Cyano bacteria and have a smell while doing a 3 day black out.

da5speed · 08/10/2018, 08:13 PM

Recently had about out break of Cyano bacteria. I’m on day two of a black out and starting 24 hours after my lights were off started getting a very fishy low tide smell in the room. Is this normal because the bacteria is dying off? I am on day two of a black out and starting 24 hours after my lights were off started getting a very fishy low tide smell in the room. Is this normal because the bacteria is dying off? I checked all corals and don’t see any tissue loss and all my fish are accounted for. I checked all corals and don’t see any tissue loss and all my fish are accounted for.

RussC · 08/11/2018, 09:10 AM

Why do you think you had the cyano outbreak to begin with? How old is the tank?

da5speed · 08/12/2018, 06:19 AM

Tank is only 6 months old. Updated the lights in the last month. Have a extra small hippo a clown and 2 fire fish and my ocean up crew. I recently re directed my power heads that were blowing the sand around a little. Sand had already started with the cyrano.

da5speed · 08/12/2018, 06:24 AM

Recap:
Day 1 black out. The smell began in the evening fairly strong
Day 2 smell increased. I did notice that the cap on my skimmer was not tight. But the smell was strong above my display tank
Day 3 very little if any smell.
Day 4 I’ll be turning my lights back on

Not sure if it was the Cyano dying off that cause the smell or if it was a sliggtly loss skimmer cap.

RussC · 08/12/2018, 04:00 PM

I think you are likely correct that what you smell is dying organisms. Likely the bacteria. When I had an outbreak of Cyano about 2 months ago I tried every trick in the book to eliminate it. Rarely did I make any progress. Ended up going with ChemiClean as a last resort. That was a fantastic decision. 72 hours later it was gone. So I had fantastic substrate, white and looked good. Bumped up my lighting intensity just 3 percent in the last two months and I'm now dealing with a brown diatoms outbreak. Those diatoms saw that blank canvas and took over. Funny how that works. Out of the fying pan and into the fire. That's a long way of saying, your new lights will be brighter and likely played a big part of the initial increase in cyno. If you are adding other supplements, with out as those can be hidden sources of food for algae. But what you are dealing with is very common for a young tank. So don't panic. Keep trying things like watching the food sources for such bacteria. I concluded I did not have enough circulation in my tank which caused fertilizer Eds of detritus to fuel the spread of this cyano. remember, I'm a year in. So expect this type thing to happen on young tanks. Take it slow and don't panic.

RussC · 08/12/2018, 04:01 PM

PS Carbon goes a long way in helping reduce tank smell.

nycman · 08/14/2018, 09:51 PM

Cut the lighting period. All lighting above 14K, ideally above 20K, siphon it off the sand, skimmate liquid, get nitrates and phosphates to 0ppm, and use 50 to 100 micron filter pad/socks.

08/10/2018, 08:13 PM	#1
da5speed Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Huntington NY Posts: 123	Cyano bacteria and have a smell while doing a 3 day black out. Recently had about out break of Cyano bacteria. I’m on day two of a black out and starting 24 hours after my lights were off started getting a very fishy low tide smell in the room. Is this normal because the bacteria is dying off? I am on day two of a black out and starting 24 hours after my lights were off started getting a very fishy low tide smell in the room. Is this normal because the bacteria is dying off? I checked all corals and don’t see any tissue loss and all my fish are accounted for. I checked all corals and don’t see any tissue loss and all my fish are accounted for.

08/11/2018, 09:10 AM	#2
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	Why do you think you had the cyano outbreak to begin with? How old is the tank? __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17

08/12/2018, 04:00 PM	#5
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	I think you are likely correct that what you smell is dying organisms. Likely the bacteria. When I had an outbreak of Cyano about 2 months ago I tried every trick in the book to eliminate it. Rarely did I make any progress. Ended up going with ChemiClean as a last resort. That was a fantastic decision. 72 hours later it was gone. So I had fantastic substrate, white and looked good. Bumped up my lighting intensity just 3 percent in the last two months and I'm now dealing with a brown diatoms outbreak. Those diatoms saw that blank canvas and took over. Funny how that works. Out of the fying pan and into the fire. That's a long way of saying, your new lights will be brighter and likely played a big part of the initial increase in cyno. If you are adding other supplements, with out as those can be hidden sources of food for algae. But what you are dealing with is very common for a young tank. So don't panic. Keep trying things like watching the food sources for such bacteria. I concluded I did not have enough circulation in my tank which caused fertilizer Eds of detritus to fuel the spread of this cyano. remember, I'm a year in. So expect this type thing to happen on young tanks. Take it slow and don't panic. __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17

08/12/2018, 04:01 PM	#6
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	PS Carbon goes a long way in helping reduce tank smell. __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17

08/14/2018, 09:51 PM	#7
nycman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: New York City Posts: 199	Cut the lighting period. All lighting above 14K, ideally above 20K, siphon it off the sand, skimmate liquid, get nitrates and phosphates to 0ppm, and use 50 to 100 micron filter pad/socks. __________________ 72x26x24 Miracles rimless with ReefSavvy ghost overflow 4xMitras LX7206 / Lifereef sump, skimmer and fuge 302 Aquatics algae scrubber / JBJ 1/3 HP Chiller Aqua UV 28W

08/12/2018, 06:19 AM	#3
da5speed Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Huntington NY Posts: 123	Tank is only 6 months old. Updated the lights in the last month. Have a extra small hippo a clown and 2 fire fish and my ocean up crew. I recently re directed my power heads that were blowing the sand around a little. Sand had already started with the cyrano.

08/12/2018, 06:24 AM	#4
da5speed Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Huntington NY Posts: 123	Recap: Day 1 black out. The smell began in the evening fairly strong Day 2 smell increased. I did notice that the cap on my skimmer was not tight. But the smell was strong above my display tank Day 3 very little if any smell. Day 4 I’ll be turning my lights back on Not sure if it was the Cyano dying off that cause the smell or if it was a sliggtly loss skimmer cap.