Is this cyano now? (Dino battle)

Miami Reef

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Backstory: went fallow and didn’t feed while filtration running as normal. Nutrients bottomed out and Dino’s bloomed when I started feeding again.

Maintaining elevated nutrients increased dino competition. Today I see green specs on the rocks and sand which is a major accomplishment because I’ve only seen brown for the past 3 weeks.

But in addition to the green, I see red on the sandbed.

The brown in the center of the tank is coolia Dino’s (microscope). The bright red…is that cyano?

I just want identification. Please don’t suggest bandage solutions like H202, black out, vibrant etc. I know whatever it is will go away eventually now that my tank is in balance.

Phosphates 0.07ppm
Nitrates: 7ppm.

You can see the comparison from the Dino’s (brown) to the other one (bright red).

035868C5-9E3C-4AE3-BC19-5AB1CEF2CE40.jpeg
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taricha

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yep. it's both. the color differences are surprisingly reliable here.
 
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Miami Reef

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So you don't want solution recommendations, because you already know them, but want someone to ID the issue, that you already know the solution for?
Ok…what are the solutions to Cyanobacteria?

I suspected they were cyano, but I wasn’t sure.
 
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My cyano always go away on its own. Very very slowly.
That’s what I suspected. I am very reluctant to use any cyano killer, because Dino’s will come out of remission. I actually need cyano, algaes etc for now. As long as it’s less toxic than Dino’s it’s fine.
 

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That’s what I suspected. I am very reluctant to use any cyano killer, because Dino’s will come out of remission. I actually need cyano, algaes etc for now. As long as it’s less toxic than Dino’s it’s fine.
My Dino progression went some thing like: dinos > cyano > diatoms > green film algae > green other algaes. Always some cyano mixed in however.
 
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My Dino progression went some thing like: dinos > cyano > diatoms > green film algae > green other algaes. Always some cyano mixed in however.
Will my sandbed ever become crystal white like before, or will there always be some (ugly) organism that is dominant?

Sometimes I miss the simpler times when my sand was so white. Now I think that my sand will always have some pest on it.
 

dwest

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Will my sandbed ever become crystal white like before, or will there always be some (ugly) organism that is dominant?

Sometimes I miss the simpler times when my sand was so white. Now I think that my sand will always have some pest on it.
I don’t think your sand will be white as new sand when it comes out of the bag. But it can be pretty nice in the end. Think “natural looking”.
 
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Miami Reef

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I don’t think your sand will be white as new sand when it comes out of the bag. But it can be pretty nice in the end. Think “natural looking”.
I’m fine with that! I don’t like sterile sand, but I don’t like the nasty crud cyano and Dino’s.

I THINK the reason I have cyano is because cyano is literally consuming the Dino’s as nutrition. There has got to be a war happening in a microscopic level because I’m seeing my Dino’s peeling and detaching from the substrate during the day.
 

tehmadreefer

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Cyano typically thrives on decaying matter.
The ole MYTH of low flow is just that ,a MYTH. Best thing you can do is suck out the cyano or if it gets just too bad use chemiclean, but I’d you use chemiclean get ready for turf algae to take over for a few weeks afterwards. Ya I can’t pm….
 

Duncan62

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That’s what I suspected. I am very reluctant to use any cyano killer, because Dino’s will come out of remission. I actually need cyano, algaes etc for now. As long as it’s less toxic than Dino’s it’s fine.
In my opinion it's much easier to be patient and let your system find a balance. Avoid all 0s at all times. Lol run uv at night helps with dinos. No chemicals.
 

Garia666

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If I was I your situation I would try and increase flow, suck as much cyano out as possible, do a 3 day blackout and block all incoming light. Add dr Tim’s re-fresh bacteria and add some food for the correct bacteria. To see if you can out compete the cyano.
 
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revenant

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(my cyano story)

I got my cyano under control by getting my phosphates under control (running GFO in a reactor) and dosing MB7 daily (microbacter 7). also used a plastic fork to peel the layers of it back on the sand bed and vacuuming the piles out and the spots on rocks with weekly water changes.. it was a lot of work but knocked that stuff out finally. You have to get it’s food source under control or it will keep coming back.. I did also reduce my light intensity by about 25% for the two months I was actively working on this.

The other thing is if you make your own water make sure your RODI is showing zero with a TDS meter. I think the reason I got it so bad in the first place is one of my carts fouled on my RODI and my top off / mixing water was dirty … so I check the water output on that every two weeks now.

(Just wanted to share)
 
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