Need to get rid of cyano without using chemicals

[Tidal Gardens]

Even if your tank has decent levels of nutrients and flow, cyano will form if there are excess buildups of organic material. Try blowing off your rockwork weekly and siphoning out as much gunk from the tank as you can over the period of a few weeks.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Cyano is there inspite of them I would say. What would you recommend? No meds

Every tank has cyano, look just under the surface of the substrate at the front glass in any established tank.

It's only a small problem when it gets out of control.

Vacuum the substrate and blowoff the rock work and it will settle in a couple of weeks if you leave the tank alone.

There is nothing wrong with a dose of erythromycin to clean it up fast. People take it all the time and it doesnt kill our biome.

If you have fixed the source imbalance, it won't come back.

 

[Lovefish77]

If the Cyano only occurs in a certain spot on the sand, you may have something in the sand decaying. The simple fix there is to vacuum the sand in that area.

If it pops up here and there then it usually means there is enough dissolved organic carbon to feed it. Reducing the DOC is a start. Water changes, skimming wetter, and using GAC and changing it often can help. Another way to quickly remove organic load in a tank is to create a solution of calcium carbonate and dose it right after sucking out the Cyano. It will bind a lot of organic matter and is removed by filter socks, mats, and filter floss. It might skim out also, but I'm not sure. Mixing MB7 (or another of the bacteria in a bottle products) with this solution right before dosing may also help establish another bacteria strain on the freshly cleaned substrate. That may eventually outcompete the Cyano. Look at threads started by @SunnyX for better explanation of the process. I use this process during water changes.

There is no sand in that tank and very little rock as well. Cyano is on several places that have very high flow and no gunk or organics build up

 

[Lovefish77]

Every tank has cyano, look just under the surface of the substrate at the front glass in any established tank.

It's only a small problem when it gets out of control.

Vacuum the substrate and blowoff the rock work and it will settle in a couple of weeks if you leave the tank alone.

There is nothing wrong with a dose of erythromycin to clean it up fast. People take it all the time and it doesnt kill our biome.

If you have fixed the source imbalance, it won't come back.

Well I have done that a lot but it keeps getting back. No idea what to do now lol

 

[ReefGeezer]

There is no sand in that tank and very little rock as well. Cyano is on several places that have very high flow and no gunk or organics build up

No gunk or organics can be a curse when it comes to Cyano. Nature hates a vacuum. When there is a bare surface in a place where conditions are right, Nature will cover it, often with Cyano. Sometimes the key to fixing Cyano is having heavy Coralline or getting the rock covered with a competing bacteria. Check out the DIY Coral Snow and MB7 solution that @SunnyX uses. It helped my tank & there seems to be no real down side. Here's a link.

 

[ELChingonsReef]

No gunk or organics can be a curse when it comes to Cyano. Nature hates a vacuum. When there is a bare surface in a place where conditions are right, Nature will cover it, often with Cyano. Sometimes the key to fixing Cyano is having heavy Coralline or getting the rock covered with a competing bacteria. Check out the DIY Coral Snow and MB7 solution that @SunnyX uses. It helped my tank & there seems to be no real down side. Here's a link.

I have green cyano covering some of my coralline algae right now. I have to blow off the cyano to see the coralline algae Is that normal?

 

[ReefGeezer]

I have green cyano covering some of my coralline algae right now. I have to blow off the cyano to see the coralline algae Is that normal?

That's kind of normal for tanks with Cyano issues. The Cyano gets a foothold in a small area that is susceptible and grows in mats to cover, and eventually take over, less susceptible areas. Blowing it off is good. Establishing a competitor in the susceptible area before it grows back is better. As I've said, the DIY Coral Snow with MB7 (or your favorite bacteria product) by @SunnyX can help do that.

 

[ELChingonsReef]

That's kind of normal for tanks with Cyano issues. The Cyano gets a foothold in a small area that is susceptible and grows in mats to cover, and eventually take over, less susceptible areas. Blowing it off is good. Establishing a competitor in the susceptible area before it grows back is better. As I've said, the DIY Coral Snow with MB7 (or your favorite bacteria product) by @SunnyX can help do that.

That specific calcium carbonate you recommend on Amazon is not available anymore. Will any kind of powdered calcium carbonate do the trick? That green cyano is difficult to get rid of. Seems harder than the red. It's on most of my sand bed and the lower parts of my base rock. I purchased some chemiclean but I'm nervous to use it with my sps frags . I'll try the DIY Coral Snow with mb7 . Is it true microbacter 7 lowers nitrates and phosphates ?

 

[ReefGeezer]

That specific calcium carbonate you recommend on Amazon is not available anymore. Will any kind of powdered calcium carbonate do the trick? That green cyano is difficult to get rid of. Seems harder than the red. It's on most of my sand bed and the lower parts of my base rock. I purchased some chemiclean but I'm nervous to use it with my sps frags . I'll try the DIY Coral Snow with mb7 . Is it true microbacter 7 lowers nitrates and phosphates ?

Look for food grade powdered calcium carbonate. MB7 could reduce nitrate & phosphate if used a lot. Once a week or so won't have much effect. BTW... Chemiclean is an option. It won't hurt your corals.