Cyanobacteria

[phljess]

I have been battling with some cyanobacteria since I switched one of my tanks over to BB. Just thought I would see if anyone on here has any ideas to add to what I can do about it.

Here is what I have done so far:

I started this tank about five months ago with tap so this may still be part of my problem but I doubt it.

All top off is RO/DI
All salt is mixed with RO/DI
Flow~2000gph through a CL manifold, 500gph return 1640gph powerheads so roughly 28 times turnover or more.
All MH bulbs are three months old
Act needs changed but I do not think this is my prob.
WCs are done bi-monthly
cyano is syphoned out bi-monthly and blown off stuff daily.
Passive use of phosphate remover and carbon
Skimming a 125g with a CLSS 220
Growing chaeto in the fuge
One fish in tank
small clean up crew consisting of ceriths and astrea snails, probably could use some more.

Not really sure what else to do any ideas would be nice.

 

[mcox33]

chemi-clean will work, unless you just don't want to go that route.

I have used it several times over the years with no problems.

 

[phljess]

Trying to stay away from chemicals as much as possible. Want to try to get things in order with a more natural approach.

 

[joyski58]

I, too, am waging war again cyano, due to the new lights I got for Xmas. 2 150W lights, 2 different Ks, 2 different cyanos -- red/rust on the 10K side, green/brown on the 14K side other. Mostly on the sand and glass. I've been doing 6-7 gal water (72 gal tank)changes each evening, and vacuuming the algae off the sand. I put back a power head that was removed and cleaned the others, for more circulation, and added some of Fuji's cerith snails. Changing out filter floss more often; rinsing the overflow sponge often, and cleaning skimmer cups more often. These things seem to be helping. Frustrating, isn't it. I have a paperback book on understanding algaes, if you'd like to read it. It's only about 25 pages and is good informative reading.

 

[Altpers0na-old]

light cycle?

how much do you feed?

cutting my lights back, from 12 - 14 hours , to 10 - 12 hours helped mine alot.

 

[coralreefer]

What they said

Also since you're bb crank up your flow and your skimmer. I've got ~35 x turnover and it's not nearly enough for a true bb system. How much is your skimmer pulling daily?
Are you seeing any detritus between water changes? If you're not already doing this try blowing off your rocks with a turkey baster or power head a couple times a week.
I'd agree your actinics aren't the problem. I've used them until they burned out before.
I would avoid chemicals too.
How big are your water changes? Maybe up them for a while.
Try running your phosphate remover and carbon with a reactor or in a canister. Oh yeah what type of phos remover GFO or aluminum?

If nothing else works maybe sacrifice a xenia to the reef gods :lol:

 

[phljess]

Yeh, I was thinking some more flow. I really do not want to start running a phos-reactor, I always try to stay on the natural side of things as best as I can. I am going to try to find some new places to grow macros in the tank instead. I also need some more reef janitors. It seems like all of this cyano started when I went to a BB tank. Skimmer is not pulling out alot, about 1/4 of a cup daily. I just cannot seem to get a wetter skim without overflowing the skimmer everyday so I just leave it alone.

IMO, I do not blame the cyano on my lights, I know I can run a 12 hour daylight period without cyano problems. The problem is getting the nutrient load out of the tank. But this is the funny part, it is a 125 gallon tank with only a yellow tang in it and I do not even feed the tang. I do get alot of detritus between w/c's but I just syphon it out when I do the w/c's. I am going to look at putting another pump at the bottom of the tank to blow off the detritus at the bottom.

 

[coralreefer]

I do get alot of detritus between w/c's but I just syphon it out when I do the w/c's.

Phil that's probably the problem...or part of it. You're letting it sit and rot which defeats the whole purpose of bare bottom. I'd siphon the detritus at least weekly if you're seeing a lot of it.
It also sounds like your skimmer isn't helping. Remember the key to running bb is export via heavy flow and effective wet skimming before organics breakdown.
Have you tried the fishing line or the mesh mod with the clss? Decent skimming is truly important with a bb tank. Sounds like more flow would help but without a good skimmer it kinda defeats the purpose. You have to be able to skim out the nasties you're putting in suspension.

I really do not want to start running a phos-reactor, I always try to stay on the natural side of things as best as I can.

If you're running a phosphate remover anyway it might make it more effective.

The problem is getting the nutrient load out of the tank.

That's what it all boils down too
Remember going bare bottom isn't as simple as taking the sand out of a tank. Excellent flow, heavy wet skimming and/or manual export of detritus is critical.
Basically anything you can do to get it out before it rots.

 

[Rod Cobble]

turn off the lights
turn up the skimmer
turn up the phosphate remover
turn up the PH
turn off the tap
turn on the RO/DI

say bye bye to cyano

 

[fishmon]

I second Amy on this one VERY wet skim/more flow. too many nutrients built up I don't think its your light either.

 

[phljess]

OOPs just to clear something up, I am doing water changes twice a month.- I thought this would be a enough water changes, do I need to be doing more? I am changing out 20 gallons every two weeks and syphoning the cyano when I do the water changes. I usually blow the cyano off with a turkey baster throughout the week and then get the little piles of detritus when I do my WCs.

 

[mcox33]

Try using a toothbrush taped to the end of a small tubing, instead of blowing it off. This will actually siphon the cyno out at the same time that it is loosend from the rock. Which will also get it out of the tank faster. This is the way it was removed from PRT when it was at the Californian. Then replace the water with saltwater. If you run a power head in the mixing container you can mix enough for several days at a time. JME.

 

[fishmon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9076548#post9076548 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phljess
OOPs just to clear something up, I am doing water changes twice a month.- I thought this would be a enough water changes, do I need to be doing more? I am changing out 20 gallons every two weeks and syphoning the cyano when I do the water changes. I usually blow the cyano off with a turkey baster throughout the week and then get the little piles of detritus when I do my WCs.

what size is your tank again?

 

[coralreefer]

Jim it's a 125 and I bet I know what you're going to say

Phil I'd find a way to remove the detritus piles between water changes. We've used a canister filter packed with floss/filter media to vacuum it out. You can also siphon the water through a filter sock or a container packed with floss back into the sump. Be sure to clean any detritus out of the sump too.
Detritus sitting around for 2 weeks is going to breakdown and dump nutrients back into the water column.