Increased cyano in cheato refugium in winter

[acroholic]

McPhock;600384 wrote: <span style="font-family: Calibri">Have you given thought to just killing the fuge lights for a few days? If you chaeto isnt growing, it's not going to make things worse. Leaving the lights off for 4 straight days in my 28 gallon cube was how to I ended my cyano infestation.</span>

That is another option. But my concern is that at least the cyano is centered in the fuge, which is a completely separate tank from the two DTs, plumbed like a reef tank. I'd be afraid the cyano would start growing in the DTs if it didn't have the fuge.

 

[acroholic]

bratliff;600395 wrote: How about trying to get some fresh air into you sump/fish room?

Hard to do because the equipment area backs up to below ground level basement walls.

 

[ichthyoid]

I found the following, and suggest that it may be a drop in O2 that causes a rise in cyanobacteria, not simply a rise in CO2. The combination is likely to optimize growth. Nitrogen fixation by these bacteria occurs in low oxygen conditions.

Does anyone have an O2 test kit, and know what their baseline levels are?

<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua"><span style="font-size: 14px">The change into an oxygen atmosphere created a crisis for Precambrian Cyanobacteria because oxygen attacks the bonds of organic molecules. The corrosive atmosphere that prokaryotes had essentially created likely caused the extinction of some of the species unable to cope. The surviving species lived in habitats that remained generally anaerobic</span></span>

http://hoopermuseum.earthsci.carleton.ca//stromatolites/OXYGEN.htm">http://hoopermuseum.earthsci.carleton.ca//stromatolites/OXYGEN.htm</a>

[B]<span style="font-family: MPHV-Bold"><span style="font-size: 15px"><span style="font-family: MPHV-Bold"><span style="font-size: 15px"><p style="text-align:left">Inhibition of nitrogenase by oxygen in
marine cyanobacteria controls the global
nitrogen and oxygen cycles
[/B]</span></span></span></span>
[IMG]http://www.biogeosciences-discuss.net/2/261/2005/bgd-2-261-2005-print.pdf">http://www.biogeosciences-discuss.net/2/261/2005/bgd-2-261-2005-print.pdf</a>

<span style="font-size: 13px">[B]O[/B]</span>[B]<span style="font-size: 11px">2 </span><span style="font-size: 13px">inhibits nitrogenase, the enzyme responsible for<u> N</u></span><u><span style="font-size: 11px">2 </span><span style="font-size: 13px">fixation </span></u>[/B]
<span style="font-size: 13px"></span>
<span style="font-size: 13px">[IMG]http://www.montana.edu/wwwmb/coursehome/mb433/Handouts/example%20term%20paper.pdf">http://www.montana.edu/wwwmb/coursehome/mb433/Handouts/example%20term%20paper.pdf</a></span>
<span style="font-size: 13px"></span>
<span style="font-size: 13px">Use of O2 to eliminate cyanobacteria in ponds, below.</span>
<span style="font-size: 13px"></span>
<span style="font-size: 13px">[IMG]http://www.clean-flo.com/articles/blue-green-algae-in-reservoirs-lakes/">http://www.clean-flo.com/articles/blue-green-algae-in-reservoirs-lakes/</a>
</span>

 

[ralph atl]

chemiclean.

 

[shrimpy brains]

Acroholic;600405 wrote: That is another option. But my concern is that at least the cyano is centered in the fuge, which is a completely separate tank from the two DTs, plumbed like a reef tank. I'd be afraid the cyano would start growing in the DTs if it didn't have the fuge.

I have the same problem in my Seahorse tank. (cyano in fuge, started this last week) I turned the fuge light off yesterday with the intention of leaving it off for a couple of days. Will let you know what happens.

The Cheato will be fine, I am sure as I have stored it in buckets(with no light) for several weeks with no adverse effects) What gets me, is I have Chaeto in the fuge and many macros(including caleurpa) in the DT. You would think all the nutrients would be used up by all these macros.

Anyway, staying tuned to see if you find a better solution. I, also, don't like using chemicals.
Thought also of adding some snails to the fuge, but not sure what eats cyano, other than sea hare. Then I would have to rehome the sea hare later, so it wouldn't starve.

 

[ichthyoid]

Here is an article indicating the use of oxidizing compounds to control cyanobacteria. If used proceed with caution, and make sure you understand it.

 

[ichthyoid]

In researching this topic, I also read that some cyanobacteria produce cyanotoxin's and there are reports of human toxicity. Be careful, proceed slowly, and avoid a massive die-off in your system. This could possibly lead to something akin to a massive flat worm die-off.

 

[cr500_af]

On a related note, though everyone says "more flow!" when people talk about cyano, I only have cyano growing consistently INSIDE my recirc skimmer's riser tube (and there is plenty of flow there). What that means, I couldn't tell you, but moving water doesn't inhibit the stuff IMO.

 

[schwaggs]

I rarely get cyno in my entire system or my fuge but when I do it is ususlly in the summer when my tank temp is higher. I run the fuge lights at the exact opposite of my DT halides so they are ~ 14 hours on / 10 off. I have pretty good agitation in my fuge (Tunze 6101 in a 90 gallon fuge).

 

[serpent]

Wow, I noticed this too but thought that it was due to me prolonging a couple of water changes during the holidays. I will be following this for any results.

 

[grouper therapy]

The fuge is an area that is favorable for the growth of algae and bacteria for inorganic nutrient export. The presence of cyanobacteria does not always indicate that the system has poor water quality. In fact it can be an indicator of well maintained system. Since we add phosphates to our system on a daily basis the consumption / removal of them is needed constantly hence the invited skimmers, media(gfo), macro algaes etc. But we also end up with the uninvited , hair algaes and cyanobacteria( they did not know they were uninvited). Their presence should be of no surprise to us. So far as more present in the winter time Hmm I don't even have an idea.