Still dealing with cyano

[hoffmeyerz]

Hey everyone! Happy Sunday! So as the title says, I am still dealing with cyano. I know patience is the key, and I am good with that. It is getting better. But my question is, when siphoning it off the sand, it doesn’t siphon well, so I always revert to getting it all into a pile, and netting that pile out. But in doing so, I am also getting quite a lot of sand. Is there a way to just get the cyano? I don’t like losing a lot of sand.

I struggled with green cyano for a long time and had the same issue when trying to remove it with siphoning. It always returned pretty quickly and clumped in mats that were too heavy to come out with siphoning. I got a hair pick from the dollar store and would "comb" the substrate bringing the cyano together in a clump. Then I could scoop up under the clump and shake the lose substrate off to try not to remove too much of it.
I used microbacter and coral snow for awhile but it just wouldn't kick it. Ultimately what worked for me was to reduce my lighting period down to 6hrs. The cyano started to dye off then I added more fish and coral which I believe increased the beneficial bacterial level that now outcompetes cyano.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

I used microbacter and coral snow for awhile but it just wouldn't kick it.

As @SunnyX posted in the linked post,

Ideally, you want to be taking preventative measures to ensure that cyano does not gain any real estate in your reef.

The coral snow/Micobacter7 dosing can help in taking back control over Cyano, but this is not a cure. It buys you time. You have to find and fix the underlying problems, too.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I struggled with green cyano for a long time and had the same issue when trying to remove it with siphoning. It always returned pretty quickly and clumped in mats that were too heavy to come out with siphoning. I got a hair pick from the dollar store and would "comb" the substrate bringing the cyano together in a clump. Then I could scoop up under the clump and shake the lose substrate off to try not to remove too much of it.
I used microbacter and coral snow for awhile but it just wouldn't kick it. Ultimately what worked for me was to reduce my lighting period down to 6hrs. The cyano started to dye off then I added more fish and coral which I believe increased the beneficial bacterial level that now outcompetes cyano.

I do like the idea of the hair pick. sounds like it might do the trick. I can definitely see a slow down most likely due to the extra bacteria being added.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

April 9, 2026:

April 23, 2026:

 

[Sophie"s mom]

April 9, 2026:

April 23, 2026:

Wow! What a difference. How long did it take to get rid of it?

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Wow! What a difference. How long did it take to get rid of it?

2 water change/tank maintenance days, 2 doses of diy coral snow w/Microbacter7. I ordered the materials the day of the first image, and did the first treatment the day after they arrived. I did the second round 2 days before the second image. So approximatetly 1-1/2 weeks.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

2 water change/tank maintenance days, 2 doses of diy coral snow w/Microbacter7. I ordered the materials the day of the first image, and did the first treatment the day after they arrived. I did the second round 2 days before the second image. So approximatetly 1-1/2 weeks.

WOW! So how exactly do you mix the Microbacter 7 with the coral snow. I saw something that said 10 drop of Microbacter 7 per 5 ml's of coral snow, that seems almost like a 50/50 mix to me.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

WOW! So how exactly do you mix the Microbacter 7 with the coral snow. I saw something that said 10 drop of Microbacter 7 per 5 ml's of coral snow, that seems almost like a 50/50 mix to me.

Not 50/50. 1 drop = about 0.04ml.
I scale the recipe for my tank size. For 36 gal I use 3.5ml cs plus 7 drops Microbacter7.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Not 50/50. 1 drop = about 0.04ml.
I scale the recipe for my tank size. For 36 gal I use 3.5ml cs plus 7 drops Microbacter7.

So, maybe I am mixing coral snow wrong? I have the mix premade, I add 2 tea spoons of that mixture to some RO water, then dump it in a high flow area. My tank is 90 gallons.

 

[noworlater]

Hey everyone! Happy Sunday! So as the title says, I am still dealing with cyano. I know patience is the key, and I am good with that. It is getting better. But my question is, when siphoning it off the sand, it doesn’t siphon well, so I always revert to getting it all into a pile, and netting that pile out. But in doing so, I am also getting quite a lot of sand. Is there a way to just get the cyano? I don’t like losing a lot of sand.

I'm a new reefer 6-7 months had my fair share of cyano! What i did that helped it lowered my lighg wayyy down mostly blues for about 2 weeks 4-5hrs a day. After the 2 weeks everything nice and clean! Now my tank never been cleaner! And i do 2-6-2 lighting peak 6hrs 70% blue, 15% white. My tank is thriving!!!! Please trust me n take my advice! And you need a good clean up crew! Get alot of snails!

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

So, maybe I am mixing coral snow wrong? I have the mix premade, I add 2 tea spoons of that mixture to some RO water, then dump it in a high flow area. My tank is 90 gallons.

If using the diy coral snow recipe in the link, 2 tsp is about right for your tank. Add 18 drops of Microbacter7 to that in a cup, mix and let it sit for 5 min. without diluting.
Turn off skimmer and filtration (including sump) but keep wavemakers running.
Dose into high flow and let it run for 1 hr this way.
Turn skimmer, sump and filtration back on after 1 hr.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I'm a new reefer 6-7 months had my fair share of cyano! What i did that helped it lowered my lighg wayyy down mostly blues for about 2 weeks 4-5hrs a day. After the 2 weeks everything nice and clean! Now my tank never been cleaner! And i do 2-6-2 lighting peak 6hrs 70% blue, 15% white. My tank is thriving!!!! Please trust me n take my advice! And you need a good clean up crew! Get alot of snails!

I have lots of snails, but may get more. Yeah, I am thinking about changing my lighting schedule. They currently are more scheduled around my being there to feed the fish. So they come on before I go to work, and are on until I get home from work to feed again.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

If using the diy coral snow recipe in the link, 2 tsp is about right for your tank. Add 18 drops of Microbacter7 to that in a cup, mix and let it sit for 5 min. without diluting.
Turn off skimmer and filtration (including sump) but keep wavemakers running.
Dose into high flow and let it run for 1 hr this way.
Turn skimmer, sump and filtration back on after 1 hr.

Thank you so much for your help with this. I will do this tonight when I get home. So you're saying do NOT mix with the RO water like I have been, Just the 2 tea spoons and the Microbacter 7?

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Thank you so much for your help with this. I will do this tonight when I get home. So you're saying do NOT mix with the RO water like I have been, Just the 2 tea spoons and the Microbacter 7?

Yes. You can mix with tank water just before dosing if you want.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Yes. You can mix with tank water just before dosing if you want.

Thank you again.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

I used microbacter and coral snow for awhile but it just wouldn't kick it.

As @SunnyX posted in the linked post,

Ideally, you want to be taking preventative measures to ensure that cyano does not gain any real estate in your reef.

The coral snow/Micobacter7 dosing can help in taking back control over Cyano, but this is not a cure. It buys you time. You have to find and fix the underlying problems, too.

Agreed. I read over Sunny's posts and talked with others about the process before starting it. I wasn't under the impression of it being an instant cure. I used it in conjunction with other things it just wasnt making enough of a difference to keep using it until the cyano was gone.
I'm for not against it, I am a fan for sure. I just don't use it right now because my tank is really doing well so I'm afraid to change a thing LOL

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Thank you again.

You are welcome!

 

[mcarroll]

Some interesting theories around "coral snow" but it also sounds a lot like snake oil/yet another miracle cure. It pays to remember that our hobby is good at coming up with those.

Of course, if you're in it to experiment then that's great – you can put the time and effort that's required to find out.

But if you're in it for a solution to a real problem, that's rarely the good way forward.

Check your fundamentals so you know you aren't causing the problem yourself or feeding into it (RODI filters, substandard flow, overfeeding, corals that are struggling or dying… Etc.).

But at the end of that, if you can't solve the problem that way, then you still have two options:

1. Be patient, stop tweaking the tank, and wait for the cyanobacteria bloom to go away on its own. (talk to PaulB)
2. Dosing chemiclean – used as directed it is not going to ruin your tank.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Some interesting theories around "coral snow" but it also sounds a lot like snake oil/yet another miracle cure. It pays to remember that our hobby is good at coming up with those.

Of course, if you're in it to experiment then that's great – you can put the time and effort that's required to find out.

But if you're in it for a solution to a real problem, that's rarely the good way forward.

Check your fundamentals so you know you aren't causing the problem yourself or feeding into it (RODI filters, substandard flow, overfeeding, corals that are struggling or dying… Etc.).

But at the end of that, if you can't solve the problem that way, then you still have two options:

1. Be patient, stop tweaking the tank, and wait for the cyanobacteria bloom to go away on its own. (talk to PaulB)
2. Dosing chemiclean – used as directed it is not going to ruin your tank.

I appreciate your input, sir! I agree with what you say. I found that the coral snow + bacteria has really slowed down the Cyano and allowed me to get ahead of it. I was absolutely a cause of the problem, having too little flow over the sand bed in particular. I have since added a tiny, cheap flow pump just to fly low over the sand surface. I am certain the battle back and forth would be ongoing had I not fixed that. But I am grateful to the coral snow + bacteria for helping in the meantime. Anyone looking for a silver bullet should look elsewhere.

 

[noworlater]

I'm a new reefer 6-7 months had my fair share of cyano! What i did that helped it lowered my lighg wayyy down mostly blues for about 2 weeks 4-5hrs a day. After the 2 weeks everything nice and clean! Now my tank never been cleaner! And i do 2-6-2 lighting peak 6hrs 70% blue, 15% white. My tank is thriving!!!! Please trust me n take my advice! And you need a good clean up crew! Get alot of snails!

I have lots of snails, but may get more. Yeah, I am thinking about changing my lighting schedule. They currently are more scheduled around my being there to feed the fish. So they come on before I go to work, and are on until I get home from work to feed again.

Id say focus on the lowered light settings for 2 weeks chill on feeding at least once a day for now