Darn Cyano.... How to get rid???

[derek_s]

Feels like a newb question, but I'm not sure what I should do next..

I have a huge skimmer (msx 300 on ~200 system), fuge, lots of flow, and do waterchanges of 10% weekly. I still have cyano, probably due to overfeeding my anthias.

Is the next step to reduce feeding, or is ther something else I should try first (i.e. 2-3 days no light, etc)?

 

[derek_s]

Oh, nitrates and phos read 0 on my APIs, but obviously they have sucky resolution.

 

[FutureInterest]

You hit the head on the nail... your import is still greater than your export at this time. Cut your feeding down by 25% - 50% or as much as you're comfy doing. I'm sure your anthias are getting plenty of eats.

 

[drnecropolis]

If nitrates are being consumed by algae or anything else they will read 0 as well.. I did about a 4 day blackout.. Was a last ditch effort. Worked for me, pissed all the coral off pretty bad. Didn't lose anything though

 

[rickey]

Chris,
Borrow someone elses TDS meter to verify yours is calibrated correctly. Mine was saying my RODI was fine when it really wasn't. I borrowed another one, foudn out the truth, bought a new one, changed filters, and walla, cyano disappeared in a month of no water changes and only adding top off. Now I was using GFO the whole time so I am sure that helped.

 

[glxtrix]

Siphon it out right before your lights go out...it's at it's peak then. You could try the no light deal...I'd do 2 days first...sometimes 3 can be a little too long for some corals...then again most do perfectly fine.

 

[derek_s]

Today I just did one feeding as opposed to my usual 3+, so mybe I will start a trend. Hopefully once my fuge gets more algeaous i can increase it a little again.

Jin, how soon will I see results by reducing feedings? Is it pretty rapid?

 

[derek_s]

Rickey, good point, but I just went through that same ordeal a couple months ago. Membrane was bad. I just changed my 2 sediments and 2 carbons earlier this week, so that hopefully is good.

 

[derek_s]

You know, when you do the 2-3 days of darkness, does the cyano not just rebound unless adjustments in nutrients are made? Or does the darkness severely f it up for a while?

 

[ralph atl]

either import less or export more or both. Also, cyno grows better in lower flow areas, so adjust flow accordingly. GFO might be an option.

 

[ralph atl]

it'll rebound

 

[drnecropolis]

After I did it.. Once again as a last effort(tried everything else first) it went away completely. Never had the problem after that. It came down to try the dark thing or chemicals.. Went with the dark out

 

[derek_s]

Oh yeh, I run GFO as well... about 10 Tbs every 2 weeks.

 

[FutureInterest]

corvettecris;240455 wrote: Today I just did one feeding as opposed to my usual 3+, so mybe I will start a trend. Hopefully once my fuge gets more algeaous i can increase it a little again.

Jin, how soon will I see results by reducing feedings? Is it pretty rapid?

You'll see results from 1-3 weeks depending on how much you cut down. Going from 3+ to 1 feeding per day is kinda tough on the anthias. You may want to step it down slowly or decrease the amount of each feeding instead of the frequency.

I've seen good results with blacking out as well, but it'll come back if the nutrients are there for it. If you've fixed the nutrient thing its a nice coup de grace to get it out of your tank faster.

 

[derek_s]

I'll try that, then.

 

[todd03blown]

I had it for a few weeks, I reduced one feeding, kept my weekly water changes, and picked it out of my rocks and sand bed. I also added Elos Filtra-M; that seemed to the the trick over night actually. None in almost 2 weeks now and I have added 2 more fish and do more feedings now.

 

[sureone]

"Oh yeh, I run GFO as well... about 10 Tbs every 2 weeks."

Parden my ignorance but what is GFO. I have the cyano problem also but I will try to fix it with the new tank.</em>

 

[FutureInterest]

Granular ferric oxide... rust crumbs/pellets. It can bind phosphates and silicates. I don't use the stuff though as its not needed imo... and it can be dangerous to your system if used improperly.

 

[drnecropolis]

Granulated ferric oxide

 

[mvm]

Did you lose any fish, inhabitants recently?