can cyanobacteria be transferred?

[reef tank 2.0]

If one has cyanobacteria in their tank, can it be transferred from one tank to another? I have a number of frags I want to sell, but not sure if this should be done due to the cyano in my tank. If it can be transferred, then I will hold off till I resolve the issue.

 

[j.falk]

Yes. I once bought a small mushroom frag off of a local fellow reefer who had cyano in his frag tank. It took root and started taking over my tank within a week. Before that I never had any issues with cyano until after I put his frag in my tank.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

good to know. thank you.
I will hold off on exchanging frags then.

 

[reefgeezer]

It's my understanding that Cyanobacteria is present in small numbers every tank. Outbreaks are related to conditions rather than their presence. If you don't have Cyano issues and place a frag in your tank that has some Cyano on it, it will likely go away rather than "infect" your tanks.

 

[j.falk]

It's my understanding that Cyanobacteria is present in small numbers every tank. Outbreaks are related to conditions rather than their presence. If you don't have Cyano issues and place a frag in your tank that has some Cyano on it, it will likely go away rather than "infect" your tanks.

I will agree that cyano is always present in some form.

I will disagree with you on it not being able to infect another tank. I never had any Cyano issues in my last aquarium until adding the frag that had a form of stringy, black Cyano on it...after that I fought it for months to get rid of it.

The same way I am fighting Lyngbya Cyanobacteria right now. I introduced it via some rubble liverock that I got from a LFS a couple months ago to seed my aquarium with coralline algae. When I bought the rock, I thought it was simply GHA. I had never heard of or seen Lyngbya Cyanobacteria before. It wasn't in my tank before adding that rock and now it's trying to take over every surface available.

 

[reefgeezer]

I will agree that cyano is always present in some form.

I will disagree with you on it not being able to infect another tank. I never had any Cyano issues in my last aquarium until adding the frag that had a form of stringy, black Cyano on it...after that I fought it for months to get rid of it.

The same way I am fighting Lyngbya Cyanobacteria right now. I introduced it via some rubble liverock that I got from a LFS a couple months ago to seed my aquarium with coralline algae. When I bought the rock, I thought it was simply GHA. I had never heard of or seen Lyngbya Cyanobacteria before. It wasn't in my tank before adding that rock and now it's trying to take over every surface available.

Not familiar with that form of Cyano. What conditions cause it to grow? I fought a persistent form of Cyano for a long time when my tank was new. Changing the conditions in the tank finally got rid of it. In my case, I had to lower DOC's & allow inorganic nutrients to rise until a little hair algae started to grow.

 

[nematode]

A mat of Cyanobacteria has millions of organisms per mm2. From disturbances, currents etc, I would be shocked if there weren’t 10s of cyano per ml in the water column also. So you will transfer some cyano over (and probably do so if you put your hand in one tank then another without washing). But unless conditions are favorable in the new tank, it won’t lead to a bloom in the other tank.

 

[Tripod1404]

Yeah it can be transferred between tanks with anything wet. But I wouldn't worry that much, cyano should not be an issue for a properly maintained tank. Its presence in large numbers(like covering sand rocks etc) usually indicate high nutrients or old/bad/improper lights.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

Without getting too far of of the original question.

I am unsure of what caused this outbreak. My lights are three years old (HYDRA 26 HD). I went from water changes every two weeks, to extending it out to 4-5 weeks. And feeding amounts have always remained the same.

This cyano outbreak all started on the right side of my tank. First I thought it was either the Gyre pump on that side, or the light. Cleaned the pump, and the light hasn't changed intensities. I do not have a par meter, so I am not 100% sure about that.

My next thought was the extended amount of time between water changes. So I have brought this back down to 3-4, to see if that helps. I think this may have caused the outbreak.

I thought of getting that cyano rx, but that would just temporarily fix the problem. It would probably come back. So i need to figure out which of the few scenarios I have, caused it.

 

[Tripod1404]

Without getting too far of of the original question.

I am unsure of what caused this outbreak. My lights are three years old (HYDRA 26 HD). I went from water changes every two weeks, to extending it out to 4-5 weeks. And feeding amounts have always remained the same.

This cyano outbreak all started on the right side of my tank. First I thought it was either the Gyre pump on that side, or the light. Cleaned the pump, and the light hasn't changed intensities. I do not have a par meter, so I am not 100% sure about that.

My next thought was the extended amount of time between water changes. So I have brought this back down to 3-4, to see if that helps. I think this may have caused the outbreak.

I thought of getting that cyano rx, but that would just temporarily fix the problem. It would probably come back. So i need to figure out which of the few scenarios I have, caused it.

Does that part of the tank is closer to a window or something? Sun light (even indirect) can fuel cyano growth. In general cyano thrives in warmer colored light. They also mostly grow at low flow areas. Under the pump probably doesn't get much flow, so that is why they are there. Reducing water changes can definitely increase cyano due to nutrient build up. What are your nitrate and phosphate levels?

 

[reef tank 2.0]

No, this tank is no where near a window. It's in a basement

I could attempt to lower the gyre pump that's in the middle of the tank on that side glass. Maybe that would help. But this cyano outbreak is both high and low in my tank. Not just one specific area.

As for the nitrates and phosphates, Last time I checked, they were both at 0, or close to

The RODI system is also at 0.

 

[Tripod1404]

Are you sure it is cyano? Cyano cant grow in high flow areas since it has no means to attach to the substrate.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

well...I'm saying yes, but I will get a picture tonight to post it. I'm pretty sure it is. It is red. Certain places has the bubbles attached to it. I can blow some of it off, but a lot of it is attached to it. I have not tried scrubbing with a brush or anything. I do clean the sand every once in awhile, but as you can imagine, it comes back in a day or two, as if I never touched it.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

now to add, I have taken a toothbrush and brushed the overflows off, but this stuff is hard to get off. It has covered the purple coraline that was on them. I miss the purple stuff

 

[reefgeezer]

No, this tank is no where near a window. It's in a basement

I could attempt to lower the gyre pump that's in the middle of the tank on that side glass. Maybe that would help. But this cyano outbreak is both high and low in my tank. Not just one specific area.

As for the nitrates and phosphates, Last time I checked, they were both at 0, or close to

The RODI system is also at 0.

Do you run anything that would reduce dissolved organics like a skimmer or GAC?

 

[reef tank 2.0]

I do have a skimmer located in the sump. (Reef Octopus Classic 200INT)

 

[Tripod1404]

well...I'm saying yes, but I will get a picture tonight to post it. I'm pretty sure it is. It is red. Certain places has the bubbles attached to it. I can blow some of it off, but a lot of it is attached to it. I have not tried scrubbing with a brush or anything. I do clean the sand every once in awhile, but as you can imagine, it comes back in a day or two, as if I never touched it.

You should be able to blow away cyano with something like a pipette. I dont think you would need a brush to remove it. I am wondering if it is something else, or mixed with something else.

Is it similar to anything here;

https://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

 

[reef tank 2.0]

I'm still sticking with my original thought "Red Slime, Cyano, Cyanobacteria"

but i'll see what kind of pictures I can get tonight of it.

 

[reefgeezer]

Not that long ago I'd have never recommend using a it... but... Boyd's Chemiclean works pretty well for Cyano. Along with changing how my system processed organics, it helped me resolve my issue.

 

[nematode]

I have found that a treatment with erythromycin has long lasting effects and that the cyano does not return after the treatment. I don’t know what is happening but I suspect it does something akin to “changing how my system processed organic” like reefgeezer argues.