Cyano

[nitr8]

I've been battling cyano for over a month now and just can't seem to kick it. I'm at the end of my ropes and hoping someone can give me some advice. I don't have any photos but it's redish/purple, mostly on the sand bed and stringy. Here is what I've done/am doing.

Reduced feeding
Regular water changes (20% every two weeks)
24 hours lights out, numerous times
Manual removal
Dosing 10mL Microbacter weekly

Here are some tank parameters:
90g SPS tank
13hr photo period (LEDs only with 4hr ramp up/down)
Skimmer
Refugium
GFO reactor (change one cup BRS High Capacity GFO monthly)

SG: 1.025-1.026 (Milwaukee digital refractometer)
Temp: 79 (Apex probe)
NH3: 0 (Red Sea)
NO2: 0 (Hanna checker)
NO3: .25ppm (Red Sea)
H3PO3: 7ppb (Hanna checker)
PO4: .04 (Hanna checker)
PO4: .04 (Red Sea)
pH: 8.2
Ca: 431 ppm
Kh: 8dKh, 142ppm
Mg: 1320ppm
Fe: 0ppm
K: 380ppm
I: .06ppm

 

[bertoni]

I might try replacing the GFO a bit more frequently, or ramping up the amount. Sometimes, that's enough to solve such problems, and it's easy to try. Cleaning and tuning the skimmer might be useful, too.

 

[Nina51]

i'm fighting this, too. is a reactor absolutely necessary to run gfo and if not, what are the other options?

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Hi,

I have also suffered from cyanobacteria and eventually got rid of it after a rather long battle. I took a diary for future reference while taking various steps.

I have just posted it in my tank thread (refer to post #9). It is rather verbose, but I hope you will find it useful.

Cheers

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Cyano can sometimes be beaten by reducing organics, either through skimming (or more skimming), GAC, certain resin binders, etc.

 

[regent2010]

try use chemiclean. they really works. just follow the instruction. treated 48 hours then a 40 % waterchange. I have a full 180g sps lps tank treated 2 times in a span of 10 months. also check ur Ro/di median may b its time to change.
I suspect the heat n red spectrum light sources will encourage the growth of cyano. that's when I started to have the problem at the beginning.
cut down the white LED on ur sol, 4 hours of 20 % usage may help too.
good luck

 

[bertoni]

Chemi-Clean and similar treatments can eliminate a cyanobacteria outbreak, but it can crash tanks. Also, the problem likely will return if there's an underlying nutrient issue. I'd be cautious about using it again, personally. It did kick back a problem in one of my tanks for a few months, but the tank needed more nutrient export in the end.

If you do decide to dose, I'd recommend siphoning out as much of the slime as possible first, to reduce the amount of organic debris and possible cyanobacteria toxins dumped into the water column.

 

[TFP Marine Biologist]

Cyano can be extremely frustrating, and persist in conditions that you would think are not favorable for it to survive. Have seen a number of examples of seemingly low nutrient systems that still get cyano growth. Using Chemi-Clean or low doses of EM are effective at killing or knocking back existing cyano, it is only going to be a band-aid for the situation. Organic absorption resins can do the trick here, and are simple to use.
On larger systems, I have seen good success with the use of UV or Ozone in controlling persistant cyano.

 

[natas]

If it is stringy there is a possibility of this being dinoflagellates. If you have access to a microscope do a search for cyano microscope and dinoflagellates microscope and check to see which one you have.

 

[Relativity]

Coral snow from zeovit does wonders on Cyano
I won the battle with the product, just like many others.