Is this cyano?

[howaboutme]

Just want to confirm that this is cyano. My tank is currently going through some uglies. Ironically, it kicked more into gear after adding the D120's. I just siphoned the sh*t out of it during a wc. Will do another one in a few days when I see more hints of it.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Closer up

 

[Origami]

Yep, cyanobacteria.

 

(Sent from my phone)

 

 

[howaboutme]

Thanks, Tom. That's what I thought. It's so nasty. Yuck.

[FrankieGee]

It doesn't look good for the tank.  I take it cyano is bad.  True?

[smallreef]

It's a bacteria that can overtake a tank if left to its own devices....

With increased flow and lowering of nitrates it can be dealt with, even easier with an empty tank and a cyano removal agent like red slime remover....

[howaboutme]

Yeah, it's bad. I'm going through some uglies right now. I am doing every other day 5G wc's and siphoning out as much as possible. I've also added a back up ph in that area to increase flow. Ironically, it started full force immediately after I put up the D120. I'm trying to feed less too. We'll see in a few weeks.

 

Edit. I've also cut the light schedule back too.

Edited June 7, 2013 by howaboutme

[smallreef]

If you don't have any really sensitive corals...red slime remover really helps....

[YHSublime]

It will work itself out if you take proper precautions. I think cutting your light schedule back is fine, make sure you have plenty of flow, and feeding less wont hurt anything... although I love overfeeding. Water changes are good... but I don't think you need to do 20 gallons of water changes a week (5G every other day...) That's almost 100% of your tank every week. You could save yourself some water and salt, IMO.  

 

I have had it in both tanks that I've started, and I expect it in my new 29. Don't worry too much about it. 

[howaboutme]

I've heard that tanks in the 4/5 month range will have a tendency to have some cyano. My tank is that old (or young). It's only in a contained area. I'm hoping that keeping up w/ wc's, cutting lights and feeding less for a few weeks will turn it around. I'd prefer not to add any chemicals at this time even though I don't have many corals at this point. But if this persists, I may be open to trying something else. Thank you. I will admit that the tank is hard to look at w/ this stuff...

[howaboutme]

It will work itself out if you take proper precautions. I think cutting your light schedule back is fine, make sure you have plenty of flow, and feeding less wont hurt anything... although I love overfeeding. Water changes are good... but I don't think you need to do 20 gallons of water changes a week (5G every other day...) That's almost 100% of your tank every week. You could save yourself some water and salt, IMO.  

 

I have had it in both tanks that I've started, and I expect it in my new 29. Don't worry too much about it. 

 

Yeah, I'm trying to be patient w/ this as well. It's hard though. I've been patient w/ everything else w/ my tank in terms of stocking fish, buying corals, equipment, etc and I guess I'll add this to it as well...I think I'm going to try to not add anything new to the tank until I get this under control, unless it has a purpose other than aesthetics... Thanks!

[flooddc]

Do a 24-36 hours light out! It will clear them up.

[howaboutme]

Do a 24-36 hours light out! It will clear them up.

 

Yeah. my plan now is to continue to maintain the tank, probably not as much wc as Isaac suggested. Hopefully in a couple of weeks, my tank will mature enough and it'll all go away. If not, my plan was to do lights out and see where that gets me. Thank you.

[howaboutme]

Soo...an update on my battle w/ the uglies...

 

NO3 = .2.5ppm (Salifert)

PO4 = .25ppm (API)

 

With a low NO3, I can only assume that my tank is just going through the process of maturing and I should just keep at regular maintenance and hopefully it'll all balance out in the next few weeks. Obviously the PO4 result is misleading. Not only because it's API but I'm sure my PO4 is being consumed by the cyano before it could be tested. I also have a very small hint of HA. Algae = PO4.

[Jan]

Increasing water flow to the areas where the cyano is growing along with water changes, red slime remover and keeping lights off for 3 days will get rid of it. 

[Jason Rhoads]

Do a 24-36 hours light out! It will clear them up.

 

I agree with this method. Plan it over a long weekend where you will be out of town, and not looking at the tank 

[howaboutme]

Yeah, we're going away for a few days in a couple of weeks. If the cyano is still present in any amount, I will do the lights out then. In the mean time, I'm hoping the frequent wc's (while siphoning it out), less feeding, cutting light schedule and adding flow in the area will eventually cure it w/ time. I'm not planning on adding chemicals, especially since this looks like it's pretty common in the tank maturing process.

[sachabballi reef]

Yeah, we're going away for a few days in a couple of weeks. If the cyano is still present in any amount, I will do the lights out then. In the mean time, I'm hoping the frequent wc's (while siphoning it out), less feeding, cutting light schedule and adding flow in the area will eventually cure it w/ time. I'm not planning on adding chemicals, especially since this looks like it's pretty common in the tank maturing process.

+1. I would avoid the red slime remover too...

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[L8 2 RISE]

I personally love red slime remover. It works excellently and I've never had any bad, tank changing results. I've personally used it on about 6 tanks and the only things I've noticed that dot do too well with it are euphylias. They've never died completely, but loss of a couple heads has been common for me. Often times you can fix everything that's "wrong" with the tank, but the cyano will still persist until it is eliminated. The best way to do that is with red slime remover IMO.

 

Go ahead and do what you've already mentioned, as it sounds pretty solid, but if you dont notice all of the cyano disappear, dont be afraid to dose red slime remover. As long as you've fixed the problems (and a lot of times even if you havent), the cyano wont come back.

[Incredible Corals]

I agree with this method. Plan it over a long weekend where you will be out of town, and not looking at the tank

+2

[howaboutme]

I should rephrase my comment from earlier and say, "I would like to not use chemicals". I am certainly not militant regarding the use (or not use) of chemicals but it would have to be the last resort and loss of all of my patience. I have read all of the positive reviews regarding red slime and it is super tempting. My goal is to give it some time, let the lights out (if it gets to that point) occur and see where I am at after that. But until then...some parts of the sandbed are just super, super disgusting to look at. Yuck.

 

Also, just want to thank everyone for their help/suggestions and general encouragement. It does make it better.

[YHSublime]

Let er' ride!

[rtsusc83]

I upgraded to a 60Gal rimless cube back in January and like others went through the same thing...cut down my lights, water changes, added tiger conch snails, chaeto.... and now my tank is doing well.  I still have my small sump made by NAGA that fit under my old BC29 stand and you can have it if you have yet to take the plunge in installing a sump.  LMK.

[howaboutme]

I upgraded to a 60Gal rimless cube back in January and like others went through the same thing...cut down my lights, water changes, added tiger conch snails, chaeto.... and now my tank is doing well.  I still have my small sump made by NAGA that fit under my old BC29 stand and you can have it if you have yet to take the plunge in installing a sump.  LMK.

 

Tiger conch, huh? Another thing I need to look into but thought they can get pretty big....

 

Re: Sump. Thank you for the offer. I'm going to pass on it because I eventually want to upgrade tanks so my use of that sump may only be temporary. Regardless of when the upgrade will be, I think I'm done doing major tinkering w/ my current tank. From now forward it's just adding 1 or 2 more fish, more inverts, an anemone and of course corals. I'm going to use it to learn, observe, maybe experiment w/ different husbandry techniques and most of all, keep things alive. I appreciate it though! It's really gratifying getting beneficial and unsolicited offers from WAMAS members... So awesome.

[rtsusc83]

No problem.   As others have helped me in this forum.  Always glad to pay forward!

[howaboutme]

Quick update at about 3 weeks after signs of cyano.

 

I'M WINNING!

 

No chemicals, just:

 

1) feeding less

2) cut light schedule by 90 minutes

3) added flow to the affected area (though not sure if this actually did anything specifically other than blow the cyano to other parts of the tank)

4) 5g water change every 2nd day (to begin with), now 3rd day with heaving siphoning of the sandbed, brushing off the rocks, blowing off detritus on the rocks and siphoning them out.

 

And skimmer has been pulling out a lot of stuff during the outbreak. For an HOB, I'm very impressed.

 

I still have a short ways to go but it looks good so far. Will update again. Phew!