Dino??

[ejdustin]

I think this is dino just want to make sure... it's kinda purple long strands, it will blow away with a baster, trapping bubbles.

[ejk17]

Red slyme cyno? maybe

[cloak]

That looks more like cynobacteria than dinoflagellates. Check this out.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2095174

[ejdustin]

Thanks for the replies. I was really hoping to avoid a lights out session. I know plenty of people have done it I am just scared to lol.

[ejdustin]

Well lights are officially off starting last night. The tank is in the basement so I blocked all the windows down there and turned off the tank lights. I didn't put anything extra over the tank because light can't get down there. Now I will still be able to feed them easily and there is still good air flow at the tank. This should do the trick right??

[rogermccray]

how is the flow in that area?

[EllieSuz]

This stuff siphons out pretty easily during a water change. So, get rid of as much as you can with a huge water change and be prepared to do frequent large water changes until you get your Nitrates under control. You can also siphon it directly into a filter sock in your sump which doesn't displace any water. This is a cosmetic solution. It does not address the cause, so GFO is will help too.

[Sugar Magnolia]

If you're not running any kind of phosphate remover you'll want to do so. GFO works well.

[ejdustin]

Flow is good in the area... now. When it first started there was a lack of flow for sure, I believe this caused the problem. I have a giant haddons carpet anemone about 18" diameter if not bigger, he decided he was going to move into the one corner which blocked my flow to that area. I added a small power head pointing directly at the area but a bit too late it already took over.

I don't have any nitrates... my levels are all great, phosphates also very very low. I believe the cyano is more from side light from a window or lack of flow. I did siphone some of the stuff out and I will again as soon as I turn the lights on.

I don't currently run GFO reason being it destroys my blastos. Everytime I have tried to run GFO within 8 hours my blastos are sucked in and almost dead skeleton coming out after 24 hours. I turn the GFO off and it takes about 3 weeks for them to heal. I have tried using less than a quarter of the amount recommended and it still kills the blastos. GFO is a no go for me unless I get rid of the blastos :/ On a good note though I have never measured high phosphates and always use RO/DI water and measure the solids coming in.

[rogermccray]

The problem with testing phosphates in your tank is that the cyano/aglae consumes the phosphates when they enter the water so the reading can be misleading.

[ejdustin]

Yea very true I only test it once in a blue moon. I havent had algea outbreaks in ages though and then I get this random cyano bloom. I wouldnt think I randomly introduced phosphates my media is good on my RO unit very very low solids coming out. No new rock or anything that would "leak". I rinse my food for feeding even though some consider this overkill. I feed about 3 - 4 times a day but small amounts, all of the food is eaten in probably 10 - 15 seconds. Sometimes I just don't get it.

[MarineSniper]

Well lights are officially off starting last night. The tank is in the basement so I blocked all the windows down there and turned off the tank lights. I didn't put anything extra over the tank because light can't get down there. Now I will still be able to feed them easily and there is still good air flow at the tank. This should do the trick right??

I would refrain from feeding them during the lights out period. Fish can go many days without being fed and you don't want any extra nutrients in there, feeding the cyano

I had a severe cyano problem when my first tank was new. I tried doing the lights out and nothing worked, until I covered the glass and literally blacked the tank out. Sounds like you're able to do that, in the room where the tank is located so it should do the trick

Watch your feedings and flow patterns or it will quickly return. Our fish require far less food than we often think. I believe most of us make this mistake early on...I know I did!

[ejdustin]

Yea the only light in the basement will be from a normal bulb if my fiancee is doing laundry. I have all the windows blocked and everything, the room is pitch black. I will be leaving the small power head blasting that area unless the carpet decides to move again so flow should be good and the one window where I know I was getting light is officially blocked... for good!

After I turn the lights on will I need to siphon out all of the crap or will it already be gone?