Cyano problem?

[zebbiesgarden]

Hello!

First let me say that this is a crazy hobby. I respect everyone who has a beautiful setup because this is really hard. I started cycling my 10 gallon nano around July/August of this year and I've been busy just troubleshooting problems. I'd love to add a clownfish eventually, but right now, I have a hermit crab and a GSP that are doing super well!

I have a bit of cyano problem that I need help with. I tried to clear them out via water changes but that didn't work so I dosed with chemiclean. It faded away for a few hours but came back worse at the 48 hour mark. I did a 40% water change and dosed chemiclean again and it's doing the best it has been, but not completely gone right now, which is around 40 hour mark post the second chemiclean dose. My water parameters are salinity 1.025, pH 8.2, ammonia 0.5ppm, nitrite 0ppm, nitrate 10.0ppm, calcium 440ppm, KH 143.2ppm, and phosphate 0.25ppm.

1. I've been siphoning out cyano from the sand but have been adding it back in after washing it. Is this contributing to more cyano? I didn't think that this would make that big of a difference because there is still a lot of cyano on the live rock that chemiclean didn't take care of. Also, I have been using RODI water, but maybe the tap water remaining on the sand after the wash might have enough chemicals to throw off the system?

2. How do you guys siphon out your sand? I find myself losing a lot of substrate after my weekly cleanings and am wondering if I should eventually add more live rock? I also only have a sand siphon with the filter. Can this be making my substrate cleaning less effective?

3. Should I adjust my light settings? Currently I'm using AI prime at 60% UV, 35% violet, 60% Royal, 60% Blue, 33% Green, 33% Red, 15% Moonlight and 15% White, which is what my LFS recommended. I am out of town for the next week, so I'm worried the cyano issue will get worse.

4. Can I add any livestock that can help with cyano? Also, my hermit crab poops so much. Can that be contributing to the increased nutrients, high nitrate, cyano, etc.?

5. I also recently bought Reef fusion 2 part. Could this help?

6. I've been aerating as much as I could after the chemiclean with my Aqueon mechanical filter at full flow and an air stone. I even took out the front flow portion of my filter so the flow would be stronger. Can removing the filter make this worse? Also, I don't have a skimmer or powerhead. Would any of these help with the cyano issue?

I've attached a picture. It actually doesn't look too bad since I turned the light off for the picture, but I'm just worried that I won't be around for a week to fix any issues that need to be fixed. Thank you for reading through this all, and I'd really appreciate any help. Thank you so much!!

 

[Tahoe61]

Hi and Welcome to R2R. :)

You can remove the filter.
Have you tried increasing the flow?
Leave the lighting off if you don't have corals.
You don't need Reef Fusion, you need increased flow, time and inverts that turn over the sand bed.
It's a hobby of patience. It will eventually come around.

 

[AustinC]

Hi and Welcome to R2R. :)

You can remove the filter.
Have you tried increasing the flow?
Leave the lighting off if you don't have corals.
You don't need Reef Fusion, you need increased flow, time and inverts that turn over the sand bed.
It's a hobby of patience. It will eventually come around.

I’ve only been in the hobby a couple of years but this right here. The three P’s of reef tanks. Patience, patience, and more patience.

 

[MissMolly]

1. I've been siphoning out cyano from the sand but have been adding it back in after washing it. Is this contributing to more cyano? I didn't think that this would make that big of a difference because there is still a lot of cyano on the live rock that chemiclean didn't take care of. Also, I have been using RODI water, but maybe the tap water remaining on the sand after the wash might have enough chemicals to throw off the system?

To my knowledge Chemiclean can really throw off the biomen balance in a tank. Many experienced reefers prefer Cyo-control from Tropic Marin. It's beneficial bacteria and should do wonders.

2. How do you guys siphon out your sand? I find myself losing a lot of substrate after my weekly cleanings and am wondering if I should eventually add more live rock? I also only have a sand siphon with the filter. Can this be making my substrate cleaning less effective?

You have choosen a very fine substrate that will be removed when siphoning :( If I were you I would change it for something like "Special grade". The you can syphon as much as you want.

3. Should I adjust my light settings? Currently I'm using AI prime at 60% UV, 35% violet, 60% Royal, 60% Blue, 33% Green, 33% Red, 15% Moonlight and 15% White, which is what my LFS recommended. I am out of town for the next week, so I'm worried the cyano issue will get worse.

I didn't have light on for about 8 months at first (that was a radical move - try 3 months without). Let the biomen establish before turning on the light and your tank can better fight all the nasties naturally. You don't need light if you don't have corals.

4. Can I add any livestock that can help with cyano? Also, my hermit crab poops so much. Can that be contributing to the increased nutrients, high nitrate, cyano, etc.?

Cerith snails do eat cyano. Add only one so it won't starve. In terms of hermit. You do need some ammonia for your cycle so that's all good.

5. I also recently bought Reef fusion 2 part. Could this help?

I don't know this product.

6. I've been aerating as much as I could after the chemiclean with my Aqueon mechanical filter at full flow and an air stone. I even took out the front flow portion of my filter so the flow would be stronger. Can removing the filter make this worse? Also, I don't have a skimmer or powerhead. Would any of these help with the cyano issue?

I don't see the need or purpose for this filter. Add more flow with a power head. I think for your size of tank the Jebao MLW 10 will be great or a Hygger Nano. You will need a small simple surface skimmer long term ot your surface willl end up wuite greasy. I have a small Oase, very simple and it works very well for my nano tank w acropora.

I hope this helps.