How I am beating Cyano without chemcials or GFO reactor

FarmerTy

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 21, 2008
Messages
6,510
Reaction score
28,245
Location
Austin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'm sure other hobbyists have covered it nicely but just after reading your initial post, you do have a phosphate issue. The 0ppm reading is after the Cyano has either already stripped it from the water column leaving you 0ppm reading or is directly uptaking it from your rocks which are most likely leaching phosphates.

You remedy this by removing phosphate in whatever method you choose, reactors, refugiums, or water changes. Slowly, over time, your phosphate level will be manageable as you'll remove more than as via feeding and leaching and you'll win the battle.
 

smokin'reefer

Sea Urchin
View Badges
Joined
Mar 22, 2016
Messages
1,898
Reaction score
1,572
Location
South Carolina
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I tried the chemi pure after my chemo clean treatment and my sailfin was showing dark colors which I assumed was not a good reaction. She usually only gets dark like that when she is p.o.ed.
I switched to some poly pads,
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/poly-bio-marine-filter-pads
and loved the results. I just got a triton test done and it showed possible heavy metals so this was recommended to me. Not only does it remove unwanted contaminates but it is supposed to change colors to let you know what you might have. I'm sure all you guys already know this, but I was stoked to find something that didn't cost much and gave some usable info.

Since I've been using, my water is crystal clear and am showing an increase in coraline growth which I assume is a positive sign.
 
OP
OP
Ted_C

Ted_C

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2013
Messages
176
Reaction score
134
Location
Clearwater, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I love the idea of trying to beat this without chemicals but I gave up and did a chemi clean treatment. Cyano was gone 18 hrs later.

I hear ya. Chemiclean would get rid of it immediately and I've used it in other tanks in the past. What I think though is that leaves a hole for some other nuisance to pop up. I also think Chemiclean masks an existing problem. By Adjusting my husbandry, I dont need to change my feeding behavior or the health of the inhabitants and I avoid the next big nuisance and end up with a healthier balanced system.
 
OP
OP
Ted_C

Ted_C

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2013
Messages
176
Reaction score
134
Location
Clearwater, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Its been about a month since my last update.

The chemipure is really doing a great job. I had to run a manual scrubbing of the overflow and the barebottom - but the cyano has been slow to come back

Here are my pictures I took last week after the water change. You can clearly see where I couldn't reach to scrub in the back.

The idea that Cyano grows on top of previous dead algae / other dead stuff or grows on top of and kills off live algae for it's food source (not because of flow or phosphates or Pukani leaching Phosphates or any of the other myths floating around )- is the right idea. Cory brought this up in the first page of this thread
My hypothesis is cyano grows over dead algae. Its grown on the back glass over old hair algae. I think its consuming some organic.

2017_08_14_300_FTS_1.jpg


2017_08_14_300_FTS_2.jpg


2017_08_14_300_FTS_3.jpg


2017_08_14_300_FTS_4.jpg


2017_08_14_300_FTS_5.jpg


2017_08_14_300_FTS_6.jpg
 
OP
OP
Ted_C

Ted_C

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 30, 2013
Messages
176
Reaction score
134
Location
Clearwater, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Another month has gone by. I was forced into a 5 day black out with drastically reduced feedings and bad flow (Hurricane Irma left us without power from 3:25 PM Sunday to 8:30 PM Friday). 125 hours running on ecotech battery backups and bubblers.

I can't believe how clean the tanks are after this. I just hope it doesn't allow Dino to take hold.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 74 37.4%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 68 34.3%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 12.6%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 29 14.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 1.0%
Back
Top