Embarrassing Cyano

[NS Mike D]

I did a few hours ago and can already see results.

the chemicals provide a false sense of success which if not fixed may lead to bigger problems like dinos.

 

[Reefman71]

My issue had to have been flow, everything is cleared up and I barely have any nutrients detectable. The Neros just don’t move enough water for me. 6 foot tank with a Nero on each side isn’t enough

 

[2Wheelsonly]

What worked for me was adding phosphate because I had none. Cyano only can back when the phosphate was zero. You could be getting a false reading.

This is my issue too, I keep reading that low no3 and high po4 is a major cause to cyano and all recommendations say to lower po4.

I test po4 daily since it's so low in my tank. I add 20ml of neophos daily and in 24 hours it's back to 1-2 on my hanna ULR pbb checker (0.003). My nitrates sit at 5-10 (too hard to tell difference between 5 and 10 on ANY nitrate test kit).

I do run an algae scrubber and a large skimmer, also feed 1 time per day and only enough for fish to consume. I put LRS in very slowly to ensure nothing settles on bottom and it all gets gobbled up. I have a very clean tank other than Cyano. I also have 120x flow and really can't add anymore without ripping the flesh off my corals. Sometimes my flow rips them off the plugs it's that strong.

Whenever someone tells me to run GFO to fix my cyano problem my brain instantly tells me they are just repeating crap they read without any experience whatsoever.

I siphon my cyano out every other day and it takes me about 15-20 to use a tube to suck it all out but it will come right back the next day. Mats on the lower rock work and sandbed where it's not possible to get flow. I am trying my best to not use chemi-clean but I may eventually just give it a try. I may also try getting my po4 up to 0.08 and see if that helps.

the chemicals provide a false sense of success which if not fixed may lead to bigger problems like dinos.

I am trying my hardest to not sound like a jerk here but I really really really really really hate reading this. The issue I have is that I personally believe we truly don't know the cause of cyano in this hobby; there really isn't ONE cause.

People have:

High po4 low no3? Cyano
Low no3 high po4? Cyano
High po4 low no3? Cyano
UL po4/no3? Cyano (and probably dinos)
Low feedings? Cyano
High feedings? Cyano
ATS/Oversized skimmer? Cyano
Carbon dose? Cyano
Bacteria additives to fight cyano? Cyano
Chemiclean to kill? Cyano returns
Heavy water change? Cyano
No Silicates? Cyano

All of these above scenarios are present in this very thread alone from people reporting Cyano. How does one truly fix the cause? Some say it's not the amount of nutrients but the balance and this to me is probably the most true cause of cyano because all of the above CAN happen in that situation but then you can debate all day long on what the true ratio is. Some people even say red field ration is a myth...

Luckily cyano outbreaks are not a huge problem other than it being ugly. Not once have I seen it kill anything in my tank.

 

[homer1475]

Ever think of just taking the turf scrubber offline for a while?

I only ask because for BA I've been doing the vibrant thing for a while now and took mine offline. Even with nearly 0 nutrient export(minus a skimmer, socks and weekly 10%WC) my tank has actually gotten better. NO3 stays consistently around 1ppm, and PO4 right around .04.

No matter how much I feed(6 fish I feed about 2 cubes a day total between actual frozen, pellet, and nori), tank has just settled there. Beginning to think I don't even need the ATS anymore. I have since stopped vibrant, and tank has just settled on those numbers regardless of what I put in.

 

[homer1475]

FWIW....

I've used chemiclean a few times, it does work, but if the underlying issue that originally started the cyano isn't fixed, it just comes back within days.

 

[Dan_P]

Just use Chemiclean, and get on with enjoying your aquarium.

You will never determine why it is growing nor whether in your system it will persist for one month or six months while you try various remedies.

 

[homer1475]

Just use Chemiclean, and get on with enjoying your aquarium.

You will never determine why it is growing nor whether in your system it will persist for one month or six months while you try various remedies.

And it will just come back 2 days later if the underlying issues isn't sorted out.

 

[Waynerock]

I tell ya I was having cyano off and on for a while and after a small dose of chemiclean and running a cheep Uv 24/7 There has been no cyano in the last year! Every other month I will do a half dose of chemiclean 2 days before water change for maintenance as well. Uv and chemiclean is a great combination

 

[NS Mike D]

I tell ya I was having cyano off and on for a while and after a small dose of chemiclean and running a cheep Uv 24/7 There has been no cyano in the last year! Every other month I will do a half dose of chemiclean 2 days before water change for maintenance as well. Uv and chemiclean is a great combination

if you read the literature, it's erythromycin. The reference to no erythromycin succinate is the give away. Succinate is the salt/esters the pharm companies add to to it to prevent your gastric acids from making it ineffective before it can get into your blood stream so that you can take it orally. Since you aren't seeking to have the cyano take this is in pill form to combat a respiratory tract infection, not adding a succinate makes sense.

Erythromycin is an antibiotic that kills bacteria.

The product directions including aeration, etc. are intended to off set the negative impact like the killing of nitrifying bacteria and O2 depletion that early users of erythromycin users experienced.


Just so that you know what you are throwing in your tank.

 

[Dan_P]

And it will just come back 2 days later if the underlying issues isn't sorted out.

It might or it might not. It is possible to do both at once, kill the cyanobacteria and upgrade aquarium maintenance practice.

 

[IT reef keeper]

Age. 7 months
Size. 75 gallons
Lighting. 48in coral life seascape light in back
. 2 of the 30 inch coral life lights in. front that were given to me.
Parameters. Nitrite I'm looking around 0.5. ppm. Nitrate looks like 0.
Ammonia. 0
Salinity. Looks like 1.025 also I do a 50% water change every beginning month and 10% every week in between so for what I've been told I really don't have to worry about my calcium levels or alkalinity levels then.

My personal experience with cyano is simple, don't touch anything and wait for at least 1 year before drawing any conclusions. When I started for 6 months I had nothing in my tank only cycling with bacteria, this hobby is not meant for drastic changes or quick conclusions it is all about observation and patience.

 

[Tahoe61]

I tell ya I was having cyano off and on for a while and after a small dose of chemiclean and running a cheep Uv 24/7 There has been no cyano in the last year! Every other month I will do a half dose of chemiclean 2 days before water change for maintenance as well. Uv and chemiclean is a great combination

I use maintenance doses as well, and half dose, but I add it to the make up water. I remove what little Cyano I find prior to WC.
I have found in combination with UV chemclean to be very effective. Such an easy intervention.
I do run my skimmer but with the cup off for a day or two.

 

[Waynerock]

Definitely the best way to keep everything in check. I have been hitting the new Red Sea AB+ coral dose pretty hard for the last month and half and no sight of cyano either!

 

[mattfish]

Hey everybody, so I do clean my tank a lot but everytime I suck this Cyano up it seems to come back worse. Was hoping not to use a chemical in there and wasn't sure if a orange goby would even touch it. I have a Maxspect Gyre XF330 on at about 75% speed (1,750 gph) in a 75 gallon tank. I think I'm pushing enough flow but obviously I am no expert looking at my tank. Levels seem to be fine and I'm usually doing a 10 gallon water change every week or a 15 - 20 gallon if I go 2 weeks. Any help I would love and appreciate! Thanks

Whats your NO3 level ? How old is your set up ? Looks like something out of balance. Whats your photo period ? I do like your scape .

 

[ReefHunter07]

I use maintenance doses as well, and half dose, but I add it to the make up water. I remove what little Cyano I find prior to WC.
I have found in combination with UV chemclean to be very effective. Such an easy intervention.
I do run my skimmer but with the cup off for a day or two.

Ok so I’ve been through round 1 of chemiclean a few days ago, and didn’t do a big enough water change after and it seemed to have a negative effect on my hammer coral. The cyano is back and worse than before. Chemiclean says to turn UV off during treatment. Are you saying leave it on and it works better ?