Advice From Expert Cyano Killers

[gb530]

So I need some advice from some expert cyanobacteria killers. My tank has it on the sand bed floor and I am contemplating removing the cyano with 3 days lights out, on the 4th turn on just blue LEDs, and back to full light on day 5... Ive got a couple questions for you experts in murdering cyano! :uzi:

Q 1: Is there a chance that I can kill any of my corals with 3 days of darkness?

Q 2: Any other recommendations as to how I should get rid of the cyano that will work better?

[Ruu]

1) unlikely unless they were already severely weakened.
2) eliminating nitrates and keeping alkalinity up has worked for me. Also, don't expect miracles overnight. Cyano outbreaks happen, particularly early on - patience and good water quality are your friend. I'm not really a fan of running without lights myself - my humble opinion is that it only works long term if you already have the water quality in check, in which case it would resolve itself anyway over time.

Your mileage may vary. I'm just some guy on the internet.

Dave

[reefgeezer]

Eliminating Cyano has more to do with removing fuel rather than light. IME, Cyano is driven by dissolved organics and the nitrate/phosphate bound in them. Eliminating the dissolved organics is the key to eliminating Cyano. It's been a very long time since I've had an issue, but when I did, here's what I would do...

1. Make sure the skimmer is working well and adjust to skim wet
2. Increase water changes
3. Suck out the Cyano daily
Siphon through a filter sock into a bucket and the return the water back into the tank or... Siphon it out during water changes
4. Increase GAC and change it WEEKLY until the Cyano is gone.
5. Aggressively remove detritus from rocks, bottom/sand, and sump

Finally, you'll need add tasks to your husbandry practices to keep levels of dissolved organics low.

[gb530]

Some really good advice here guys, thanks a lot!!! I am not a huge fan of cutting my lights off for 3 days either so will just keep up on the maintenance... I am not running carbon at the moment but will add a reactor with GAC if no improvement in 1-2 months.

If anyone else wants to chime in, please do :)

[devimik]

I've beat it a few times in my 90g. I tend to be a heavy feeder, but if you try to reduce the amount of food, blow any cyano off rocks and suck it up with a baster or tube every day, along with frequent water changes, it will go away. At least that worked for me. I tend to blow off the rocks daily to get rid of any sand or detritus that might accumulate. Good luck and keep after it.

[Mitchell_2004]

My One spot Rabbitfish ate mine. :)

[robotman]

Some really good advice here guys, thanks a lot!!! I am not a huge fan of cutting my lights off for 3 days either so will just keep up on the maintenance... I am not running carbon at the moment but will add a reactor with GAC if no improvement in 1-2 months.

If anyone else wants to chime in, please do :)

my two tiger sand conches destroyed most of mine, I would see them either right on top of the cyano spots munching away, or burrowing in them, I also ran phosguard, did several 15% water changes and changed the light bulbs, and my sand is as white as ever

[stephent89]

I just had to deal with this along with green hair algae. This is the way I dealt with it.

1)added a cheap bucket refugium with chaeto and ran a light on it 24/7.
2)added gfo reactor to bring phosphates down fast.
3)scooped all algae off the sand with a cup and threw it away.
4)did 40% water change
5)lights out for three days while new refugium and reactor went to work.

Result: 100% cyano removal; 90% GHA removal

Continuing good maintenance after these steps is key to keeping it gone.

[gb530]

My One spot Rabbitfish ate mine. :)

Nice! I need one of those then, haha

[gb530]

my two tiger sand conches destroyed most of mine, I would see them either right on top of the cyano spots munching away, or burrowing in them, I also ran phosguard, did several 15% water changes and changed the light bulbs, and my sand is as white as ever

I have a conche as well. He seems to eat everything though so hard to tell with mine

[gb530]

I just had to deal with this along with green hair algae. This is the way I dealt with it.

1)added a cheap bucket refugium with chaeto and ran a light on it 24/7.
2)added gfo reactor to bring phosphates down fast.
3)scooped all algae off the sand with a cup and threw it away.
4)did 40% water change
5)lights out for three days while new refugium and reactor went to work.

Result: 100% cyano removal; 90% GHA removal

Continuing good maintenance after these steps is key to keeping it gone.

Yeah, I will be doing basically all the other steps and dead last will be the lights out. I had GHA as well, plus the cyano and I replaced my reactor with fresh GFO and added an algae scrubber about a month ago. The GHA is 100% GONE but still have the cyano.... The cyano is being stubborn! :furious:

[reefgeezer]

Yeah, I will be doing basically all the other steps and dead last will be the lights out. I had GHA as well, plus the cyano and I replaced my reactor with fresh GFO and added an algae scrubber about a month ago. The GHA is 100% GONE but still have the cyano.... The cyano is being stubborn! :furious:

GHA competes for free nitrate and phosphate with the turf algae in your ATS. Cyano uses the nutrients bound in organics that are not available to the GHA in the display tank or turf algae in the ATS. FWIW, I wouldn't count on the ATS to solve the Cyano problem.

[gb530]

GHA competes for free nitrate and phosphate with the turf algae in your ATS. Cyano uses the nutrients bound in organics that are not available to the GHA in the display tank or turf algae in the ATS. FWIW, I wouldn't count on the ATS to solve the Cyano problem.

:beer: ... Will keep you guys updated on the cyano situation.

[Eric45]

It's all about nitrates and PO. Make sure you run a gfo reactor, cut back on feeding and lighting. Give it a couple of months and you won't have the problem again.

[turkeyty]

If h2o parameters are in check, sometimes increasing circulation in tank can often be the ticket... I see it a lot in poorly circulated aquariums/areas. Just my two :)

Ty

[FishN00b83]

I had a really bad outbreak about a month ago in my 125. I did a 3 days lights out with blankets covering the sides. after that I dedicated a day to removing every piece that was left in the rock work and sand. I cleaned out the fuge and did a 20% water change 3 days straight and haven't seen anything since. my cheato is now growing like crazy too.

[gb530]

Thanks for the continued advice everyone!