Cyano? How to fix

[KJAhp098]

I'm guessing this is cyano, but I've never had it this bad before. My tank was spotless in January and February, but my nitrates and phosphates were high, so I dosed NoPox on a daily basis. The tank is about 11 months old.

Since then, I've increased lighting intensity a little bit my moving my halides lower. I also started feeding a bit more. Sometimes I'll turkey baste it all off and the next day it's 100% back.

I have more than adequate flow...the cyano is also accumulating in very high flow areas.

In December, my nitrates were 50 and phosphates were .36.

In February, my nitrates were 16 and phosphates were .17.

In March, my nitrates were .75 and phosphates were .06.

Can I attribute the cyano to the quick reduction in levels?

I use the Reef Moonshiners method, so I'd rather not do a large water change if I don't absolutely need to. I run a reef octopus skimmer, I turned off passive gfo and carbon, I have a fuge with Fiji mud, but no cheato. No UV. Lighting is 2x 400 watt Radium halides with 4x 54w T5s.

Any help is much appreciated.

 

[Uncle99]

Nitrates at .75 is a bit low IMM.
I’d bump that up a tad and stabilize.
It can come with nutrient instability, zero of either or both.

 

[Dburr1014]

Nutrients are not balanced.
Up the flow, suck it out.
Moonshiners are suppose to be there for you, did you ask them?
If feeding more, try to ween off nopox. IMO.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I'm guessing this is cyano, but I've never had it this bad before. My tank was spotless in January and February, but my nitrates and phosphates were high, so I dosed NoPox on a daily basis. The tank is about 11 months old.

Since then, I've increased lighting intensity a little bit my moving my halides lower. I also started feeding a bit more. Sometimes I'll turkey baste it all off and the next day it's 100% back.

I have more than adequate flow...the cyano is also accumulating in very high flow areas.

In December, my nitrates were 50 and phosphates were .36.

In February, my nitrates were 16 and phosphates were .17.

In March, my nitrates were .75 and phosphates were .06.

Can I attribute the cyano to the quick reduction in levels?

I use the Reef Moonshiners method, so I'd rather not do a large water change if I don't absolutely need to. I run a reef octopus skimmer, I turned off passive gfo and carbon, I have a fuge with Fiji mud, but no cheato. No UV. Lighting is 2x 400 watt Radium halides with 4x 54w T5s.

Any help is much appreciated.

Cyano is normally the result of a high level of dissolved organics.

You could run a DOC test and see where you're at but I'd fix that with large water changes.

In the mean time lights out for a few days would help, together with addition of other bacteria like MB7

 

[KJAhp098]

Nutrients are not balanced.
Up the flow, suck it out.
Moonshiners are suppose to be there for you, did you ask them?
If feeding more, try to ween off nopox. IMO.

I haven't reached out to them. I can do that next. Thanks.

 

[Graemesreef]

Run a small amount of chemiclean then continue with small frequent water changes.

 

[taricha]

@Dan_P does the cyano being this even, strong, and widespread suggest to you a case where it is actually driven by water nutrients?

To @KJAhp098 , that's such quality cyano growth that if you did kill it all with chemi clean etc, you'd just end up with another photosynthetic nuisance taking its place (looks like there's some GHA ready to step in). There's an abundant food source somewhere I'm thinking.

I also started feeding a bit more.

what are you feeding? Just fish food, or other stuff?

 

[mattdg]

That looks like the kind of stuff you can suck out easily with a hose, followed by a 1-2 day lights off.

Do this a few times, spread over a few weeks and you should see some improvement.

Be cautious using Chemiclean without removing as much cyano as possible, pre treatment.

 

[ReefGeezer]

Cyano is very good at using available organic carbon and getting the nitrogen and phosphate it needs from either organic or inorganic sources. So, controlling inorganic nitrate and phosphate does little to deter it. Controlling dissolved organic carbon is the key. Greatly reducing feeding, using LOTS of GAC, aggressive skimming, ozone, and water changes are good for that. Sucking the Cyano out exports the organic carbon it has bound in its tissues. Turning out the lights once the Cyano has been removed for a few days could help reduce the bacteria and help break the cycle. If you don't want to do a water change, suck it out through a filter sock and let the clean water flow back into the sump.
I agree with those who caution against ChemiClean. If you do use it, prepare the tank first. Suck out the Cyano and maybe even leave the lights off for a few days prior to starting it.

 

[Dan_P]

@Dan_P does the cyano being this even, strong, and widespread suggest to you a case where it is actually driven by water nutrients?

What a luxurious carpet of deep red cyanobacteria! Terribly beautiful. There seems to be plenty of nitrogen available based on the deep color.

Is this an example of carbon dosing with an alcohol containing product resulting in cyanobacteria growth?

There is another possible explanation for the widespread growth. Biofilms are widespread. An active biofilm could be releasing metabolites that might benefit cyanobacteria. Did the alcohol in NOPOX fuel bacteria growth that benefitted cyanobacteria? Or was there a micro algae die off on the surfaces after the nitrate reduction from carbon dosing? If water was the major source of cyanobacteria “food”, would a 100% water change be a powerful remedy?

 

[gbroadbridge]

What a luxurious carpet of deep red cyanobacteria! Terribly beautiful. There seems to be plenty of nitrogen available based on the deep color.

It would look great on the rockery in the garden with a super model mermaid in a bikini posing with a Nemo & Dory,

 

[Dan_P]

It would look great on the rockery in the garden with a super model mermaid in a bikini posing with a Nemo & Dory,

You know how to dream :)

 

[KJAhp098]

@Dan_P does the cyano being this even, strong, and widespread suggest to you a case where it is actually driven by water nutrients?

To @KJAhp098 , that's such quality cyano growth that if you did kill it all with chemi clean etc, you'd just end up with another photosynthetic nuisance taking its place (looks like there's some GHA ready to step in). There's an abundant food source somewhere I'm thinking.


what are you feeding? Just fish food, or other stuff?

I'm feeding LR fish frenzy or reef frenzy, whichever is available, New life spectrum pellets twice daily, and a small green nori sheet once daily.

 

[KJAhp098]

Thanks for the replies. Over the past few days, I blew off all the cyano with a turkey baster, replaced the filter socks, I've added BRS GAC, had the lights off, and fed slightly less. I'd say about 95% of the cyano is gone.

I also stopped dosing NoPox and added 40mL of mb7.

I'll check back in a couple days with more results.

 

[Pntbll687]

Thanks for the replies. Over the past few days, I blew off all the cyano with a turkey baster, replaced the filter socks, I've added BRS GAC, had the lights off, and fed slightly less. I'd say about 95% of the cyano is gone.

I also stopped dosing NoPox and added 40mL of mb7.

I'll check back in a couple days with more results.

I was dealing with the same, but not as bad. Had higher nutrients, and tank was clean, lowered nutrients and got cyano.

I’m guessing the nopox allows different bacteria to dominate and allowed cyano to flourish.

i know moonshiners likes what they do, but why not go back to what was working before? Up the nutrients slowly and get back to somewhere in 20ppm nitrates and .2 phosphate.

 

[PlumbTuckered]

Run a small amount of chemiclean then continue with small frequent water changes.

You can not "run a small amount" you have to dose an adequate quantity based on the tank volume.

Cyano bacteria is photosynthetic. Turn off your lights for 2 04 3 days.

 

[Graemesreef]

You can not "run a small amount" you have to dose an adequate quantity based on the tank volume.

Cyano bacteria is photosynthetic. Turn off your lights for 2 04 3 days.

YES YOU CAN, run a smaller amount of any product at any time if you know how the product works. I and many others have dosed half the recommended amount and had success. Why would anybody not want to take their time if they have to take this measure?

 

[PlumbTuckered]

YES YOU CAN, run a smaller amount of any product at any time if you know how the product works. I and many others have dosed half the recommended amount and had success. Why would anybody not want to take their time if they have to take this measure?

That's true for dosing supplements. Have you ever used Chemiclean? Less than the recommended dosage will be inadequate and is just a waste of product.

Also, you forgot to mention that when running Chemiclean, you should run an air stone as Chemiclean depletes oxygen in the tank.

 

[Graemesreef]

I have used chemiclean countless times over 20 years and once again you're wrong. Again I have dosed half of the recommended amount several times and saw results. The reason I would tell someone new in the hobby to take it slow is because people who don't or are impatient are the ones that often end up cursing the product they used. I've never in my life run an air stone in display as leaving your skimmer running with the cup off is more than sufficient and I'm kinda wondering why you think it's my responsibility to tell someone that when the directions are on the back of the box? As a matter of FACT there are several people who use it in their weekly maintenance as a preventative. So if thats the case please explain to me how the recommended dose is the only way it works? NO WAIT PLEASE DON'T.