I have a IM 50 EXT that recently finished cycling a few weeks ago. Now I’m having problems with red Cyanobacteria covering everything. Usually I would just shut my lights off for few days, increase the flow, and siphon as much out as I can while I’m doing a water change. The problem is I moved my livestock from my old tank once my new tank once it finished cycling. Now I’m dealing with red Cyanobacteria growing and covering everything. They Cyanobacteria grows in low flow areas and that it also due to nutrients imbalance. So I tested my phosphates and nitrates. My phosphates were 0 and my nitrates are at 51.3. I have three tridacna clams so I can’t turn off my lights. Last week I tried to dose microbacter 7 for a week to if the bacteria would out compete cyanobacteria but no success. Now I’m trying chemiclean but it doesn’t seem to really be working. Can clams survive without lights for three days if I dose phytoplankton ?
Cyanobacteria covering everything
- Thread starter Tyrone
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Mr. Mojo Rising
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Are you doing any water changes? Does your tank have a protein skimmer? Its thought that increased doc's contribute to cyano. Lights off never works IMO. Can you post a picture?
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After I turned off the lights, the effect was quite noticeable—those reddish-purple cyanobacteria gradually receded on their own. But obviously, this is not a perfect solution, because they grow back as soon as the lights are turned on again. So I plan to adjust the water flow and feeding regimen, which might help
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Pictures under white lights would help if you can.
White light please this could very well be dinoflagellates. They appear to love unbalanced nutrient levels or levels below the detection limit of home test kits (or are causing them, it's a controversial topic
)
I believe this is dinos. It’s brown stringy with bubbles. I did a three day black out and it seemed to go away. After that when I kicked my lights back on to there schedule I noticed it is coming back but not as bad as. While my lights were off I added some ecopods from algaebarn and I was dosing phytoplankton every night. I also tested my phosphates and nitrates this morning after I got work. My phosphates tested at 0.30 with regular phosphate Hanna checker and my nitrates tested at 54.4 with HR Hanna checker. I’m thinking I just need to give my tank a little more for the beneficial bacteria buildup to help bring down my nitrates to an acceptable range (10-15).
Sounds good. Many people associate too low nutrients with dinoflagellates but 0.3ppm PO4 and 54.4ppm NO3 are more than enough. Compared to natural levels this is insanely high (even though natural levels might not be the best approach, but that's a discussion for another day).
GFO to reduce phosphate (you have to remember that those levels would be higher if there weren't any dino growth)
Water changes to get nitrates down. This will also get rid of organics (particulate and dissolved organic carbon) which most people don't measure but might contribute as well.
I think I'm seeing some diatoms, some dinoflagellates, and some hair algae.
You said the cycle just finished a few weeks ago? If so, then I think long-term patience will be key (it sounds like you came to that conclusion too). It's normal for a new tank to go through some algae fluctuations (both type and amount) in the first few months. It sounds like it's still too young for you to have gone through an "ugly stage" yet, but the timing of the ugly stage can vary.
I'd mostly keep an eye on it, make sure you have a decent CUC, and keep up with your water changes for now.
You said the cycle just finished a few weeks ago? If so, then I think long-term patience will be key (it sounds like you came to that conclusion too). It's normal for a new tank to go through some algae fluctuations (both type and amount) in the first few months. It sounds like it's still too young for you to have gone through an "ugly stage" yet, but the timing of the ugly stage can vary.
I'd mostly keep an eye on it, make sure you have a decent CUC, and keep up with your water changes for now.
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