Help me get rid of this!

[ndz98]

This isn't a new problem. I've always had issues with cyano and I feel like I have tried many different ways to get rid of it but with no luck. I've lowered light intensity, done a lights out for 48 hrs, more frequent water changes, better skimmer, chemipure, feed less, and got a bigger clean up crew (not an unnecessary amount though). I'll leave some pictures so you can see the situation in dealing with. What next step would you take in dealing with this? I would love to get rid of it because I can tell it affects the growth of the coral also.

I guess it's also worth saying that the tank has been established for almost two years now.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

I've got the same stuff. I use chemiclean and it clears up and goes away for 2 months, then it starts coming right back

 

[Mr.Rocc]

How high is your all?

 

[Mr.Rocc]

Alk

 

[ndz98]

Alk

I usually keep it in the 8-9 dkh range

 

[Mr.Rocc]

Is your phosphates high?

 

[GatorScott]

I've got the same stuff. I use chemiclean and it clears up and goes away for 2 months, then it starts coming right back

Chemiclean does wonders. Just read the directions thoroughly

 

[JaimeAdams]

Looks like you have some algae issues too. I would address my Nitrate/phosphate first. Are you running a skimmer? Got any big mexican turbos in there?

 

[Ranjib]

What is your water params? Check for phosphate, in particular. Do you run a skimmer? Whats the source of your salt water and how frequently (%) you do water change?
Start with chemiclean, run GFO afterwards while constantly monitoring water parameters (phosphate in particular).
Having something that stir up the sandbed will help as well , like some goby , or keeping a power head close to sand bed

 

[ndz98]

Is your phosphates high?

Looks like you have some algae issues too. I would address my Nitrate/phosphate first. Are you running a skimmer? Got any big mexican turbos in there?

What is your water params? Check for phosphate, in particular. Do you run a skimmer? Whats the source of your salt water and how frequently (%) you do water change?
Start with chemiclean, run GFO afterwards while constantly monitoring water parameters (phosphate in particular).
Having something that stir up the sandbed will help as well , like some goby , or keeping a power head close to sand bed

Every time I check my phosphate and nitrate levels while having this problem, they are always at 0. No turbo snails.
Alk- 9 dkh
Calcium- 420 ppm
I do run a reef octopus skimmer that is rated for I believe 150 gallons and it's currently running on a 29 gallon tank. I make my own RO/DI water. The unit was bought recently so the filters are still in good shape. I use the aqua forest salt to make saltwater with. Mix it to 1.025 salinity. I've tried increasing water changes and also the opposite to see if it would help any. Right now I'm changing about every 2-3 weeks. I do about a 15-20 percent water change. I've tried chemiclean but with no luck. Not to sure how to use gfo as I've never used it before. I switched to a barebottom tank about four months ago to see if that would help, but it didn't.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

can we see how your powerheads are set up? did you check the tds? or was the unit purchased new?

Something ain't right here.

 

[Vincent100]

Maybe get a reactor with some no3 po4 pellets , it's feeding on no3 po4 so starve it .
At one point I was running two reactors with np pellets in my sump and stripped my water clean .......over the top I know and a few of my lps didn't like it but it gave me a good base point to start over on keeping my no3 po4 in check .....just my 2 cents worth

 

[ndz98]

can we see how your powerheads are set up? did you check the tds? or was the unit purchased new?

Something ain't right here.

Unit was purchased new. I do only have one powerhead set up right as my second one had broke some time ago but I think it was creating too much flow to begin with anyways because the coral wasn't responding well to it. Algae growth was still the same with two as it was with just one.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

your not carbon dosing? vodka vitamin c nopox vinegar?
have you tested ammonia and nitrites?
Id gest a second opinion on the Po4 test.

one thing I have to comment on is, for a 2 year old thank, there is not enough of any kind of build up for it to be that old. that could be bad water.

 

[ndz98]

your not carbon dosing? vodka vitamin c nopox vinegar?
have you tested ammonia and nitrites?
Id gest a second opinion on the Po4 test.

one thing I have to comment on is, for a 2 year old thank, there is not enough of any kind of build up for it to be that old. that could be bad water.

No, I am not carbon dosing. I am open to it though.

I haven't tested for ammonia or nitrites as I do not have the means to do so.

I have tried three different types of water and they all seem to give me the same result. I did move the tank about four months ago and cleaned it. But even still there really wasn't a whole lot of coralline (I assume that's what you mean by build up).

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

No, I am not carbon dosing. I am open to it though.

I haven't tested for ammonia or nitrites as I do not have the means to do so.

I have tried three different types of water and they all seem to give me the same result. I did move the tank about four months ago and cleaned it. But even still there really wasn't a whole lot of coralline (I assume that's what you mean by build up).

the carbon dosing will feed the cyano directly.
And yea, coralline, lil algae etc. in a lot of bad water tanks its common to not have those. something kills it. sometimes you'll get ammonia and nitrites. Thats due to the nitrifying bacteria not functioning as it should. I call it a stunted cycle. (TM)
really common in some distilled water and bottled water tanks as well.

 

[netdawg]

One of the things I noticed when I was treating my bryposis problem was the fluco I used was actually helping with my Cyno issues as well. I won't go as far as saying its a cure, but I did have a test tank that I left the fluco in for about 4 weeks that completely cleared up both cyno and bryopsis. No impacts on a small piece of LPS (Candy Cane) but it did deplete the amphipod population I had going. I maintained a single cardinal in a 10g tank with a rock/coral and water from my showcase. Followed the dosage in the Bryopsis thread from R2R and just maintained the levels for a long duration to see the impact.

Only negative I had was lost pods; benefits is no more bryopsis and basically no more cyno

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Only negative I had was lost pods;

quite likely due to less places to hide.

 

[Ranjib]

@ndz98 what is your filtration regime? Do you have any sump? You said this is a 29G setup right ?

 

[Angelo Fatica]

I just used a powder slime remover, it works well in about a day for me