The War on Cyano or what ever this is

sixty_reefer

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I have never heard of this plan before and find it interesting.

But have questions.

How does the nutrient deplete as the algae dies? Wouldn't go into the water column and elevate it? Or does it simply get skimmed out?
I’ve done it in the pass, we’re I’ve just target blocked light to certain species I don’t want to have, once the filter pads are removed the rock will be absolutely clean of algae, with this method areas can be selected to avoid blocking light to algaes you may want to keep or coral.

one thing to have in mind is as algaes melt a large amount of organic carbon will be released in to the water column that bacteria will use to deplete nutrients, very similar to standard carbon dosing, you just won’t know how much carbon will be released that’s why I recommend do small areas at a time to avoid rapid depleting nutrient, the skimmer won’t be able to remove organic carbon only bacteria and large water changes will be able to deal with it.
This is very common to happen wend algicides are used, most will observe a rapid depleting nutrient and hit troubles

I had dinos, for a while. I never microscoped them but they always went into the water at night. So I elevated the nutrients and installed a uv on the tank. Beat them and in came the hair algae. Tried different things but what had been working is snails, urchins and vinagar dosing with manual pulling. Hair is stunted, stopped growing. But cayno is running ramped in my sump(none in the tank). I now(yesterday) halved my vinagar dosing. From 16ml to 8ml. I think I'm going down even more, maybe to 6ml by the end of the week.
But I have some pads and may try this instead.
 
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R33fDaddy

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I don’t know who started that rumour of phosphates being what causes algae to grow, you can search the hole internet and you won’t find a single successful case of someone that beats algae by depleting a tank out of nutrients. If you wish to fall on to that trap you may never find a balance.

The zero nutrient P is actually creating a nutrient imbalance situation in your tank that makes dissolved co2 more available for the algaes to grow faster, the same situation is creating a abundance of organic carbon that is what feeds dinoflagellates and Cyanobacteria and causes them blooms.
So you see nothing good happens wend a tank is deprived of nutrients, algae is a natural thing to happen in a reef, you just need to keep it in check with herbivores. The same reason you got algae thriving is the same reason you have dinoflagellates and Cyanobacteria, meaning at some time they where introduced in your tank as hitchhikers and under the right nutrient imbalance created by depriving a system of phosphates or nitrates will cause them to bloom faster.

I would go even further, can anyone on this thread or reading this comments find a thread of someone that was able to eliminate GHA by starving a system out of nutrients alone?

So what's the solution? I don't want to swing back to the other side of things when my nutrients was extremely high (you can search my threads to see how terrible that was).

Should I just feed more and buy like 30 snails (the snails I bought are eating this stuff btw)? Any other suggestions? Maybe UV Light.
 

sixty_reefer

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If you are dealing with algae and followed in the trap of depleting you tank from nutrients you should consider the fallowing first.

you have to have priorities in this situation, firstly regain balance and stability at the nutrient level, second kill the dinoflagellates and third remove the algae. If you don’t have dinoflagellates skip to step 3.
If you have dinoflagellates and try to skip to step 3 straight away you will make things a lot worse that they are.

1. regain balance in your system

this is the most important step to be made most dinoflagellates will die once balance is regain depending on the dinoflagellates diet requirements.
We have autotrophic and heterotrophic dinoflagellates, one species will go after balance is regain and the other will need a full tank black out to eradicate them.
Basically one needs light and inorganic carbon and the other needs organic carbon to thrive only.
Once balance is regain there will be less Doc and N-Doc in the water column for them to keep growing.

To regain balance find a way to keep your nitrates and phosphates at readable values and constant.
That’s what stability is

2. take your time, Rome wasn’t build in a day and this is a long process now.

3. killing pest algaes inside the tank.

For this you will need:

• Reliable test kits for nitrate and phosphates
• Artificial nutrient N and P
• Filter pads
• CUC

killing nuisance algaes it’s easy if you know what you doing, you just need to be aware of what’s going to happen to be successful.

Place the filter pad on a section of rock you want to kill the algae, this will remove photosynthesis and the algae will melt. As the algae melts they will release astonishing amounts of organic carbon into the water column, this is where you need to use the artificial sources of The nutrients N and P, The game objectives is to not allow Nutrients to be fully depleted and they need to be added daily until the process is finished and balanced regain.
If the nutrient bottom out then is game over and dinoflagellates will be back again.
Only do small sections at a time and keep the pad in each location for 7 days.

4. Do a CUC account and add more if needed.

last step and mos important, enjoy your tank

So what's the solution? I don't want to swing back to the other side of things when my nutrients was extremely high (you can search my threads to see how terrible that was).

Should I just feed more and buy like 30 snails (the snails I bought are eating this stuff btw)? Any other suggestions? Maybe UV Light.

have you read the above post?
my advice would be raise your po4 to a detachable 0.01 or above I prefer to use a artificial nutrient like neophos or other similar product ATI and Tropic Marine have a full range of artificial Nutrients that are ideal and easy to use. This would be considered starting to balance the tank again because you have no phosphates, not having phosphates available in the water column can stop some bacteria from doing there job at keeping nitrates and carbon at balanced levels

once you have detectable phosphates for a week you need to evaluate your situation again. If the dinoflagellates are gone you could try the method above to start cleaning some rocks.
 

brandon429

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I believe any viable solution should come as a clickable link we can inspect for patterns in desired outcome.

we should find alternate means that conditions like yours were fixed, and post the succession pics or the threads

that gives an idea of expected turnaround time frame compared to what's posted. a full picture option set should be the deciding factor, don't select your fix method off typing alone that's more guessing.

in no way should you add 30 snails, we covered how the ones you have are working against you, not for you.


hey is it true we've chatted on another site recently, about rip cleans coincidentally? if so that's ironic. I thought your forum name sounded familiar,
 
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Luis's Nano

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I literally just went through this issue. I tried the same thing using chemiclean and no luck. The problems came from bottoming out my Nitrate and Phosphate trying out nopox. My levels were already dialed in but wanted to try a new product. Within a week or so following dosing instructions my levels went to 0 phos and 0.25 nitrate. This is when I started noticing the same stuff you seem to have. I dosed in phos and nitrate using brightwell products and once a week I would spend a good amount of time scrubbing the rocks and all. Eventually it all went away but not without major effort. Now my levels read 0.3 phos and 13.0 nitrate and I have no issues at all.
 

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I literally just went through this issue. I tried the same thing using chemiclean and no luck. The problems came from bottoming out my Nitrate and Phosphate trying out nopox. My levels were already dialed in but wanted to try a new product. Within a week or so following dosing instructions my levels went to 0 phos and 0.25 nitrate. This is when I started noticing the same stuff you seem to have. I dosed in phos and nitrate using brightwell products and once a week I would spend a good amount of time scrubbing the rocks and all. Eventually it all went away but not without major effort. Now my levels read 0.3 phos and 13.0 nitrate and I have no issues at all.
This bro trust , keep elevated nutrient and let the system manage itself. Dino’s / cyano are not good competitors but they do need competition
 
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This is the Clean up crew I added about two weeks ago. They are eating this stuff but I'm guessing they can only keep it away once I solve the actual problem. This is exactly what I have the original post was going of memory lol.
 

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KonradTO

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This is the Clean up crew I added about two weeks ago. They are eating this stuff but I'm guessing they can only keep it away once I solve the actual problem. This is exactly what I have the original post was going of memory lol.
Good luck with the cuc! I tried 3 times with mexican turbos and everytime they slow down and die within a week. Trochus instead are doing pretty well after months. Keep us updated on how it goes.
 

Lavey29

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Good luck with the cuc! I tried 3 times with mexican turbos and everytime they slow down and die within a week. Trochus instead are doing pretty well after months. Keep us updated on how it goes.
That's because they are not true reef mexican turbo snails . They are selling you the cold water species.
 
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Does this sound like a solid plan?

Feed more to bring up Phosphates and Nitrates.

Get UV Light to reduce the chance of Diatoms.


Also I checked my Phosphates and Nitrates Today, both are at Zero. Smh.
 
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What I do , I keep skimmer on for oxygenation and dump the skimmer cup back into the tank , I’m currently doing it because nutrients are low
Do you just let it over flow or are collecting the waste in the cup and then dumping it back in?
 

Ryusheng*

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I'm currently in a full on battle with whatever type of Algae or Bacteria this is in my reef tank. I think it's Cyanobacteria but my twice failed Chemiclean treatment has me thinking it could be something else. It looks redish and doesn't have that disgusting Diatoms look to it but who knows. Either way I'm determined to defeat this!!

What I've tried so far, all failed.
Chemiclean
Weekly water changes of 15 gallons
Carbon
Changing my filter floss every two days

Implemented a clean up crew for the first time:
2 Emerald Carbs
15 Hermit Carbs
5 Nassuras Snails
5 Mexican Turbo Snails
5 Trocus Snail
1 Conch Snail
2 Peppermint Shrimp

The clean up crew looks like the can keep this stuff away once it's gone. However they cannot eliminate the problem at the scale its currently at.

Tank: Redsea 250
Alkalinity 11.2 dkh
Calcium 500 ppm
Magnesium 1470 ppm
Nitrates 25ppm
Nitrite 2ppm
Phosphates 0ppm
Salinity 1.027
Temp 77 Degrees

Equipment:
Protein Skimmer
Algae Scrubber
Tunze Auto top off
Two MP10s

Salt Redsea Pro
I tried dosing Nopox but that didn't really help.

I'm open to all suggests! First do you'll think this is Cyano?

Also this stuff has started killing my poor corals by covering them up. You can see the Skelton of my Gonipora in photos. *Sad face

20220516_174737.jpg 20220516_174731.jpg 20220516_174719.jpg 20220516_174709.jpg
 

Ryusheng*

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Do you just let it over flow or are collecting the waste in the cup and then dumping it back in?
I may not know much I just started and my tank is doing good no nitrate actually low nutrient. Never use chemical. I Just vacuum cyano back to the front of the sump with a filter sock and keep my sump light on. At the end of my sump I have I have a uv light going to the return. I have diy cheap vacuum with a soft tip rubber on the end to vacuum cyano. I keep cyano in my sump keeps nitro down. I over feed my tank and I have no nitrate. For other algea buy a lawnmower blenny that will clean the algea up.
 

Ryusheng*

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I may not know much I just started and my tank is doing good no nitrate actually low nutrient. Never use chemical. I Just vacuum cyano back to the front of the sump with a filter sock and keep my sump light on. At the end of my sump I have I have a uv light going to the return. I have diy cheap vacuum with a soft tip rubber on the end to vacuum cyano. I keep cyano in my sump keeps nitro down. I over feed my tank and I have no nitrate. For other algea buy a lawnmower blenny that will clean the algea up.
I forgot I haven't water change just autotop off. Just calcium and sodium bicarb additive. Soon I need nitrate addative.
 

KonradTO

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Does this sound like a solid plan?

Feed more to bring up Phosphates and Nitrates.

Get UV Light to reduce the chance of Diatoms.


Also I checked my Phosphates and Nitrates Today, both are at Zero. Smh.
I did not know that UV helped with other algae other than dino. I have the feeling that the worst thing possible you could do now is to rush into remedies for your problem and keep changing your strategy.
Do you have access to a microscope?
That would be very useful at defining once for all what are you fighting.
But in any case as far as I understand 0 nutrients is bad no matter what.
I would start pouring the content of the skimmer cup slowly every day, so you have control of it, and maybe feeding more is not bad, depending on how many animals you have eating the food. I prefer dosing liquid nitrates because you know how much you put in and how much gets consumed
 

Ryusheng*

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I did not know that UV helped with other algae other than dino. I have the feeling that the worst thing possible you could do now is to rush into remedies for your problem and keep changing your strategy.
Do you have access to a microscope?
That would be very useful at defining once for all what are you fighting.
But in any case as far as I understand 0 nutrients is bad no matter what.
I would start pouring the content of the skimmer cup slowly every day, so you have control of it, and maybe feeding more is not bad, depending on how many animals you have eating the food. I prefer dosing liquid nitrates because you know how much you put in and how much gets consumed
Yah I haven't water changed at all. Those people that sell that chemical will probably hate me. I have cyanobacteria in my sump and like cheato they are thriving. The last time I got cyano in the main tank was months ago and I just vacuum them in the sump were they belong. I just bought nitrate supplement next I'll be dosing soon.
 

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