Cyanobacteria

[Brian Treadwell]

I know this is an old topic , A little history Two years ago I purchased a used 90 gallon aquarium with the rock and all inhabitants , broke down the tank moved it and reset it up did not now at the time but several of the rocks had cyano on them , well then had bad algae out break Andre PSX help me thru that and it worked great , start using the VSV glass box Method all algae gone except cyano. Moving forward in January purchased a 200 gallon tank , broke down the 90 and put all rock in tubes heated with power heads no lights for three days so lights out for three days. Set up 200 used some of the rock from 90 and some dry cured rock. I now have Cyano growing again on my rocks. NEED HELP

Parameters-
No3 - 0
Po4 - 0
Alk. - 7.5
Ca. - 430
Mg. - 1500 always
Patasium - 400
All other parameters normal

Equipment -
200 gallon tank
My creations sump- eshopps axium 220 skimmer , siporax
Flow - D.C. 12000 return pump, WP 25 , PP 8 , ice cap 3K gyre , Tunze 6105

Feeding -19 fish , feed 2 and 1/2 cubes of a Variety of frozen foods split in two feeding a day , and a little nori daily on a clip.

Maintenance-
3 gallon a day water changes , dose 2 part EVS with dosing pump , clean skimmer weekly, clean pumps every couple of months

 

[trido]

Chemiclean is your friend. I use it once or twice year without any problems.

 

[mike werner]

change of seasons always seems to bring on cyno in many a reefers tank.this is actually the first year I can remember not getting it.chemiclean is ALWAYS my first line of defense.it does clear it up almost overnite. you'll need to turn off the skimmer with chemiclean sense they bubble over. if it reappears then you need to find the root of the problem in your chemistry.

 

[Brian Treadwell]

It does not seem to be seasonal in my tank , I have never been able to get rid of it completely, it does get better some times and then it is back , I am trying to figure out what is causing the issue , but I may have to do the chemiclean to get rid of it and maybe it want come back , thanks guys for the input.

 

[mcarroll]

No3 - 0
Po4 - 0

This is the root of the problem.

Cyano is making a niche by finding N and P that other algae (and corals) aren't able to since levels are at zero – and using those to capitalize on the rest of the dissolved nutrients you've been adding to the tank in the food. Remember that N and P are the tips of the iceberg.....food is made up of N, P, and all the essential nutrients and then some!

Give the tank the two biggest essential nutrients that it needs and you'll give your cyano some competition (including your corals) for the rest of the nutrients it's presently using.

Skip the chemical treatments...at least for now.

Remember that this is more or less a new tank barely old enough to have fish that's going through the uglies.....but you have it saddled with a bio-load of 19 fish and a bunch of added dead rock (naked PO4 supply). It may get a little ugly before it gets a little pretty! Be patient. Let it!

Well, you keep up with the manual cleanings until it passes....just don't do anything crazy to "fight it" or whatever like that.

(I'm sure you had extenuating circumstance that led you to doing it the way you did, but the ideal would have been to have the 200 ready and just transfer over 100% of everything except the sand bed from the old 90 gallon with no transition to anything in between at all.

 

[Reefer40b]

change of seasons always seems to bring on cyno in many a reefers tank.this is actually the first year I can remember not getting it.chemiclean is ALWAYS my first line of defense.it does clear it up almost overnite. you'll need to turn off the skimmer with chemiclean sense they bubble over. if it reappears then you need to find the root of the problem in your chemistry.

Dont turn off your skimmer open it up all the way and if its still overflowing raise it up. You want that aeration not to mention the removal of the dying mats of cyano.

 

[Brian Treadwell]

Again Thanks guys , but I have tried raising my No3 and Po4 by dosing stump remover and I cannot get it up , I even tried feeding more but was afraid of that making it worse , I did forget to mention I also run UV sterilizer , and I have cut way back on the Carbon dosing , and yes I had live stock so I had to transfer my live stock the way did.

 

[mcarroll]

BTW, that's a really nice-looking layout!!

Where's the cyano??

 

[Reefer40b]

^^^I agree where is the cyano in that pic??

If your using vodka for carbon dosing maybe switch to vinager as the vodka can give you cyano issues sometimes. Or stop all together if you have no need too with 0 N/0 P.

 

[Brian Treadwell]

It is only on the rocks , I have gobies that keep the sand bed turned over great , the rocks on the right side of the tank if you zoom in you can see it , but it has started on some of the other rocks , the pic I posted is a month old. And Thank you

 

[Brian Treadwell]

I have cut the VSV down to once a week and the biodigest once a week.

 

[Brian Treadwell]

My VSV is 70 % vinegar, 30 % vodka, and 1/4 teaspoon of sugar

 

[Brian Treadwell]

I have cut it down too once a week and the biodigest once a week .

 

[mcarroll]

How is it going?

 

[Sallstrom]

This is the root of the problem.

Cyano is making a niche by finding N and P that other algae (and corals) aren't able to since levels are at zero – and using those to capitalize on the rest of the dissolved nutrients you've been adding to the tank in the food. Remember that N and P are the tips of the iceberg.....food is made up of N, P, and all the essential nutrients and then some!

Give the tank the two biggest essential nutrients that it needs and you'll give your cyano some competition (including your corals) for the rest of the nutrients it's presently using.

Skip the chemical treatments...at least for now.

Remember that this is more or less a new tank barely old enough to have fish that's going through the uglies.....but you have it saddled with a bio-load of 19 fish and a bunch of added dead rock (naked PO4 supply). It may get a little ugly before it gets a little pretty! Be patient. Let it!

Well, you keep up with the manual cleanings until it passes....just don't do anything crazy to "fight it" or whatever like that.

(I'm sure you had extenuating circumstance that led you to doing it the way you did, but the ideal would have been to have the 200 ready and just transfer over 100% of everything except the sand bed from the old 90 gallon with no transition to anything in between at all.

Great summary! Pretty much the way we've done at work the last 8 years, since we found KNO3
Maybe you could write an article about this so we could use that link every time this scenario comes up? I could do it but I'm not sure everyone understands my poor English

I've tried to advocate this "method " in the Swedish reef community for some time, but the old idea that low nutrients solves your algae problems and gives your corals great colours seems to still be a common one.

/ David

 

[mcarroll]

Maybe you could write an article about this so we could use that link every time this scenario comes up? I could do it but I'm not sure everyone understands my poor English

I posted this in February 2017: A Nitrate Dosing Calculator For Better Tank Health (And Better Coral Color!)

It's written toward coral health rather than algae – but a dose calculator is included! The Google Translator is included at the bottom of the page as well if that helps anyone. (Thanks to @Lasse for asking about this!)

Let me know (PM or here, either way) if you were looking more for the bits about algae instead of the bits about KNO3 dosing.

 

[aquaholic123]

 

[aquaholic123]

Does cyano glow under blue light?

 

[Steak_Fry]

Hi everyone, I’ve had my evo 13.5 set up for about 5 months now and I’ve had cyano for like 3.5 months. All my nutrients are good and I perform weekly 1-1.5 gallon water changes. I’ve been told my problem is insufficient flow. I’m running a hydor return at 300gph with a dual return nozzle and I don’t have a power head yet. Other then increasing flow, does anyone have an idea how to help get rid of it? It’s taken over my tank. Glass, sand, rock, coral, everything.

 

[Gage Sullivan]

Got this overnight. Is it Cyanobacteria or coralline? New tank(zoa has been in there for almost 2 months) 45gal 10gal sump, low nutrients, good perimeters, weekly 5 gal water changes.