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Aww7979
03/24/2013, 12:39 PM
Hi folks,

I have nearly unreadable amounts of nitrates, nitrites, and phosphates. I use a RODI unit for my water. I have a fuge that is growing well. 2 mp40 power heads in a 90 and I can't keep Cyano from growing on my Montipora and a few small zoa frags. I have been gently brushing the alge away with a soft bristled tooth brush but it comes right back.

I have 2 radion led light fixtures and as of this week they have just completed their acclimation period and are now set with 100% intensity for 4 hours out of a 14 hour light cycle. Will the more intense light and longer duration reduce Cyano or help it grow?

Adam

worm5406
03/24/2013, 01:16 PM
Longer and more intense light will make it grow out of control.

Do this:

ALL lights off for 3 full days.
That includes any lights around the tank that may shine in.
If you have to take a blanket and put around it to STOP the light.

After the third day (of no cheating either) turn on actnics for one day
Then bring lights back to normal

Think of it as a three day typhoon. They will survive.

saltyair
03/24/2013, 02:51 PM
what is your PH cyano grows best in low ph and higher temp's also.

I would check PH. if the lights off method does not work I have successfully used redcyano rx when I upgraded to my 180gal.

a well established refug will keep the red slime away for good.

what is your bio load? do you use a skimmer?

Aww7979
03/25/2013, 11:47 AM
what is your PH cyano grows best in low ph and higher temp's also.

I would check PH. if the lights off method does not work I have successfully used redcyano rx when I upgraded to my 180gal.

a well established refug will keep the red slime away for good.

what is your bio load? do you use a skimmer?

My PH bounces between 8.1 & 8.6 it is at its highest around 8 am and lowest around 4 pm. I assume because of alge consuming CO2. My temp stays around 77.7 maybe as low as 77.0 when I add my RODI water.

I switched to a LED in my fuge and in the last 3 or 4 days my chato has doubled in size. So should that come into play by starving out my DT?

I have a yellow tang, Midas Blenny, yellow tail damsel, brittle star, emerald crab, 2 boxer crabs, anemone crab, 2 peppermint shrimp, 2 fire shrimp, a conch, some snails and some hermits. My hammer coral, cactus coral, duncan, candy cane, and mushrooms/ricordia are doing great. I am trying to bring back a sun coral I bought and my fungia looks pretty happy but they are mostly lower in the tank. It's the stuff on the top of the rocks that is struggling with alge.

I just might be impatient......

Adam

Aww7979
03/25/2013, 11:48 AM
I do skimm and use cemipure and carbon. All of it is out currently as I treat for ich. A QT is in the works...

Aww7979
03/25/2013, 11:57 AM
Longer and more intense light will make it grow out of control.

Do this:

ALL lights off for 3 full days.
That includes any lights around the tank that may shine in.
If you have to take a blanket and put around it to STOP the light.

After the third day (of no cheating either) turn on actnics for one day
Then bring lights back to normal

Think of it as a three day typhoon. They will survive.

I'd like to try to remedy this by not turning off the lights but I will if it comes to it. I was cleaning the glass twice a day so as an experiment I did just what you said not to do, I made the lights 100% for 8 hours. Yesterday I cleaned the glass in the morning and might not have to clean the glass today. I realize they are two different algae but wouldn't they respond the same way? I have not seen an increase in the Cyano.

Thanks

Adam

Toddrtrex
03/25/2013, 12:04 PM
What is the TDS of your RO/DI water?

The lights alone are not causing the cyano --- excess nutrients are causing it. The nutrients are being used up before you can test them.

worm5406
03/25/2013, 12:04 PM
Since it is all photosenthesis type algae, a lights out will starve it out and kill it.

Toddrtrex
03/25/2013, 12:12 PM
It isn't an algae, it is a bacteria.

Need to solve the root cause, or it will return.

saltyair
03/25/2013, 12:32 PM
I do skimm and use cemipure and carbon. All of it is out currently as I treat for ich. A QT is in the works...

Could be the reason the cyano is not under control.

I would try the lights out - do some water changes - if not going away in a month - I would use redslim rx.

the treatment could also add to the problem.

Aww7979
04/03/2013, 08:38 PM
So I am Cyano free, or at least visually Cyano free. I turned my radions down to 65% total intensity and no red value. I also turned my skimmer back on (it was off because I was treating for ich) and doing both of those things made me Cyano free in 3 days. Another observation that may contribute is my refugium is starting to really work. My algae in there has tripled in size.

My acro is even starting to turn green and I have the best polyp extension I've seen on the frag yet.

My ich has not gone away after 14 days of treatment. I am currently running my skimmer 12 hours on during the day then I shut it off and treat at night.

Adam

navyfishguy
04/03/2013, 09:32 PM
It isn't an algae, it is a bacteria.

Need to solve the root cause, or it will return.

thank you finally someone else that thinks like me. i see people on this site all the time ask for advise o how to get rid of a type of algea then we give them a million different ways the can temporarily fix the problem. fix the issue that is causing the cyano instead of patching the problem for now. you have a nitrate problem you need to track it down and that'll be the solution to your problem.