Cyanobacteria

[civitan.erichanson]

Question: I have my fuge up and running and I am starting to see a fall in my nitrates

 

My sand is 25% covered with Cyano. Should I expect this stuff to evaporate as it becomes nutrient starved, or should I pull out what is already there? My corals look much happier in just four days. One clam is open wider than ever.

 

Thanks,

 

Eric.

[jason the filter freak]

Question: I have my fuge up and running and I am starting to see a fall in my nitrates

 

My sand is 25% covered with Cyano. Should I expect this stuff to evaporate as it becomes nutrient starved, or should I pull out what is already there? My corals look much happier in just four days. One clam is open wider than ever.

 

Thanks,

 

Eric.

 

Do both, as in yes it will be starved but you should also remove it manually to speed up process. If it persists it's likely a flow issue

Edited October 13, 2008 by jason the filter freak

[amos]

Eric,

 

You should see quicker results if you siphon off the cyano and let the algae in your fuge absorb the nutrients.

 

Jon

[Smoothtriqueter]

sorry to jump in on your thread.......I have a little cyano and I got my fuge up and running and quickly saw nitrates go from an ugly 40-50ppm to now <10ppm. I still have some cyano in my tank. I have been doing weekly water changes and taking out as much as I can and its back before weeks end again. Any recommendations?

[jason the filter freak]

sorry to jump in on your thread.......I have a little cyano and I got my fuge up and running and quickly saw nitrates go from an ugly 40-50ppm to now <10ppm. I still have some cyano in my tank. I have been doing weekly water changes and taking out as much as I can and its back before weeks end again. Any recommendations?

 

FLOW lots of it

[lanman]

Sometimes I don't think it matters what you do - until your nitrates and phosphates are perfect, you will get patches of cyano. I even have it in my 240 - with THREE Vortech's churning the water like a boat motor. I have always had a bit of it here and there in my 58. I have none at all in my 33. This hobby is a crap shoot.

 

bob

[civitan.erichanson]

That sums it up!! I have 4 Koralias, plus my return, plus the flow from the fuge. Unless I blast the sand into a storm I am I am not sure if I could get more flow.

 

Do Koralia's need to be cleaned??

 

Thanks,

 

Eric.

 

Sometimes I don't think it matters what you do - until your nitrates and phosphates are perfect, you will get patches of cyano. I even have it in my 240 - with THREE Vortech's churning the water like a boat motor. I have always had a bit of it here and there in my 58. I have none at all in my 33. This hobby is a crap shoot.

 

bob

[jason the filter freak]

Nah i'm just saying it's often flow related, but in your case it's probably not unless your flow placement is bad

[Origami]

The other thing about cyanobacteria is that it can survive via several mechanisms, including chemical mechanisms using nitrates and phosphates, as well as photosynthetic. It's a primitive organism that is often outcompeted by higher life forms, including other bacteria and green algae. Good flow often just keeps the slimy byproduct at bay. If you've got your nitrates and phosphate sources under control (through biological filtration or what have you), it could be your lighting. As some lighting gets older, the output spectrum can shift, resulting in less spectrum useful to your higher order photosynthetic life forms, and more available to the cyano. At least, that's what I've read....

[reefmontalvo]

The other thing about cyanobacteria is that it can survive via several mechanisms, including chemical mechanisms using nitrates and phosphates, as well as photosynthetic. It's a primitive organism that is often outcompeted by higher life forms, including other bacteria and green algae. Good flow often just keeps the slimy byproduct at bay. If you've got your nitrates and phosphate sources under control (through biological filtration or what have you), it could be your lighting. As some lighting gets older, the output spectrum can shift, resulting in less spectrum useful to your higher order photosynthetic life forms, and more available to the cyano. At least, that's what I've read....

 

Well placed Tom. I had the same problem some time back. I did everything increase flow re-check flow to make sure all water is moving. I placed a nice conch in the tank. I changed the bulbs although the canopy was new the bulbs I was suspect about. I then did a last ditch effort and wrapped the tank up with towels as to not let light in the tank and turned off the lights placed towels on top of the tank to prevent an possible light entrance I keep the tank light free for 3days. When I pulled the towels away on the 3rd night the cyano was completely gone, and everything in the tank corals and such were just fine. I do not recommend doing this for more than 3 days. Since most of your inhabitants do need light and food.

[civitan.erichanson]

That will be my last resort. My lights on on for about 9 hours now. If I go lower my montipora retreats badly.

 

Thanks for the advice all - I will do a phosphate check and keep checking nitrates and pull out what appears. The fuge is just starting to kick in - so hopefully that will fix it.

 

Well placed Tom. I had the same problem some time back.I then did a last ditch effort and wrapped the tank up with towels as to not let light in the tank and turned off the lights placed towels on top of the tank to prevent an possible light entrance I keep the tank light free for 3days. When I pulled the towels away on the 3rd night the cyano was completely gone, and everything in the tank corals and such were just fine. I do not recommend doing this for more than 3 days. Since most of your inhabitants do need light and food.

[Highland Reefer]

Do you have macroaglae in your fuge with lights?

[lancer99]

I am curious...the only tank where I've ever had a problem with cyano (which went away after about three months) was my 75G that I set up with almost all base rock, a few pieces of LR, and DSB. All my other tanks, DSB + only LR, SSB + only LR, or DSB only have never had cyano problems. Does that correlate with y'alls experiences, or did I just get lucky?

 

Thx,

-R

[civitan.erichanson]

Yes, deep mud bed, chaeto put in on Thursday and grape caluerpa on Tuesday. The light is a bit kiltered but still shinning. I have it on for 13 hours. Added pods on Friday.

 

Do you have macroaglae in your fuge with lights?

 

 

Interesting... my tank is almost 6 months old, I bought it all from someone else. I have a DSB and I think all live rock with rubble in the sump. I wonder what others have...

 

I am curious...the only tank where I've ever had a problem with cyano (which went away after about three months) was my 75G that I set up with almost all base rock, a few pieces of LR, and DSB. All my other tanks, DSB + only LR, SSB + only LR, or DSB only have never had cyano problems. Does that correlate with y'alls experiences, or did I just get lucky?

 

Thx,

-R

[treesprite]

Out of frustration I decided last week to try to pinpoint the problem more accurately by careful observation following the use of a chemical to temporarily get rid of the stuff. I did this knowing in advance that the cyano will come back, as that is the basis for using it as a diagnostic tool. It's not growing in every part of the tank, so I know there is more than just water issues.

 

Sometimes re-arranging liverock helps. Sometimes re-ditributing light helps if you know it's not already even. Sometimes ambient light such as bright room lights after tank lights are off, and bright window light can be a bit of a problem. Sometimes location of fuge with reverse light cycle can be a problem if it's putting light in the tank after tank lights are out.

Edited October 14, 2008 by treesprite

[reefmontalvo]

Yeah I noticed the problem appear after about four six months with the 75g. I think you got lucky "lancer99" I have a 1inch sand bed or about 75 lbs of sand for a 75g tank. I also have mostly figi base rock that is slowly turning into live rock. I used the old live rock peices I had from the last tank. Maybe that was a factor not a strong bio filtration for the load. I also added a nice conch it is a nice creature to have sifting in the sand at night eating what is left ove of the day and then the nassarius snails do the same just not at the same rate. I also have a few Margaritas and a couple of peppermint shrimp as last minute polishing crews.