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

 

[KnownStrangeR]

what type of rock did you start with?

 

[trialanderror]

refugium with 24 hr lighted chaetos. If it wasn't for chaetos, I would have given up on this hobby.

 

[lusenut2]

Dose mcrobactor 7daily

 

[lusenut2]

Turn your skimmer off for a hour or so when you dose it also.

 

[nitr8]

what type of rock did you start with?

Marco rock. The tank is 10 months old.

refugium with 24 hr lighted chaetos. If it wasn't for chaetos, I would have given up on this hobby.

I have chaeto in my refugium. I increased the lighting this morning from 16 hours to 23 hours.

 

[nitr8]

Dose mcrobactor 7daily

I'm currently dosing 10mL weekly. You're saying I should start dosing 1.5mL daily?

Turn your skimmer off for a hour or so when you dose it also.

I set one of the feed modes on my Apex to turn the skimmer off for 2 hours when I dose MB7.

 

[trialanderror]

what do you feed? On one of my nano, I feed ocean nutrition formula 2. Couple of un-eaten pellets start the bacteria bloom (both cyano and fuzzy).

 

[nitr8]

what do you feed? On one of my nano, I feed ocean nutrition formula 2. Couple of un-eaten pellets start the bacteria bloom (both cyano and fuzzy).

I use the Neptune automatic feeding system. I have it set to feed three times a day and it drops 5-10 pellets each time. Here is what's stocked.

FISH:
Royal Gramma
Blue Green Chromis
Lyretail Anthis (M)
Yellow Tang
Red Mandarin Dragonette (M)
Bangaii Cardinal
Borbonius Anthias
Ruby Red Dragonette (F)
Wyoming White Ocellaris
Black Snowflake Ocellaris
Hi Fin Red Banded Goby
Panda Goby
Green Banded Goby

INVERTS:
Blood/Fire Shrimp
Cherry Red Serpent Starfish
B & W Harlequin Serpent
Red Harlequin Serpent
Serpent Starfish
Various Porcelain Crabs
Various Hermits
Various Snails
Cocoa Worm
Feather Duster
(2) Randall's Pistol Shrimp
Blue Sponge

 

[Tenshoa]

Are you dosing organic carbon such as vodka or vinegar? Pellets?

Fighting Conchs will fight cyano

Cyano is a bacteria and I'm not sure if there is any valid connection between MB7 and cyano, but there have been numerous threads of people seeing an increase in cyano while using MB7 and even more with people who are using it with organic carbon dosing. The carbon basically provides a place for bacteria to reside, essentially increasing the amount of bacteria. I suppose if MB7 increases the bacteria population, it could be plausible. But to my knowledge, MB7 is "supposed" to only increase the "good" bacteria.

 

[nitr8]

Are you dosing organic carbon such as vodka or vinegar? Pellets?

Fighting Conchs will fight cyano

Cyano is a bacteria and I'm not sure if there is any valid connection between MB7 and cyano, but there have been numerous threads of people seeing an increase in cyano while using MB7 and even more with people who are using it with organic carbon dosing. The carbon basically provides a place for bacteria to reside, essentially increasing the amount of bacteria. I suppose if MB7 increases the bacteria population, it could be plausible. But to my knowledge, MB7 is "supposed" to only increase the "good" bacteria.

I do not carbon dose. I only started dosing MB7 in an attempt to fight cyano. Are there any negatives to fighting conchs? I'll have to do some research on them.

 

[eg8r210]

I'm currently dosing 10mL weekly. You're saying I should start dosing 1.5mL daily?



I set one of the feed modes on my Apex to turn the skimmer off for 2 hours when I dose MB7.

How are you coming to the number of 10mL weekly? Is that on the bottle? If you are having problems, I think it says you can dose a higher amount for a period of time. I have always used microbacter with biopellets. It just seems to help the pellets work better, seed quicker.

 

[nitr8]

How are you coming to the number of 10mL weekly? Is that on the bottle? If you are having problems, I think it says you can dose a higher amount for a period of time. I have always used microbacter with biopellets. It just seems to help the pellets work better, seed quicker.

The bottle says 5mL per 50 gallons weekly for low nutrient systems.

 

[eg8r210]

My guess is that if you are growing cheato in your fuge then you are not a low nutrient system.

Medium- to High-nutrient Systems, or to seed Biological Filtration in new aquaria: To effectively decrease the concentration of available nutrients and waste material in all marine and freshwater aquaria, add 5 ml (1 capful) per 25 US-gallons (94.6 L) [≈4 drops per gallon (3.8 L)] of aquarium water daily for the first two weeks of use; the impact that MicrōBacter7 has on an aquarium is most evident within this period. Turn protein skimming and UV-sterilization off for a period of 4 hours following addition to aquaria. A noticeable difference in water clarity is typically apparent within 30-minutes of dosing. Follow same instructions for new aquarium start-up. Thereafter, switch to "œlow-nutrient" dosage (below).

Stable, Low-nutrient Systems: To maintain a low concentration of available nutrients in all marine and freshwater aquaria, 5 ml (1 capful) of MicrōBacter7 per 50 US-gallons (189.3 L) [≈2 drops per gallon (3.8 L)] of aquarium water no more than once each week; alternately, add 1 drop per 50 US-gallons daily (or 1 drop per 25 US-gallons every other day). Turn protein skimming and UV-sterilization off for a period of 4 hours following addition to aquaria. Dosage may be adjusted according to perceived benefit to aquarium, however it is recommended that the dosage not exceed 1 drop per 10 US-gallons per day. With time, hobbyists may determine that decreasing the dosage and/or dosing frequency by up to 50% sufficiently maintains a low-nutrient environment. During changes in biological filtration or when increasing the aquarium bioload, dose 1 drop per 25 US-gallons daily for one week, then resume "œlow-nutrient" dosage.

I have never seen any negatives by upping the dosage for a short period. It doesn't make any sense to me that MB7 would cause an increase in cyano but you should be able to tell pretty quickly. I would recommend testing the directions for medium to high nutrient system for a couple weeks. Also, sticking to directions would suggest to keep skimmer off for 4 hours. Sounds excessive to me but worth a shot while testing the product based on their directions.

 

[nitr8]

My guess is that if you are growing cheato in your fuge then you are not a low nutrient system.

I have never seen any negatives by upping the dosage for a short period. It doesn't make any sense to me that MB7 would cause an increase in cyano but you should be able to tell pretty quickly. I would recommend testing the directions for medium to high nutrient system for a couple weeks. Also, sticking to directions would suggest to keep skimmer off for 4 hours. Sounds excessive to me but worth a shot while testing the product based on their directions.

I'll start the high nutrient dosing today. I guess I figured my system was low nutrient since the nitrates are .25 and phosphates are .04. Is that not a correct assumption?

 

[ignatz]

I like to approach the problem by answering the question "What changed?" If you say the flow and nutrients haven't changed then the next best answer is light. Either the light over your tank or the light over your chaeto changed. My first step would be to replace the compact florescent bulb over the chaeto.

 

[Tenshoa]

I'll start the high nutrient dosing today. I guess I figured my system was low nutrient since the nitrates are .25 and phosphates are .04. Is that not a correct assumption?

Personally, I would consider that low nutrient. Although, I'd like to see the phosphates undetectable.

 

[nitr8]

I like to approach the problem by answering the question "What changed?" If you say the flow and nutrients haven't changed then the next best answer is light. Either the light over your tank or the light over your chaeto changed. My first step would be to replace the compact florescent bulb over the chaeto.

I have LEDs over the DT and fuge. I'll try to list the thighs that have changed over the past 2 months.

-Removed carbon about 2 months ago. I no longer run a carbon reactor.
-Started using aluminum oxide. Have since removed and went back to GFO.
-Reduced refugium light from 24 to 16 hours about 2 months ago. Raised it to 23 hours yesterday.
-Tuned skimmer about a month ago. More efficient now.

 

[eg8r210]

Personally, I would consider that low nutrient. Although, I'd like to see the phosphates undetectable.

This is generally when people who have zero phosphates in the test results see algae everywhere. From everything I have seen in person or read online, a true ULNS will not grow algae. The fuge algae would die off because the nutrients are low enough that the algae has nothing to consume. If you have a successful fuge then my take is that you are not low nutrient, you just have enough of "stuff" to consume the excess.

 

[ignatz]

I have LEDs over the DT and fuge. I'll try to list the thighs that have changed over the past 2 months.

-Removed carbon about 2 months ago. I no longer run a carbon reactor.
-Started using aluminum oxide. Have since removed and went back to GFO.
-Reduced refugium light from 24 to 16 hours about 2 months ago. Raised it to 23 hours yesterday.
-Tuned skimmer about a month ago. More efficient now.

Based on that list, I'd guess the refugium lighting period change was the biggest contributor. Possible that you had some spectrum shift but you won't know till you change your photo period. How do you like the LED 'fuge? Chaeto always seemed to grow best under compact florescent for me.

Have you done the white cup test on your tank water to rule out dissolved organic build up?

Double check with techbiker but I think this might be a good situation to use dinos.