Cyano on New Rock?

[Patrick Cox]

I have a well established tank with a good biological filter. ~ 3 years old. I wanted some more rock work so I added a couple pieces of Caribsea LifeRock and now that rock has cyano all over it. is that normal? and all of a sudden my new anemone looks like it has split (it is hiding all of a sudden.). What should I do? should I remove and cure this rock first?

Thanks!

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

More than likely you are binding very active PO4 to that new rock (CaCO3) without any kind of biofilm or algae taking up physical space and the cyano is taking advantage of the easy nutrients. Bacteria grows and multiplies WAY faster than anything else in the tank, which cyano is.

Cyano is always in the tank. When it grows aggresively, there isn't anything else to take it's place physically or outcompete it for resources.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

If you have a sump, put the rocks in your sump for a few months. Then algae won't grow on them so easily once you put them in your display tank.

 

[Patrick Cox]

My nutrients are definitely high. Nitrate around 30 and Phosphate around 0.2. I’ll remove the rock for now. Maybe put in sump.

 

[Uncle99]

More than likely you are binding very active PO4 to that new rock (CaCO3) without any kind of biofilm or algae taking up physical space and the cyano is taking advantage of the easy nutrients. Bacteria grows and multiplies WAY faster than anything else in the tank, which cyano is.

Cyano is always in the tank. When it grows aggresively, there isn't anything else to take it's place physically or outcompete it for resources.

Very normal, the new rock does not yet have the biofilm necessary to out compete that bacteria pest.

It will take some time for the new guys to settle a bit to populate and diversify. Then they simply take back the real estate.

Stay the course but make sure phosphate is around .1ppm to .2ppm, phosphate feeds those good guys your trying to develop.

 

[Patrick Cox]

Should I try to get my phosphate down a bit? It is 0.22. Nitrate is 24.

Also, could I soak the rock in a brute container?

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

Should I try to get my phosphate down a bit? It is 0.22. Nitrate is 24.

I wouldn't really worry too much about 0.22ppm PO4 and definitely nothing to worry about with NO3 at 24ppm. You will probably be growing a bit more algae, but it shouldn't hurt corals.

Ideal PO4 is 0.1-0.2 in my book. Anything less than 30ppm NO3 is also OK. If you do decide to lower PO4 with something like Rowaphos, do it very slowly and follow the instructions carefully. It's easy to over do it and completely strip PO4 from the water.

 

[PaReefingFamily]

Should I try to get my phosphate down a bit? It is 0.22. Nitrate is 24.

Yes, I would work to get your nutrients down, more so the Po3, but slowly. I usually run ROWA Phos along with a Refugium as I tend to overfeed my fish. There are products out there that are designed to reduce your Cyano however, I just buy Calcium Carbonate from Amazon

 

[slingfox]

I wouldn't really worry too much about 0.22ppm PO4 and definitely nothing to worry about with NO3 at 24ppm. You will probably be growing a bit more algae, but it shouldn't hurt corals.

Ideal PO4 is 0.1-0.2 in my book. Anything less than 30ppm NO3 is also OK. If you do decide to lower PO4 with something like Rowaphos, do it very slowly and follow the instructions carefully. It's easy to over do it and completely strip PO4 from the water.

Agreed. If I had phosphate and nitrate at that level I wouldn’t go out of my way to bring them down if the coral look happy.

 

[X-37B]

Just blow off the new rocks with a turkey baster and remove floating cyano with a net if theres alot. Do this until the cyano is gone. It may take a few weeks but it will go away.
Just be diligent and blow/remove daily.
Po4 keep <.2 and no3 <20 long term.