Controlling Cyano

[Alyssa214]

Hey Everyone!

I have a 200 gallon system (8'L x 2'W x 3'H)

Specimens:
11.0.0 Juvenile A. percula
13.0.0 S. nematopera
20.0.0 E. quadricolor.

LSS:
Protein Skimmer
Biotower-contains filter floss adn Polyfilter pads to remove phosphates
Single BRS GFO Reactor
4 powerheads throughout exhibit
4 Kessil 360W Tuna Blue


I change the GFO media every 4 weeks, sometimes every 3,
comlplete a 25%-30% change weekly, feed out once daily.

Ill wipe the entire tank walls down every morning but the cyano comes back within an hour and covers all the sand and walls again.

Need help!

Thanks In advance!

[Sugar Magnolia]

Are you using RODI water?

[mcgyvr]

Parameters?
Age of tank?
and more..

But good luck... For the most part very little true/solid information is known about cyano... Tons of assumptions around here though.. None are really proven/guaranteed,etc...

All we really seem to know is siphoning it out and doing lights out for 3 days seems to help many.. Repeat that every other week or so till it goes away..
There are also chemical treatments (Chemiclean/red slime remover) that seem to help many but have been reported to cause problems for others

[Uncle99]

It seemed to materialize more in the first year, now, I have not seen for a year now.
Fingers crossed, maybe a stability thing,

[Alyssa214]

Yes I am using RO DI water with Reef Crystals Mix
The parameters are usually around

1.026 SG
8.10 pH
NH3 0
NO2 0
NO3 2.3
PO4 .06

i set up the tank last memorial day--so about a year and a half now.
But I just saw the ycyano start to increase like crazy within the past few months.

Temperature on the tank is always consistent at 78-79.

[reefgeezer]

Maybe it's not Cyano. What color is it? Does it have air bubbles in it? Does it wipe off the glass like a dust, or in clumps or sheets? Does it grow on the glass in a thin even coat, a mat, or a slimy goo?

[Alyssa214]

Its a red slime that forms over all the bare liverock. It covers the substrate but comes off in sheets when i siphon it out. it never attaches to the glass or walls.

[FoxyFace]

What are you type of food are you feeding?

Have you tried turning the lights off for about 3 days?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nycman]

I had it real bad earlier this year and eradicated it completely. In order of importance...

1) make sure you RO/DI water is exactly 0 ppm.
2) siphon it off the substrate and rocks.
3) lights above 14000K, >20,000K better for the short run.
4) water changes and GFO until P03 and N03 are exactly 0 ppm.

[kevin j.]

I had cyno that was just a pain! I was using rodi water and my levels were good. It was really racking my brain. Long story short is I did not have enough flow in the tank. I changed nothing else but added more flow and it went away rather quickly. I don't know if this will help its just my experience.

[JTL]

Some have had success with H2O2 at 1ml per 10 gallons of net water. Does 2x per day. I have been doing it seems to be helping. Supposedly it will take at least a couple of weeks. Nothing seems to be harmed by it. There is a 40 page thread on another site that goes into the testing and why it works.

[Silly clownfish]

More flow did it for me too. My corals had grown to the point that my original flow pattern was badly disrupted. I swapped out one of my Tunze powerheads for an Icecap gyre 3k and the cyano vanished in a few days. Unfortunately I think that the increased flow also ultimately led to the demise of my maxima clam...

[Alyssa214]

I can not turn off the lights as it is a public exhibit. I added more powerheads to the exhibit a few weeks ago...maybe I just need a bit more.
Hopefully with removing the 2 lights (now just 2 kessil 360W Tuna blues) it will control it better. Just want to make sure my anemones don't suffer

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Alyssa214

I can not turn off the lights as it is a public exhibit.

Sure you can... Simply turn off the lights and slap up a sign if you want..
"Exhibit temporarily closed"

For the long term enjoyment of an exhibit a 3 day closure is surely an acceptable option.. Just a choice you need to make.. A rather easy one at that..


There is always chemiclean or red slime remover..Those Erythromycin like products are usually quite effective.. There are some reports of problems with corals post use but there are far more who have not had issues..

[reefgeezer]

Here's my 2 cents...

IMO, Cyano is generally caused by excessive dissolved organics in the water column or a locally heavy decomposition event that is raising the dissolved organic load in a small area like a rock or area of sand. Unlike algae, the Cyano is capable of using these compounds directly.

If it's a local event, flow could resolve the issue. If it's generally high dissolved organics, increasing flow won't help. Lights out may not help either other than slowing down growth.

I have had success over the years by doing the following. The goal of the process is to decrease dissolved organics and starve out the bacteria.

1) Remove or change very often any filtration that traps mass organic waste in the water column. Your "Biotower" may deserve a look.
2) If possible, do a big water change (30-50%) and change more to manually vacuum out the Cyano mat as often as possible.
3) Add a lot of quality GAC and change it often.
4) Skim very wet.

H202 could address the dissolved organic issue, but I am not confident it won't harm desired life forms also. In the long term, adding life that also uses dissolved/particulate organics can help the cause. Toad Stools, Leather Corals, sponges, & etc. do a great job.

I was unaware that Polyfilter pads removed phosphate. Good to know.

[lee 43]

I have algea too but am determined to rid it.mine i believe is a type of cyno like a short fur on the rock and sand horrible stuff..i’ve attacked it hard this time scrubbed 90kg of rock sypioned off the sand ramped the radions down cleaned the pumps and bandaged my fingers n yet within a few hours boom there it is lightly forming over the sand surface..algea has taken me to some dark places being beaten by a lower life form is just not me

[nycman]

Originally Posted by reefgeezer

Here's my 2 cents...

IMO, Cyano is generally caused by excessive dissolved organics in the water column or a locally heavy decomposition event that is raising the dissolved organic load in a small area like a rock or area of sand. Unlike algae, the Cyano is capable of using these compounds directly.

If it's a local event, flow could resolve the issue. If it's generally high dissolved organics, increasing flow won't help. Lights out may not help either other than slowing down growth.

I have had success over the years by doing the following. The goal of the process is to decrease dissolved organics and starve out the bacteria.

1) Remove or change very often any filtration that traps mass organic waste in the water column. Your "Biotower" may deserve a look.
2) If possible, do a big water change (30-50%) and change more to manually vacuum out the Cyano mat as often as possible.
3) Add a lot of quality GAC and change it often.
4) Skim very wet.

H202 could address the dissolved organic issue, but I am not confident it won't harm desired life forms also. In the long term, adding life that also uses dissolved/particulate organics can help the cause. Toad Stools, Leather Corals, sponges, & etc. do a great job.

I was unaware that Polyfilter pads removed phosphate. Good to know.

+1 and make sure RO/DI water for water changes and ATO is 0 ppm lighting above 14K

[rvareef]

post some pics of the tank!

[JTL]

I have had this tank up for over a year and it only recently showed signs of cyano and only after using Vibrant. I don't over feed, my PO4 and NO3 are on the low end, I do weekly 10% water changes and clean the dt weekly including blowing and brushing the rock. My lighting is heavily blue, I dose H2O2 with no appartent damage to anything. My ro water is zero. The cyano just hangs on.

[BruceWayne]

Water Change, TRIPLE CHECK RODI

[JTL]

Originally Posted by BruceWayne

Water Change, TRIPLE CHECK RODI

If only it was that simple. There are many variables, and sometimes it just has to run its course. I know of people that have had it for months and then one day, not changing anything, it went away. I my situation I just plan on keeping it in check because it really isn't too bad, just frustrating to clean the corals and sand only to see traces of it the next day. Then I remind my self that is is very prevalent in the ocean.

[BruceWayne]

Also have you tried any sort of chemical?

[JTL]

Originally Posted by BruceWayne

Also have you tried any sort of chemical?

Only H2O2 and this as far as I am going to go. The thing that caused this was Vibrant.

[RioReefr]

Originally Posted by reefgeezer

Here's my 2 cents...
IMO, Cyano is generally caused by excessive dissolved organics in the water column .....

In my experience, it is this statement above.

After switching over to using 200-micron filter sock, then a 50-micron pad, then Purigen in my filter system I have not any signs of Cyano. I also use a very small amount of GAC which I change out every week. I use only RODI water and it looks crystal clear.

[nycman]

Originally Posted by RioReefr

In my experience, it is this statement above.

After switching over to using 200-micron filter sock, then a 50-micron pad, then Purigen in my filter system I have not any signs of Cyano. I also use a very small amount of GAC which I change out every week. I use only RODI water and it looks crystal clear.

+1. I also started using 50, 100 and 200 micron pads during the time frame that my cyano completely disappeared. They pull a lot of gunk out of the water column. Wet skimming, 0 PPM RO/DI water for changes and ATO, lighting above 14K, and siphoning it off the substrate
worked for me.