Metals, cyano + cyano type Q's

[AaronM]

Hey, I have a few questions. No problemns with my tank atm, no3 and po4 = undectable, and vinegar dosing is working well...cheerz...so onto potential probs + curious.

I come home covered in these compounds: Fe2O3, ZnO, MnO. I wash before i put my hands in the tank, but realistically i think i have more of these metal oxides in my tank than others. based on no real understanding, i'm thinking the first one isn't a big deal...maybe its just like GFO. The other 2...I haven't noticed anything...wondering.

Does cyano recquire anything else from the tank other than C, no3 and po4 to thrive, like how algae benefits from iron, and how plants thrive on more than just N, P, K? Or is it quite basic and just needs a few kinds of lego?

95% of the cyano i see here is lite red and whispy. Mine is deep red and similar to corraline in form, like a slime layer. Its splippery to touch. I was wondering what might account for this difference?

Thanks heaps.

[bertoni]

Cyanobacteria requires carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus from the water column. The carbon can be dissolved carbon dioxide, since cyanobacteria can perform photosynthesis. Some cyanobacteria can consume dissolved nitrogen gas, but most can't. There are other nutrients that are required, but only in small amounts. There are many species, and growth rates, etc, so the form is highly variable. I wouldn't worry about that part of the equation.

[AaronM]

Yeah i thought there were many types of cyano. I wanted to know the reasons for the dif. forms, but just interested. Different growth rates: I think this type has a relatively slow growth rate.

I guess as you said nothing about the manganese and zinc...theres no red flags. Just a small worry because I work around ferrite cores and come home dirty... No red flags is good.

Thanks Bertoni.

[HighlandReefer]

There are many species of cyanobacteria in the ocean. Identifying the cyano takes specialized equipment. Cyano will produce different types of toxins depending on the species & some toxins are much more toxic then others. The species of cyano like bacteria have developed over the Milena to adapt to their environments. There are species of cyano that live in water without oxygen as well as with oxygen. There are species that have adapted to live in very low light areas as well as high light areas. The same applies to high and low pH areas that they develop. The bottom line is the genetics of the cyano which is what allows them to survive in different environments. Many species of cyano can alter the interior food processing centers to allow them to adapt from one environment to another. The ability that cyano have to adapt to different lighting, oxygen levels, pH levels, CO2 levels & heavy metal levels is what makes the cyano so difficult to control.

[AaronM]

Yeah i know it can survive in extreme conditions, the edges of existence even, hence why its a good candidate for ET life. Up a few levels from the bottom line is what i was interested in. There must be considerable structural differences, continued from genetic differences, which cause such varied colony patterns, e.g whispy vs slime layer. Do you know of any trends or general rules that run along with these differences? E.g, Cyano of this structure forms these types of colonies and usually has this growth rate/ability to spread in a tank?

Know of any 'in generals' re. slime layer type?

Maybe there are so many types its hard to generalise.

Also, higher than average levels of nickle, zinc and manganese ina tank might cause.....?
Are these considered heavy metals? Somewhat fuel algae and cyano? If thats the extent of the impact on my tank...then that doesn't worry me. I'd be worried if buildup becomes toxic to inhabitants. Better keep washing my hands and arms...shouldn't be lazy with that.

Thanks for your time!

[HighlandReefer]

There a so many types of cyano that it is hard to categorize their growth types. The red slime cyano seems to be the most common type of cyano seen in reef tanks, but can be different species.

Cyano are commonly found intermixed with bacteria, algae, dinoflagellates and diatoms in biomasses & bacterial mats. Every sample of algae I have pulled from my tank contains cyano as well.

Commonly the small top layer of sand beds contain a lot of cyano vs bacteria and algae due to their toxins produced and better adaption in this situation. This is why you commonly see cyano problems first develop on the sand bed surface. If algae cover the cyano on rock and sand, the cyano has the ability to switch their methods of obtaining nutrients which is a phase that does not grow as fast and can't be commonly seen. Once the algae is removed, then the cyano can switch back and start growing faster to where you see it & problems start. Unlike algae (for the most part), cyano can derive their P needs from dissolved organic P. Algae need the phosphate.

These articles may be of interest:

Influence of phosphorus on morphology of Calothrix parietina (Cyanophyta) in culture
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/con...ent=a771033747

Hydrogen Peroxide Inhibits Photosynthetic Electron Transport in Cells of Cyanobacteria
http://www.springerlink.com/content/k8857r1501213202/

Combined exposure to hydrogen peroxide and light : Selective effects on cyanobacteria, green algae, and diatoms
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18420025

Blue green algae in aquariums (Cyanobacteria)
http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com...aquariums.html

Nitrogen Control in Cyanobacteria
http://jb.asm.org/cgi/content/full/183/2/411

Excess carbon in aquatic organisms and ecosystems: Physiological, ecological, and
evolutionary implications
Dag O. Hessen1
University of Oslo, Department of Biology, CEES, P.O. Box 1066 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
http://www.aslo.org/lo/toc/vol_53/issue_4/1685.pdf

Chemical defense of a marine cyanobacterial bloom
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=2324962

Comparative studies of the toxicity of heavy metals to phytoplankton and their synergistic interactions
http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/...sti_id=5414867

(Effects of copper on coral/algae)
Zooxanthellae loss as a bioassay for assessing
stress in corals
http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/149/m149p163.pdf

[AaronM]

Fantastic! Thanks heaps for the links. I'll look at those tonight.

[HighlandReefer]

YOur welcome.