beesnreefs
Well-Known Member
TL;DR version - I've got a nice outbreak of cyano pretty much everywhere on the sand. What's the best way to deal with cyano without nuke-bomb treatments like Chemiclean?
Longer version...
System is a little over 5 months old. Started with marco-rock, OceanDirect live sand, live rock and live sand from AquaBiomics. About 2 months ago my nutrients bottomed out and I got one heck of a dinos infestation. Confirmed small cell amphidinum by microscope and began treating the tank by:
I vacuumed as much of the cyano off the sand as I could about a week ago so this is roughly 1-week's growth now.
I've only been reefing for 3 years but one thing I've very much come to believe is the old adage, "nothing good happens fast in a reef tank." As much as possible, I prefer to go the more natural, slow and steady route. My goal is to build a healthy system that can last a long time. I do not want to use nuclear interventions like Chemiclean if I can avoid it.
With that in mind, what's the best way to deal with cyano without a nuclear attack like Chemiclean?
Do I just keep doing what I'm doing and let the system mature and equalize on its own? In other words, "JUST BE PATIENT!"
Do I go heavier on the phyto dosing?
Are there critters I could/should add to the system that might eat cyano?
Something else I'm not thinking of?
Longer version...
System is a little over 5 months old. Started with marco-rock, OceanDirect live sand, live rock and live sand from AquaBiomics. About 2 months ago my nutrients bottomed out and I got one heck of a dinos infestation. Confirmed small cell amphidinum by microscope and began treating the tank by:
- Adding several jars of Jay's Reef Bugs 7-species copepods
- Dosing live phyto daily (about 30 mL a day)
- Dosing beneficial bacteria daily (rotation of 5 mL MB7 one day, 5 mL EcoBalance the next day, 10 mL AF LifeSource mud the 3rd day, repeat)
- Dosing NeoNitro and NeoPhos to maintain 100:1 ratio (testing every morning before dosing)
- Stopped aminos
- Added 8 lbs of Tampa Bay Saltwater live rubble to sump
I vacuumed as much of the cyano off the sand as I could about a week ago so this is roughly 1-week's growth now.
I've only been reefing for 3 years but one thing I've very much come to believe is the old adage, "nothing good happens fast in a reef tank." As much as possible, I prefer to go the more natural, slow and steady route. My goal is to build a healthy system that can last a long time. I do not want to use nuclear interventions like Chemiclean if I can avoid it.
With that in mind, what's the best way to deal with cyano without a nuclear attack like Chemiclean?
Do I just keep doing what I'm doing and let the system mature and equalize on its own? In other words, "JUST BE PATIENT!"
Do I go heavier on the phyto dosing?
Are there critters I could/should add to the system that might eat cyano?
Something else I'm not thinking of?
