course of action (or non action).

 

[Kzang]

I don't have much experience, like at all, of chrysophytes. However, most things I can find is UV is your answer as you clean it off.

I'd just dose the chemiclean now with an airstone running, and get that taken care off, then do the required water change. THEN start tackling other stuff. Its generally a bad idea to tackle more than 1 thing at a time for the sake of livestock.

If stuff isn't actively dying, like velvet, just go at it and have some patience. It won't be solved overnight, except for cyano when you dose chemiclean.

 

[MnFish1]

In addition to Cyano (tried for a month trying to beat it naturally, finally going Chemiclean - plus I see some STN on a couple corals so hoping it treats that too), I also have a very thick layer of diatoms (could also be Chrysophytes). Am I able to do a lights out period while I'm treating with chemiclean? I have a 150g system with 3 MP40s, dual returns, and a skimmer. I can position the returns with the RFG nozzles so they suck in a bit of air and blow bubbles in the tank too.

I have 6 fish (5 tangs and a wrasse) that are all 2-4" currently. I'm worried about oxygen without lights so I'm asking here before I dose it.

I personally would not. Part of the way medications work - is by killing 'growing' bacteria - there will be slower or no growth in the dark - thus the medication may not work as well

 

[Spare time]

no reason not to use chemiclean. you don't need to blackout. Chemiclean is a reef safe antibiotic basically. cyano is a bacteria. 100% reef safe and easy and safe to use, just make sure you use an airstone in the tank when you do it.

There is always a reason not to use antibiotics if an alternative can beat it. It should only be a last resort.

 

[Kzang]

There is always a reason not to use antibiotics if an alternative can beat it. It should only be a last resort.

That is completely and utterly untrue. Chemiclean works. It doesn't affect nitrifying bacteria. It doesn't hurt anything except cyano. It should the first and only resort for cyano.

 

[Spare time]

That is completely and utterly untrue. Chemiclean works. It doesn't affect nitrifying bacteria. It doesn't hurt anything except cyano. It should the first and only resort for cyano.

I said nothing about nitrifying bacteria. That is also false that the antibiotic only harms cyanobacteria. That is just not how erythromycin works. The concern is the microbiome of the fish and coral. Antibiotics can greatly impact the health of organisms as the microbiome of said organisms becomes damaged. This isn't even mentioning the antibiotic resistance crisis occurring, of which pouring antibiotics into an aquarium can't be helping. Antibiotics are actively harmful and should only ever be used as a last resort when all else fails.

 

[MnFish1]

I said nothing about nitrifying bacteria. That is also false that the antibiotic only harms cyanobacteria. That is just not how erythromycin works. they can be narrow, but only killing one bacteria type is unlikely. The concern is the microbiome of the fish and coral. Antibiotics can greatly impact the health of organisms as the microbiome of said organisms becomes damaged. This isn't even mentioning the antibiotic resistance crisis occurring. Antibiotics are actively harmful and should only ever be used as a last resort when all else fails.

100% correct.