Cyanobacteria during ugly phase

[greyhunter]

Hi, i currently have a reef tank thats 2.5 months old (my first tank). Now i think i’m entering the ugly stage. But i have Cyanobacteria. But i’m not sure if thats part of the ugly stage or if i have a other issue? I have 2 clowns and a firefish that are doing amazing and 2 corals that are always fully open. Thank you in advence

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

If you can add some pictures and your water parameters that really helps. Best to ID the cyano, and see if parameters are in check. Chemiclean is the cure to cyano, but if underlying issues are not corrected then it will just come back again, so best to ensure everything is good.

 

[greyhunter]

If you can add some pictures and your water parameters that really helps. Best to ID the cyano, and see if parameters are in check. Chemiclean is the cure to cyano, but if underlying issues are not corrected then it will just come back again, so best to ensure everything is good

If you can add some pictures and your water parameters that really helps. Best to ID the cyano, and see if parameters are in check. Chemiclean is the cure to cyano, but if underlying issues are not corrected then it will just come back again, so best to ensure everything is good.

I added some images. I’m not even sure if its Cyanobacteria. Nitrates are at 15ppm, salinity is at 1.025 tomorrow. I’m testing for phosphates

 

[IceNein]

In my admittedly very inexperienced opinion, that is not enough of a problem to warrant a chemical solution. I might try to siphon some of it out when you do your water changes. I'm not even sure that's cyano, could just be diatoms.

My best advice would be to try to practice good husbandry, don't overfeed, do your weekly or biweekly water change, get the appropriate amount of CUC, try to manually remove as much as possible during water changes, clean filter socks more often... stuff like that.

Some will tell you it's unnecessary, but I think adding a mix of pods one time is a good idea. The people who say you shouldn't bother argue that you'll get them as hitchikers eventually, so why worry? I think that in a sterile new tank, it's beneficial to get some sort of microfauna going to munch on diatoms/bacteria/algae.

 

[greyhunter]

In my admittedly very inexperienced opinion, that is not enough of a problem to warrant a chemical solution. I might try to siphon some of it out when you do your water changes. I'm not even sure that's cyano, could just be diatoms.

My best advice would be to try to practice good husbandry, don't overfeed, do your weekly or biweekly water change, get the appropriate amount of CUC, try to manually remove as much as possible during water changes, clean filter socks more often... stuff like that.

Some will tell you it's unnecessary, but I think adding a mix of pods one time is a good idea. The people who say you shouldn't bother argue that you'll get them as hitchikers eventually, so why worry? I think that in a sterile new tank, it's beneficial to get some sort of microfauna going to munch on diatoms/bacteria/algae.

I personally would never want to use chemicals. It feels so wrong to dump them in a ecosystem. Now i’m starting to also doubt thats its even cyano. It looks really brown and is not that slimey. That said i will definitely be adding pods that was on my to do list already. I heard a reeftank benefit a lot from them. Thank you for the suggestions!

 

[Peair]

Hi, i currently have a reef tank thats 2.5 months old (my first tank). Now i think i’m entering the ugly stage. But i have Cyanobacteria. But i’m not sure if thats part of the ugly stage or if i have a other issue? I have 2 clowns and a firefish that are doing amazing and 2 corals that are always fully open. Thank you in advence

It looks like you have Diatoms and Cyanobacteria, I would take all rocks out and scrum that stuff off, clean all around the glass, test the water and try and get nitrates and phosphates down as much as possible, dose everyday with NO3-O4-X, but it has to be Very Very little, that stuff is very strong, no more than 2ml a day, then just check the tank every day, and clean the little you see.

 

[Peair]

It looks like you have Diatoms and Cyanobacteria, I would take all rocks out and scrum that stuff off, clean all around the glass, test the water and try and get nitrates and phosphates down as much as possible, dose everyday with NO3-O4-X, but it has to be Very Very little, that stuff is very strong, no more than 2ml a day, for some reason corals really like it, then just check the tank every day, and clean the little you see.

 

[zerozero]

I personally would never want to use chemicals. It feels so wrong to dump them in a ecosystem. Now i’m starting to also doubt thats its even cyano. It looks really brown and is not that slimey. That said i will definitely be adding pods that was on my to do list already. I heard a reeftank benefit a lot from them. Thank you for the suggestions!

Remember to add the copepods after lights out or your fish will just pick them out of the water column.

 

[greyhunter]

I just tested phosphates and they are at 0.1