damn cyano! i need more flow?

[chirojosh]

Okay, I have an agressive fowlr. 75g setup. I have a bremuda rogue skimmer, an AC110 power filter, with a sponge ( I rinse every 2-3days) and a large bag of kent phospate sponge. I just recently added the phosphate sponge and the hair algae is definatly cutting back(wasnt that bad). The skimmer has just recently been put back on, was having pump issues for the last month so it was out of service. I also just replaced my bulbs which were about 10 months old, so i know that played a role. But, it seems like the cyano is getting worse! light adjustment? I have 2 koralia 3's as well. It just seems with the shape of the live rock( about 60-70lbs) that I cant possibly get to "blast all of it." should i get another powerhead or something. I have recently started blowing the rock off with a seperate powerhead. I feed fish every other day, frozen mainly, and i thaw it and get rid of the left over water. Do i need more flow? oh and the fiance likes cyano, " but the red is so pretty" as i scrub the rock with a toothbrush while getting bit by my picasso trigger.

 

[tspors]

Go buy some Red Slime Remover. Cyano is a bacteria. Use it exactly like directions but add one day extra. Before using it syphon light;y to remove some of it. I had it also like most of us. After it was gone I changed nothing, no lighting no flow and it is gone. Chemicals like this are safe use then like they say all will be well. Good Luck
Tom

 

[Aquarist007]

Re: damn cyano! i need more flow?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13483917#post13483917 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chirojosh
Okay, I have an agressive fowlr. 75g setup. I have a bremuda rogue skimmer, an AC110 power filter, with a sponge ( I rinse every 2-3days) and a large bag of kent phospate sponge. I just recently added the phosphate sponge and the hair algae is definatly cutting back(wasnt that bad). The skimmer has just recently been put back on, was having pump issues for the last month so it was out of service. I also just replaced my bulbs which were about 10 months old, so i know that played a role. But, it seems like the cyano is getting worse! light adjustment? I have 2 koralia 3's as well. It just seems with the shape of the live rock( about 60-70lbs) that I cant possibly get to "blast all of it." should i get another powerhead or something. I have recently started blowing the rock off with a seperate powerhead. I feed fish every other day, frozen mainly, and i thaw it and get rid of the left over water. Do i need more flow? oh and the fiance likes cyano, " but the red is so pretty" as i scrub the rock with a toothbrush while getting bit by my picasso trigger.

chemicals like red slime remover should be used as a last resort

your 75gal fowler should have between 1500 and 3000 gph flow through it (10-20 times the tank vol in gph)
with the k's you have you are low at 1300 so you could add another koralia and aim it right at the cyano.

As a suggestion:
use a turkey baster to suck up as much cyano as you can

baste the rest of it so it is back up in the water column where it can be filtered off(this is where more flow comes into play)

turn the lights off for three days.

repeat if it returns.

I have a blog on fighting cyano with more info for you if interested:
http://www.reefcentral.com/wp/?p=288

 

[gerryd]

thanks for the link capn

 

[FranktheTankTx]

I would agree in adding more flow. I find that in MOST cases - flow is the culprit when it comes to cyano.

Capn's math is a little off - you have 2 - K3's which should give you 850gph each (1700gph total). This pushes you towards 22x flow. I would recommend 30x minimum. You could easily add another K3 and be fine.

If you are using RO water (0 TDS), doing 10% water changes routinely, not over feeding, running phosphate remover, and had 3 - K3's --- I doubt you would have much problem with cyano.

Add another and go from there.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13484746#post13484746 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FranktheTankTx
I would agree in adding more flow. I find that in MOST cases - flow is the culprit when it comes to cyano.

Capn's math is a little off - you have 2 - K3's which should give you 850gph each (1700gph total). This pushes you towards 22x flow. I would recommend 30x minimum. You could easily add another K3 and be fine.

If you are using RO water (0 TDS), doing 10% water changes routinely, not over feeding, running phosphate remover, and had 3 - K3's --- I doubt you would have much problem with cyano.

Add another and go from there.

capn's math is not off but his eye sight is:eek2: I read 2 Koralia 2's at first glance
sorry about that

usually with a Fowlr tank the recommended flow is 10-20 times --a little less then for mixed reefs(20-40 times)
but another K will allow you to target the area.

 

[dead beat reef]

Cyano can live on all most nothing. It must feed or it will die. You can add flow it will just blow the cyano to a new spot.
Your water tests may show zero pho,nit,sil, because the
cyano used it all up to feed. With the H.A. gone that gives
the cyano more to live on. I just did a 8 month fight
with Mr. cyano. I can help. P.M. me.

 

[kevin2000]

Cyano is a result of excess phosphates in the system ... new tanks almost always get it because they don't have sufficient infauna to eat/absorb the phosphates .. older tanks get it because phosphate is in all food and over time will build up in the aquarium.

Don't waste your money on a phosphate kit .. they only test phosphates in the water column and cyano rapidly consumes any phosphates within the water column.

Must be a zillion posts on cyano .. use the search feature .

 

[FranktheTankTx]

A powerhead WILL NOT blow cyano to another spot. Ridiculous!

I assure you cyano struggles to survive in high flow areas.

Phosphates do feed it - no argument there.

 

[kevin2000]

My 02

Water flow impacts cyano to the extend that it may keep the material which would otherwise contribute to phosphates/nitrates within the water column and allow a good filtration system to remove it - otherwise cyano doesn't give a rip about water flow.

 

[rkelman]

I was having a cyano problem. The only thing I did to get rid of it was step up my water changes..

 

[Moosetache]

Thank you for that last post, that answers my question....

I have a Phosban reactor, havent been feeding the tank at all until the last day (i didnt have any fish in there) and yet had cyano out of control. Just grows on the substrate though, not he LR or corals.

I will step up the water changes as I have been out of town and fallen behind my schedule, as well as not pouring the food in like I have, but sifting it out instead.

 

[FranktheTankTx]

Ha! I guess one answer is as good as another. Looks like he chose the easiest and cheapest upfront answer.

 

[rkelman]

Worked for me...

 

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13489360#post13489360 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kevin2000
Must be a zillion posts on cyano .. use the search feature .

Not a single thread posts a solution though.

 

[Tswifty]

I'm currently battling cyano, and have been doing so by:

1. REMOVING my phosban reactor & GFO media.
2. Increased flow in the display, and through the refugium. Also, made sure there are now no "dead zones" in the tank.
3. Siphon visible cyano daily with a turkey baster.
4. Run filter socks 24/7 (changed weekly).
5. Adjusted protein skimmer to skim "wetter"

Before that I tried everything you cold possibly imagine besides chemical treatments, with no success. Lights out works, and you have clean sand for a week or so, but after that it comes right back with a vengence.

Anyway, good luck... I can't say I've beaten it yet, but it's definitely not as bad anymore.

 

[dead beat reef]

I tried it all. Flow, water changes. You name it I
tried it. Out of pure desperate measures I added
1 full liter of of Phosguard to my 90 gal. More than
5 times the rec. amount. 10 hours later all H.A.
bleached white and dead. 15 hrs. no cyano.
Gone. I did not remove it. It was just plane gone.
The corals took a big hit. No die off. But very stressed.
Your almost there. Starve the cyano.

 

[fatdaddy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13492155#post13492155 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tswifty8
I'm currently battling cyano, and have been doing so by:

1. REMOVING my phosban reactor & GFO media.

Why remove? I would think this would help.

I've been expecting my cyano to go away, but it's been hanging in there. My phosphates are undetectable, but I do have high nitrates. It's confusing because I'm running a 100g tank with just a few fish (3), DSB (recently washed sand), and so much LR that the fish can barely swim. I've been siphoning out any visible cyano, and I've been dosing with water from my other tank to see if I can get the bacteria up.

My other tank is nutrient poor even with a ton of fish. I just realized that my amphipod population crashed, so I need to order more to keep the mandarin going.

 

[mskurdah]

I used the Red Slime Remover with 100% success -- no ill effects. only ricordea / zoas / clam / fish in my tank though.

 

[rkelman]

"Not a single thread posts a solution though. "

Lots have the solution. Water changes. / Reasonable flow / lighter feedings. Or you can use Red slime remover and take the easy way out but I don't believe its the right way and will come back to bite you down the road as nitrates get higher and higher.

"and so much LR that the fish can barely swim"

You may have dead spots in the flow building up crap causing the high nitrates / cyano. There is such a thing as too much LR.