Cyanobacteria/Red Slime problem...

gman19

gman19

New member
OK...not that my tank has been up and running flawlessly for almost 15 months...enter Cyanobacteria.

Todays' tests show:
pH @ 4:00pm is 8.23 (ACIII calibrated 24 hrs ago)
Alkalinity (LaMotte) is 3.52 meq/l
Calcium (Salifert) is 430ppm
Magnesium (Salifert) is 1260ppm
Nitrate (Salifert) is ~10ppm
Silica (LaMotte) is undetectable or zero.
Phosphate (LaMotte/Low Range) is undetectable or zero.
Tank temperature is held at 75.2F +/- .5F by ACIII

Skimmer skims as usual and seems to be working fine.

I feed 3x week frozen mysis, etc and seaveggies to the fish.
I target feed 2x week PhytoFeast to various corals and my clam.

When feeding the fish, I feed with tweezers and allow very little to no food go to waste.

I pull 3 to 4 water changes per week at 3 or 6 gallons per change, whatever I feel like at the time.

Top off is with RO/DI water.

It is a 100 gallong system with a Tunze nanostream and 3 aquaclear powerheads in a random and oscillating wavemaker configuration via ACIII. Return is via a Iwaki 30RLT valved about halfway back with a ball valve.

I think flow is adequate as the corals move and sway, along with the cyano. I have about 0.5 to 1" Caribsea special grade reef sand, with some indopacific black mixed in.

The only idea I have had so far is that I have changed from Kent salt to HW Marinemix, but the new saltwater tests good in all regards (except ca, alk, etc), i.e. no problem causing nitrates, phosphates, etc.

I have purchased Chemi-clean, but have not used it yet, as I am hesitant to induce chemical warfare just yet...any ideas???
 
1. Good flow. Nothing should settle on the substrate.
2. Run phosphate removal media such as phosban. I run the media eventhough I have tested my water with a salifert kit and it read 0. The Algae can be using the phosphate as fast as it's being intorduced to your system, and even small amounts of PO4 (too small to register on a kit) can fuel algae and harm corals.
3. Use RODI water. Check the TDS, your filters may need replacing.
4. Rinse all frozen food cubes before feeding.
5. Keep the sand stirred with a cucumber, conch and/or gobies.
 
Thanks LOJ,
I'll check the TDS this afternoon, but the RO/DI was completely re-filtered only about 9 months ago and the in-line monitor shows a good status.

Has anyone encountered a cyano outbreak with the one change being changing salt mixes??
 
Have you changed yout lightbulbs? I had the same problem at the 14 month mark and figured it was because I had not replaced my PC's...
 
I have considered the bulbs...

My MH on the left side of the tank burned out last week after ~10 months (Blueline 10K+)...I replaced it with an XM 20K I had on hand. The lamp in the center position is a Ushio 20K, and is only about 4 months old. But the lamp on the Right end of the tank is, as you mentioned, old...it is a blueline 10K+ and is about 15 months old. I have a Sunburst 12K on hand and plan to replace it this weekend. I need to order 2 more blueline 10K+ for either end of the tank though...
 
I also had a caynbacteria problem in my sand bed even with my phsphate levels at zero, but only after water changes. I introduced phosban in a mesh filter bag placed in my sump where there was lots of flow. Phosphate levels are now always zero and the cynobacteria disapeared. I also redirected a powerhead to create more flow over my sand bed. It's been a month now. So far so good.
 
I would make that you have adequate flow. Use a phosphate remover at all times and I like using polyfilter in system to remove the organics.
 
Mirthrin -- I just placed a reactor of SeaChem PhosGard into service so we'll see how that goes. I have 4 powerheads (1 Tunze and 3 various sized Aquaclears) directed throughout the tank, I think flow is OK.

Gigas -- I have some Polyfilters on order along with some RowaPhos that will replace the PhosGard when it's gone.

Rhodesolar -- I have only disturbed the sand bed in trying to erradicate the cyano. The sandbed is not deep, only 1/2 to 1", but a little deeper where the pistol shrimp has excavated its burrow. I have several nessarius snails and a sand sifting star that stir it around too.

I'm still not going to pull the trigger with the Chemi-Clean just yet...I guess patience is a virtue in this case. At least all the tanks' inhabitants are still looking good and healthy!

Will keep posting the progress...
 
So..I applied Chemi-Pure today...

I stopped skimming and removed all filtration media except a couple foam pieces...

Any suggestions for post 48 hour procedures that are not included in the instructions?

I have some poly-filter pads, carbon, WarnerMarine PhosaR, and a good batch of saltwater for a change standing by...

Man I hope this works!
 
I had some bad Cyno Bacteria in my tank as well, but after changing lights in my sump my macro alge has taken off since then all visible cyano has dissipated. I have not done a water change in 2 months and the tank is rockin. I also have 3 cucumbers and quite a bit of Xenia wich is growing like mad so im sure this is helping alsoo.

Reef on:smokin:
 
The only thing I can see are your nitrates. Even at 10 ppm, it will cause various kinds of algae or cyano in my experience. You mention that you removed all of your other filter media. What filter media were you using? I find that most filter media makes nitrates worse.

Yeah, be sure to check your TDS. With as many water changes you are doing, you could be adding a decent amount of "stuff" into your water if the RO/DI isn't functioning for some reason.

Actually, may want to slow down on the water changes. 10% per week is the max I would ever do, and then it would only be if something drastic happened.

Dan
 
Thanks fo the replies!
The only media I removed before adding chemiclean was Seachem Phosgard. I ran it for about a week to see if that would curb the cyano, but with no avail!
TDS in the RO/DI reads Zero/tap water, for reference reads ~57.

I also would like to get to 5% water changes per week, I only upped the changes due to the cyano outbreak and the 10ppm Nitrate issue.

I think my avatar rules!!

Will keep updating...
 
OK,
After about 22 hours I can tell that the cyano is not as bad on the sandbed as it has been, it also appears to be breaking up on some of the liverock. I siphoned some out and in doing so changed about 3 gallons of water.

Now, at 48 hours, does anyone have any suggestions on what to put back into service as far as media??

I assume carbon is to go back into service, as the instructions state to discontinue use of carbon while using chemiclean. Skimming will also restart at 48 hours. What other media might be beneficial?? I have WarnerMarine Phosar on hand, and also some new Polyfilters (poly-bio-marine), and of course, plenty of carbon.

If I can draw on anyone's experience with chemi-clean, I'd appreciate it!!!
 
Thanks stereomandan,
This is the first time I have resorted to chemical warfare...simply because I could not nail down a root cause for this outbreak.

I figure the poly-filters and the carbon should help polish the water back after the 48 hours are up. I prepped the carbon and cleaned my skimmer today so tomorrow they will be ready to go,

Will continue to update...
 
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