Cyano Help Please

A

ANC

Member
I have an outbreak of cyano that Im fighting and i could use some advice on possible upgrades that I'm thinking about making to the tank. Currently, I have a 20gal tank with a marineland seaclone HOB skimmer, (2) Korallia 1's, a 2-3" sand bed and about 25 lbs of LR. I currently use purified drinking water from a grocery store which I think could be a source of the cyano problem. I was thinking of changing my skimmer but I need to keep it as an HOB. I am also thinking about purchasing an RODI unit from BRS and I would like to know if I am better off with a system that has the dual tds meter, a pressure gauge, and flush kit or can I save the 40 bucks to spend somewhere else? As for my cyano problem I think these two changes plus my new feeding schedule might help get rid of the cyano.

Next question I have is about the lighting...I currently have a coralife 50/50 65W fixture that is almost 6 months old same with the bulbs. Should I look into changing the bulb to help the cyano problem?
 
Well by cyano I am assuming you have a red slime algae problem? Vacuum up as much as you can. Feed a lot less because the extra nutrients really make a big difference. I would angle your powerheads over where the problem areas are. I would also see about using clean containers and RODI water. Lastly I would increase the frequency of your water changes and that should get rid of it. I am currently dealing with this same problem so I'm still in the process of trying out all of these methods.
 
I read that feeding was a big cause and I use to feed twice a day but with the more research I have done I have changed my feeding to once every other day, I just started this routine so we shall see how that goes. Thanks for the advice on the RODI unit...I figured for 40 bucks what the heck might as well get everything with it. Does anyone have a recommendation for a HOB skimmer that is any good?
 
I use a Reef Octopus skimmer, best for the money in my opinion, it pulls a lot of stuff out of the water and has a decent sized collection cup so if you run a dryer skimmate you dont have to change as often.
 
Oh ya there is a real lack of directions but there is a really long thread about them somewhere on here, ill search for the link in the mean time
 
I have a fairly new tank myself. I was also using the RO water from the Grocery store for top off.

I quickly found my phosphate levels rising and algae starting to grow more easily. I installed a phosphate reactor to lower the phosphate level. Now I used RO DI water from my LFS. Phosphate is back to zero and little algae.

That may have been a big part of your problem. Take a sample of the water you were using and have it tested.
 
Can I hang a filter sock full of GFO in my HOB filter next to the bag of carbon? or do I need a reactor? Also, my 50/50 PC light bulb is about 6 months old should I look into changing the bulb or is it ok?
 
Last edited:
AzCondor said:
Well by cyano I am assuming you have a red slime algae problem? Vacuum up as much as you can. Feed a lot less because the extra nutrients really make a big difference. I would angle your powerheads over where the problem areas are. I would also see about using clean containers and RODI water. Lastly I would increase the frequency of your water changes and that should get rid of it. I am currently dealing with this same problem so I'm still in the process of trying out all of these methods.
Click to expand...

in general thats pretty good advice, to add to it id suggest some phosban to aid phosphate removal, and when you vaccum out the excess as mentioned by condor, imo do it last thing at night when its at its worst.
 
Thanks for the article very good read and helpful. I think even if my light is still in good shape I might pick up a new one and see what happens. I also think I'm going to purchase a reef octopus 800 HOB skimmer from a guy in my local club who is getting rid of his. Any advice with this skimmer? Any other recommendations?
 
I was already using RO water but the three things that I did to (hopefully) get rid of it - haven't seen any for quite awhile now - were:
1) suck it out with a turkey baster whenever I saw it, usually in the afternoon when I got home from work,
2) put the Koralia pump on the side of the tank, as close to the front as I could get it, and at the bottom of the tank - that way it would constantly flow across the crushed coral in the front of the tank where the problem was the worst, and
3) decrease the amount of white light in the tank. The actinics were still set on the timer for about 12-13 hours, but the daylight bulbs were only on for about 4 hours in the evening.

Don't remember how long it took but it wasn't very long! Good-Bye and Good Riddance.
 
I hope I can get a handle on this rather quickly because I just pulled my lawnmowrr blenny's lifeless body out of the water. Personally I think he starved be ause I could never get him to eat the nori I would put in the tank. The strangest thing about this cyano problem is it came after I added more "live rock" to the tank. I originally started with only about 7 lbs or fully cured coraline incrusted LR but at $8/lbs I couldn't afford to do the entire 20 lbs like that, so I joined a local reef club and met a guy who was selling like 100 lbs for $3/lbs (much better than $8 except for the fact that I have now lost a fish and I have a terrible cyano/diatom/hair algea problem...
 
Here is my cyano problem. It dominoes at night with all the lights off and it will only grow on my live sand. It won't grow up or on my live rock or anythig else. At night it gets long and stringy and blankets the live sand bed and the gets darker when the lights are on.


Weird huh?
 
I had a pretty bad red slime outbreak and I took the advice of a thread on RC. It called for frequent water changes( I did around 20-30% twice a week ), pointing your powerheads toward the problem areas and draping a blanket over the tank, making sure all light is blocked, for 3 or 4 days. The blanket sounded extreme to me bt it worked. Everything was clear in no time
 
Dont use the Red Slime as a cure I have seen it many times where people do that instead of finding the actual cause of the problem.
 
bigreefnutt said:
Dont use the Red Slime as a cure I have seen it many times where people do that instead of finding the actual cause of the problem.
Click to expand...

I agree, it is not a cure, I am just saying that in addition to stopping overfeeding and the use of some additional equipment, Red Slime Remover got rid of it quick and it never came back.
 
i heard blue life red slime works, but use it as a last resort....i would try to cut off lights for 3 days, run phosban and RODI. Then if its still persistent i would use blue life. Ive heard a 50/50 on it...Some say it works miracles some say its a waste of money
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Red Cyano
Replies
4
Views
279
Brian60077
Brian60077
R
Cyano and nutrients
2 3 4
Replies
77
Views
11K
Elmareefer
E
G
Back after 20 years - cycling advice
Replies
4
Views
145
Guygettnby
Guygettnby
skipper03
first saltwater aquarium, weird 15g setup, many questions
2 3
Replies
52
Views
561
Reefing102
Reefing102
C
25G softy reef
Replies
6
Views
390
griss
griss
Back
Top