Cyano Ain't All Bad

[Buzz1329]

Much as we gripe about cyano, I just read that a single cyanobactrerium, Prochlorococcus, perhaps the most plentiful species on Earth, produces as much as 1/5th of the world’s atmospheric oxygen, sucking up prodigious amounts of CO2 in the process. Because it loves warm water, global warming is causing it to expand its territory, which in turn is slowing the relentless build-up of atmospheric CO2. Source: Atlantic by Simon Winchester. So let’s cut the cyano a little slack, people.

[disc1]

In the ocean and even in our tanks the cyano bacteria are also great cleaners of the water. You'll often notice that during a cyano outbreak the PO4 and NO3 numbers will suddenly be just perfect for SPS since the cyano is so effective at pulling it out of the water.

They are also largely responsible for making the organic ligands that detoxify heavy metals like copper and zinc. Without cyanobacteria, the copper levels that we see in our tanks or the open ocean would be 100 to 1000 times the toxic level. But as it is, 99% or more of the copper in seawater is sequestered by compounds mainly created by cyanobacteria. This results in a level of "free" copper ions that is perfect for supporting life but not too high to kill it. As copper is used as a trace mineral, just enough of that sequestered copper will be released to bring it back up to the necessary levels for life.

I personally love a bit of cyano in the sump as long as its not all over my display. Down there it can also help with that pH dive at night if you reverse light the fuge. There are a ton of reasons why it's really not such a bad thing.

[scolley]

Because it loves warm water, global warming is causing it to expand its territory, which in turn is slowing the relentless build-up of atmospheric CO2.I have a idea, why don't I buy a Kyoto Protocol carbon credit or two? That should offset a lifetime of cyano suppression in my tanks, regardless of size. ;)

[elder luis]

In the ocean and even in our tanks the cyano bacteria are also great cleaners of the water. You'll often notice that during a cyano outbreak the PO4 and NO3 numbers will suddenly be just perfect for SPS since the cyano is so effective at pulling it out of the water.

They are also largely responsible for making the organic ligands that detoxify heavy metals like copper and zinc. Without cyanobacteria, the copper levels that we see in our tanks or the open ocean would be 100 to 1000 times the toxic level. But as it is, 99% or more of the copper in seawater is sequestered by compounds mainly created by cyanobacteria. This results in a level of "free" copper ions that is perfect for supporting life but not too high to kill it. As copper is used as a trace mineral, just enough of that sequestered copper will be released to bring it back up to the necessary levels for life.

I personally love a bit of cyano in the sump as long as its not all over my display. Down there it can also help with that pH dive at night if you reverse light the fuge. There are a ton of reasons why it's really not such a bad thing.

It can be useful, but it´s not pleasant for our eyes :uzi:

http://images.orkut.com/orkut/photos/QQAAAL6N_EG4TSviVRH2jlCw82sulI-RigEcfkPEGH0nvwZE0pBVBmWrC2G1P2CbiDxRjecbQqUNmooX19rRVZ0Bwn_XUS-fJUjZ3Bm3EruPo7C1AJtU9VCy3jozRI7PU4-sB2qNCKl1Hiti5A.jpg

[sabbath]

I wonder how we could take advantage of it's benifits to the system. Some kind of a fuge or ats modified to grow cyano?

[elder luis]

how can we control/define the growing area?

[disc1]

Cyano really likes low flow and likes a little lower color temp light than coral similar to what is used to light an ATS. I can only speak from personal experience, but the refugium area of my sump is pretty nasty with both dinos and cyano all over the glass and the bottom and even on the chaeto. I try to pull some out when I trim the chaeto. And I hardly ever have any problems with cyano or dinos in the DT though even when I end up out traveling for weeks at a time and don't get in my water changes. The blooms tend to stay confined to the really low flow side of the refugium in the sump.

[bamf25]

I have a mildly persistant cyano bloom on only my sand bed mainly on the left front of the tank. Nothing in the tank seems to care, but yeah it is ugly. I have a fuge, run gac and gfo, water change 10% weekly, and my parameters are dead on. I just can not get this latest outbreak 100% gone, but it is better. Glad other are in the same boat.

My fuge is ugly, but filled with lots of happy fun stuff.

[Misled]

I agree with David. Having low flow through the sump and a 65k bulb seems to create a perfect environment for it. It turns out to be the reason I have to clean my sump every couple months. I leave it on the walls of the sump. There's none in the display. Should we contact someone and let them know we can cure climate change???

[aleonn]

Whenever I have a small outbreak, I don't mind either. I siphon it out and consider it a form of nutrient export. If it were everywhere, however, I'd have to re-evaluate my nutrient levels, flow, and (old) light bulbs.

[Palting]

I wonder how we could take advantage of it's benifits to the system. Some kind of a fuge or ats modified to grow cyano?

I agree with David. Having low flow through the sump and a 65k bulb seems to create a perfect environment for it. It turns out to be the reason I have to clean my sump every couple months. I leave it on the walls of the sump. There's none in the display. Should we contact someone and let them know we can cure climate change???

Pretty close to what I do with my fuge, except for the flow part. It's a 20 gallon refugium, and the flow is about 600. Despite the flow of about 30X tank volume, cyano grows well in my refugium. It could be that the lush grape caulerpa growth breaks up the flow and allowing the cyano to thrive there. No cyano in the DT, and tests have consistently shown 0 phos, 0 nitrate.

Anyway, thanks for the info. Good to know why cyano can be beneficial.

Here's a few pics of the refugium. I posted these last halloween. Scary, huh? :)

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/Time%20lapse/IMG_1225s.jpg

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/Time%20lapse/IMG_1227s.jpg

[sabbath]

Pretty close to what I do with my fuge, except for the flow part. It's a 20 gallon refugium, and the flow is about 600. Despite the flow of about 30X tank volume, cyano grows well in my refugium. It could be that the lush grape caulerpa growth breaks up the flow and allowing the cyano to thrive there. No cyano in the DT, and tests have consistently shown 0 phos, 0 nitrate.

Anyway, thanks for the info. Good to know why cyano can be beneficial.

Here's a few pics of the refugium. I posted these last halloween. Scary, huh? :)

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/Time%20lapse/IMG_1225s.jpg

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/Time%20lapse/IMG_1227s.jpg

Nice! It looks like you have it. Just siphon it out of the fuge during a wc?... It appears to me by looking at this picture that cyano likes lower light too.