My 150 tank is developing Cyanobacteria. There are small spots in several area of my tank. As the days go by more develop in new area. Using a API kit my Phosphate levels are at the lowest what the chart shows. I am running a reactor with GFO and the media was recently change. 30 gallon water change was done last week. I have 2 tunze 6200 running at 80%. There is so much current the Cyanobacteria algae is moving with it. My question, can T5 bulbs if they are over a year can cause this problem?
Cyanobacteria
- Thread starter bolo7735
- Start date
loyalrogue
New member
The spectrum can shift as bulbs get older causing new algae blooms.
Whether that is the cause of your particular problem or not, nobody can say.
It's just one factor among many that can cause cyano.
Easy answer... change your bulbs.
Whether that is the cause of your particular problem or not, nobody can say.
It's just one factor among many that can cause cyano.
Easy answer... change your bulbs.
The thing that really got rid of it for me was when I was dosing vodka and microbacter7 together. Even vodka dosing alone actually made my cyano worse. I only had like 2-3 small 1-2" patches of it. If you've got a good skimmer I'd say try microbacter7 dosing?
I don't necessarily buy the whole bulb shift idea, as we usually buy bulbs so blue that when they do shift they still hardly hit any lower than 10k (assuming you started higher than 10k). And even then, while the science behind it makes sense, you should be controlling your nutrients enough that algae should be under control. I had cyano when my tank would measure 0 nitrates and very little phosphates, while running GFO and skimming heavily. It's been one of those things that I could never figure out why I had if everything else was doing so well.
I don't necessarily buy the whole bulb shift idea, as we usually buy bulbs so blue that when they do shift they still hardly hit any lower than 10k (assuming you started higher than 10k). And even then, while the science behind it makes sense, you should be controlling your nutrients enough that algae should be under control. I had cyano when my tank would measure 0 nitrates and very little phosphates, while running GFO and skimming heavily. It's been one of those things that I could never figure out why I had if everything else was doing so well.
annularisx
New member
get the black n white leg hawian crabs they will eat cyno
nivram
New member
Ive been battling cyano for the last month off and on. After reading finding a thread about users getting good results using Microbe Lift Special Blend. I decided to give it a shot. Last Week I did the first dose and already I see a decrease in cyano. I'll post before and after shots later after I do the second dose.
I looked it up. It's a tank cycling product, claiming:
A new tank starter for biological cycling and boosting
■ An organic waste degrader
■ Naturally stimulates plant growth
■ Lowers ammonia levels and biologically reduces nitrates
■ Removes odors and clears cloudy water
■ Biological maintainer for established tanks
■ Contains both Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria
■ Enhances ability of plants to utilize light, water and nutrients
■ Breaks down residue on gravel, plants, rocks, etc.
I guess its bacteria just compete with the cyano, similar to what I observed with the microbacter7.
A new tank starter for biological cycling and boosting
■ An organic waste degrader
■ Naturally stimulates plant growth
■ Lowers ammonia levels and biologically reduces nitrates
■ Removes odors and clears cloudy water
■ Biological maintainer for established tanks
■ Contains both Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria
■ Enhances ability of plants to utilize light, water and nutrients
■ Breaks down residue on gravel, plants, rocks, etc.
I guess its bacteria just compete with the cyano, similar to what I observed with the microbacter7.
nivram
New member
Its not marketed as a cyano remover. However its just bacteria. Similar to MB7. I had already been using MB7 and the issue seemed to get worse. I was about to use one of the red slime remover type products that used an antibacterial. But wanted to do so only as a last result. So far it looks like it works. I was very skeptical at first. But so far so good. I'm going to give it a shot until the bottle runs out. I figure worst case, I diversify some of my bacteria if it didn't work.
If you end up using SB, please be warned it will smell like the worst fart you've ever smelled upon first opening the bottle. Make sure the windows are open. LOL
Here is the thread. http://reefcentral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1767673
Rogger Castells
New member
Yes the light bulbs will be a problem with algae but not cyano. Your api test kit will not show you a true level of phosphate as it can not measure that low, you need to get a low range test kit like the Merck phosphate, the Lamotte kits or a newer type or electronic color meter test device.
Besides that every new tank is going to go through a small phase of cyano, you are doing the right this by using the GFO and the flow, all you need is to test the true concentration of phosphates and patience.
Besides that every new tank is going to go through a small phase of cyano, you are doing the right this by using the GFO and the flow, all you need is to test the true concentration of phosphates and patience.
SaltyGoat
New member
I had a cyano problem that I could not get rid of. I tried shifting lights, rebulbing, adding flow, shifting flow, 30% (x2 in two weeks) water changes, running GFO and Carbon, added macro-alge to get rid of any excess nutrients, etc. I finally resorted to using the Dr G's Cyano-Killer (from Coral Reef Farms, don't know who else carries it) followed the instructions and have had no problems since (two weeks ago).
