Struggles with Cyano-

[linus.chan]

Here is the general gist-

Background - i have a 120 gallon tank which has been running for 6 years. (I switched tanks about 3 years ago, but kept same size, i just moved it). It has its ups and downs, but the tank generally has been running well.
About a year ago, i decided to tackle this growing cyano problem (It had gotten bad enough, that i think it was the cause of death of this beautiful chalice).

I had been running CHaeto, an algae scrubber and Carbon reactor with GFO.

In the past i have used chemiclean, which worked about 2-3 years ago, but when i tried it 2-3x again, it didn't do anything.

Around this time, i added a protein skimmer.

So i installed a UV (on the off chance it was dinos), then used Dr. Tim's treatment- that seemed to work okay though it definitely didn't get rid of the entire issue, but seemed to make a dent. I used Vibrant which again seemed to help but didn't get rid of it completely, and then dosed Microbacter7. Again it seemed to slow things down, but never completely got rid of the cyano.

The cyano has since come all the way back since, but this time with more GHA. I have an automatic water change system (about 10 gallons a week) and been doing weekley water changes (another 20 or so gallons).
I run a skimmer and had a refugium, but Vibrant killed the Chaeto, so stopped running a fuge light and turned off my algae scrubber. I was running Carbon and GFO, but stopped when i thought it could be dinos, but it didn't seem to make a difference.
I have replaced my water filters and confirmed 0 TDS.

I just finished running another Dr. Tim's treatment (using a 3 day blackout, REfresh and waste-away - treating it like it was dinos) and now at the end of the 12th day i can confidently say that the cyano had roared all the way back.

I tested my parameters and they were

nitrates .7 ppm
phosphate .05 ppm.

some people suggested i use carbon dosing, but not sure why that would help.

I am happy to post pictures if needed. Any suggestions? i am at my wits end.

 

[Uncle99]

Nitrates under 1ppm seem low to me if your talking mixed reef.
With 0.05ppm phosphate, I run 10-15ppm nitrate or the pest type stuff arrives.

 

[linus.chan]

Okay, so why? and how do i raise nitrates? more feeding?

 

[Pistondog]

Here is the general gist-

Background - i have a 120 gallon tank which has been running for 6 years. (I switched tanks about 3 years ago, but kept same size, i just moved it). It has its ups and downs, but the tank generally has been running well.
About a year ago, i decided to tackle this growing cyano problem (It had gotten bad enough, that i think it was the cause of death of this beautiful chalice).

I had been running CHaeto, an algae scrubber and Carbon reactor with GFO.

In the past i have used chemiclean, which worked about 2-3 years ago, but when i tried it 2-3x again, it didn't do anything.

Around this time, i added a protein skimmer.

So i installed a UV (on the off chance it was dinos), then used Dr. Tim's treatment- that seemed to work okay though it definitely didn't get rid of the entire issue, but seemed to make a dent. I used Vibrant which again seemed to help but didn't get rid of it completely, and then dosed Microbacter7. Again it seemed to slow things down, but never completely got rid of the cyano.

The cyano has since come all the way back since, but this time with more GHA. I have an automatic water change system (about 10 gallons a week) and been doing weekley water changes (another 20 or so gallons).
I run a skimmer and had a refugium, but Vibrant killed the Chaeto, so stopped running a fuge light and turned off my algae scrubber. I was running Carbon and GFO, but stopped when i thought it could be dinos, but it didn't seem to make a difference.
I have replaced my water filters and confirmed 0 TDS.

I just finished running another Dr. Tim's treatment (using a 3 day blackout, REfresh and waste-away - treating it like it was dinos) and now at the end of the 12th day i can confidently say that the cyano had roared all the way back.

I tested my parameters and they were

nitrates .7 ppm
phosphate .05 ppm.

some people suggested i use carbon dosing, but not sure why that would help.

I am happy to post pictures if needed. Any suggestions? i am at my wits end.

Every time I add vodka or vinegar, I get an increase in cyano within hours. The gha suggests your nitrates are not 0.7, as the gha is using some before you can measure.
I'd keep after sucking it up, minimize any window light exposure, and dose another bacteria, like mb7 to try to outcompete it.

 

[PeterC99]

Three things got rid of my cyano naturally and I never cleaned any Cyano out of my tank.

1) Strong UV light
2) Started an Oxydator (look for threads on this site)
3) Phytoplankton every other day

Before and after pics (also have since increased the light point intensity by 15% on my Radions - up to 75%)

PO4 .05, NO3 2

 

[linus.chan]

When you say increase UV intensity- is that a reference to reef lighting? Not sure how to control my settings on my radions.

 

[linus.chan]

Every time I add vodka or vinegar, I get an increase in cyano within hours. The gha suggests your nitrates are not 0.7, as the gha is using some before you can measure.
I'd keep after sucking it up, minimize any window light exposure, and dose another bacteria, like mb7 to try to outcompete it.

I had been dosing with both microbact and vibrant with no luck.

 

[PeterC99]

UV is a constant. Only flow rates change.

Radions are different, they are the aquarium lights. I control mine through Mobius app.

 

[linus.chan]

I have a UV sterilizer going- not sure I can increase the intensity without buying a new unit- is that what you mean?

 

[Dan_P]

Here is the general gist-

Background - i have a 120 gallon tank which has been running for 6 years. (I switched tanks about 3 years ago, but kept same size, i just moved it). It has its ups and downs, but the tank generally has been running well.
About a year ago, i decided to tackle this growing cyano problem (It had gotten bad enough, that i think it was the cause of death of this beautiful chalice).

I had been running CHaeto, an algae scrubber and Carbon reactor with GFO.

In the past i have used chemiclean, which worked about 2-3 years ago, but when i tried it 2-3x again, it didn't do anything.

Around this time, i added a protein skimmer.

So i installed a UV (on the off chance it was dinos), then used Dr. Tim's treatment- that seemed to work okay though it definitely didn't get rid of the entire issue, but seemed to make a dent. I used Vibrant which again seemed to help but didn't get rid of it completely, and then dosed Microbacter7. Again it seemed to slow things down, but never completely got rid of the cyano.

The cyano has since come all the way back since, but this time with more GHA. I have an automatic water change system (about 10 gallons a week) and been doing weekley water changes (another 20 or so gallons).
I run a skimmer and had a refugium, but Vibrant killed the Chaeto, so stopped running a fuge light and turned off my algae scrubber. I was running Carbon and GFO, but stopped when i thought it could be dinos, but it didn't seem to make a difference.
I have replaced my water filters and confirmed 0 TDS.

I just finished running another Dr. Tim's treatment (using a 3 day blackout, REfresh and waste-away - treating it like it was dinos) and now at the end of the 12th day i can confidently say that the cyano had roared all the way back.

I tested my parameters and they were

nitrates .7 ppm
phosphate .05 ppm.

some people suggested i use carbon dosing, but not sure why that would help.

I am happy to post pictures if needed. Any suggestions? i am at my wits end.

Are you dosing trace elements?

 

[Reef Rhino]

You said you use Vibrant. I do too when needed, but it is often followed by Cyano. There are lots of posts about this common scenario.

 

[linus.chan]

You said you use Vibrant. I do too when needed, but it is often followed by Cyano. There are lots of posts about this common scenario.

Interesting of course I used vibrant to try and treat the cyano I had- so I have it both before abs after..

 

[linus.chan]

Are you dosing trace elements?

I am not- anything I should?

 

[linus.chan]

Here are pictures

 

[Dan_P]

I am not- anything I should?

I cannot recommend anything but wondering whether your system has become depleted in any important trace elements. The idea is that cyanobacteria is growing well because other things in the biofilm that cover all surfaces are not. There is really no test to determine why biofilms go out of whack, so we end up trying many things until something works.

 

[linus.chan]

A few other points- my tank was doing best when it had plenty of pods etc. (I used to find them in my filter socks all the time). After about year 3 the tank seemed to lose quite a bit of biodiversity- no more random stars, no more pods abs generally less random diversity. I had tried dosing both pods and phytoplankton but haven’t seen any results in the increase in pods.
For clean up crew I have tried to add more- but in the end I have only a few trochus, a couple of hermits and one conch.

 

[Dan_P]

A few other points- my tank was doing best when it had plenty of pods etc. (I used to find them in my filter socks all the time). After about year 3 the tank seemed to lose quite a bit of biodiversity- no more random stars, no more pods abs generally less random diversity. I had tried dosing both pods and phytoplankton but haven’t seen any results in the increase in pods.
For clean up crew I have tried to add more- but in the end I have only a few trochus, a couple of hermits and one conch.

You might consider dosing trace elements. My only experience is dosing Chaeto Gro to get my Ulva to grow. It did and doubles in size every week. Coralline starting growing like crazy and there was a large increase in sponges and fan worms. My Xenia culture also took off after sitting for a year. I guess my system was depleted. Whether this addresses the cyanobacteria issue I have no idea. By the way, I am only dosing 1/10 the daily recommended about. The recommended amount made my Mexican turbos sick (stopped moving and eating)