Cyano bacteria

[90galguy]

My system is going on its 5th month and I've had a cyano bacteria bloom over some of the LR on and off. Is this part if its maturation process or something else? My phosphates are at 0 and I run Carbon and GFO. Nothing else seems to be out of wack as I continue to do my WCs on a regular schedule. Any thoughts? I also use Ro/DI water for EVERYTHING in my system.

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[90galguy]

126 reef;752962 wrote: http://www.petstore.com/Boyd_Chemiclean_Red_Slime_Cyano_Bacteria_Remover_Aquarium_Medications_Treatments-Boyd_Enterprises_%28Chemi_Pure%29-BE1115-AQSWME-vi.html">http://www.petstore.com/Boyd_Chemiclean_Red_Slime_Cyano_Bacteria_Remover_Aquarium_Medications_Treatments-Boyd_Enterprises_(Chemi_Pure)-BE1115-AQSWME-vi.html</a>

I have always used this stuff and had great results with it.[/QUOTE] I'll read up on it. Any thoughts on the cause?

 

[liverock27]

I would like to hear what others have to say.

I am fighting Cyano myself, but only on the sand. I had a nitrate spike, but even now that I have it back to 0 I can't get rid of it.
I am going to try a combination of Coral Snow and MB7 which I have read will help get rid of cyano and also help with coral growth and color.

 

[90galguy]

LiveRock27;752964 wrote: I would like to hear what others have to say.

I am fighting Cyano myself, but only on the sand. I had a nitrate spike, but even now that I have it back to 0 I can't get rid of it.
I am going to try a combination of Coral Snow and MB7 which I have read will help get rid of cyano and also help with coral growth and color.

My CUC and my Goby seem to take care of the base, but the CUC is slow pickins on the rock. I also recently added a FoxFace Lo to my DT and had started picking away, but then I feed him some Brown Seaweed and he's apparently spoiled! I cut back hoping he'll head back to the Cyano. :fish:

 

[drydock]

I had an issue where it seemed that once it had a foothold it was tough to gain ground. Remember that nitrate and phosphates may be low because of the cyano. Not showing in water because they are using it to grow. I ran my tank dark for 3 days straight to starve the cyano of light. Cyano almost completely disappeared and I was able to get good nitrate readings - which were a bit high. I'm now getting the nitrates addressed and cyano is 1/10 th of what it was.

 

[90galguy]

126 reef;752973 wrote: A good practice is also to siphon it off the rocks it will
Come off in large clumps

I started doing that during one of my last WCs. I have a small 1/2" siphon I made and it seems to yank it off pretty good.

 

[Jaycen B.]

Looks kinda like dark red coraline to me. Sure its cyano?

Edit: Well if it is coming off then nevermind.

 

[liverock27]

126 reef;752982 wrote: I would siphon as much as possible since that is the best way to remove the nutrients locked up in the cyano it's self. I would use smaller than 1/2. You probably don't need that much suction, atleast not in my experience, if you use a smaller piece of tubbing you will get more cyano with less water being removed.

Great recommendation.

 

[ibleedblue65]

I fought it during the maturation of my last tank. For a while I tried a bunch of different things trying to find the source and eradicate it that way with no luck. it got bad. I finally broke down and declared war. I broke it up with a tooth brush and used chemiclean. I followed the initial assault with daily attacks with atooth brush and routine wc's. After a month it was gone. It pops up in my current system occasionally but I just break it up and keep up with wc. I've kept it from getting out of control and it really hasn't been a problem.

 

[ibleedblue65]

126 reef;752988 wrote: Make sure if you use a tooth brush you also siphon while you brush. Otherwise you are just going to have a never ending cycle since tooth brushing is not actually removing any nutrients from the system

These are not the results I had. I found that breaking it up regardless of full removal was effective. Of course water changes were still involved.

 

[jennm]

I think it's got something to do with the time of year. Every spring we see a ton of people with it, and we've had a bit of it in a few of our own tanks here too.

I'm not a fan of ChemiClean - if you don't do the water change as prescribed, you could suffer dire consequences.

As a "last resort" we use/recommend Ultralife Red Slime remover. Much safer, in my experience, but just as effective.

Jenn

 

[dakota9]

I think Cyno is a cycle new tanks go through....... The Diatom Phase, 'The Green Phase' and I Believe the Cyno Phase......... Every new set up I've had in the past several years has gone through it, but successfully rid your tank of it once, and it's pretty much gone for good.....

Completely IMHO.......

 

[dine]

keep this in mind too guys... almost everyone said "i have 0 phates/trates" but that is becuase algae or bacteria in this case is consuming them. if you have algae or cyna you have nitrates or phosphate. this stuff has to eat something, its not living on hopes and dreams i promise. as far as there being a cyno phase i can say ive gone through it, and if your tank is healthy it will pop up, consume what is there, and die off on its own. if it persists you are feeding it, end of story. find out what that food source is and eliminate it. for cyno...

-over feeding
-lack of flow or dead spots for diatoms to rest
-not using 0tds water
-silicate of some kind

 

[dakota9]

Dine;753029 wrote: keep this in mind too guys... almost everyone said "i have 0 phates/trates" but that is becuase algae or bacteria in this case is consuming them. if you have algae or cyna you have nitrates or phosphate. this stuff has to eat something, its not living on hopes and dreams i promise. as far as there being a cyno phase i can say ive gone through it, and if your tank is healthy it will pop up, consume what is there, and die off on its own. if it persists you are feeding it, end of story. find out what that food source is and eliminate it. for cyno...

-over feeding
-lack of flow or dead spots for diatoms to rest
-not using 0tds water
-silicate of some kind

I'm on board with everything above except for the low flow dead spot concept. I think it just collects in the comparatively lower flow areas because that's where it can collect. During bad outbreaks, I've seen this stuff in turbulent areas.....

 

[dine]

Dakota9;753039 wrote: I'm on board with everything above except for the low flow dead spot concept. I think it just collects in the comparatively lower flow areas because that's where it can collect. During bad outbreaks, I've seen this stuff in turbulent areas.....

but it always STARTS in the dead spots. eliminate those and personally i believe thats half the battle won. it HAS to feed off something and its not feeding off the water column. it just stands to reason that if you keep stuff off the ground as best you can that it cant get a footing.

 

[grouper therapy]

It can also feed off of hydrogen sulfide as well which is usually in areas where there is slow flow. I think it is just your tank finding an equilibrium.

 

[stickx911]

Dakota9;753039 wrote: I'm on board with everything above except for the low flow dead spot concept. I think it just collects in the comparatively lower flow areas because that's where it can collect. During bad outbreaks, I've seen this stuff in turbulent areas.....

agreed. I just set up a tank and added way more flow as I remember that being a solution. It died back...but soon came back in full force. I'm pretty sure I'm ready to kill the lights.

 

[spiderman097]

What is your current water change schedule? Increase the percentage

 

[90galguy]

Are there any side affects to either of the following: killing the lights for a couple days or a red slime remover. I just completed my WC and siphoned off about 30% of my Cyano growth, but was complicating my next attack. Or is this just part of my maturation and I should just let it work itself out?

 

[ibleedblue65]

I would continue with manual removal. Only use chemicals as a last resort. Just keep breaking it up and removing it and keep your feeding in check. I do believe this is part of maturation but that does not mean you shouldn't be proactive in trying to remove it.