Diatoms? Cyano? Dino?
- Thread starter Jeffy Jr
- Start date
WI reefer55
New member
cyno
DLANDINO
D.L. Heritage Rings
That appears to be really REALLY bad cyano.Doesn't appear to be dinos at all. Count your lucky stars that it isn't. You obviously have an excess nutrient issue and there are multiple steps that you should take to rid your tank of this problem. I'll list the ones that have worked for me in the past going the all natural route and then I'll list the chem alternatives that I have used with no issues to over all tank health.
Can you please detail for us your tank description? How many gallons, how much flow do you have, do you have a skimmer, what kind of lights, how old are your bulbs, do you do water changes, how often, do you use only RO/DI, do you use GAC and or GFO, what do you feed the tank and what animals do you house? What are your most current water test numbers?
Of course you should attempt to clear this up naturally using the following steps.
Perform an immediate 40-50% water change using ro/di water only. If your ro/di filters are old, get new ones.
Immediately cut the amount of food that you put in the tank in 1/2
Cut your photo period down a bit so that there is less light on the tank for the next few weeks. Of course, take into account the animals that you keep and don't deprive SPS, Clams, etc etc from the light they need to survive. I am sure that you can cut it a bit though.
"Wet Skim" as much as possible so that you are emptying the collection cup more often, like once daily, rather than pulling dryer skimmate from the collection cup. There are two schools of thought on this option. Some say, "Why wet skim when you can just change water" Seems like a good argument but "wet skimming" has seemed to work for me in the past and that is all I can attest to.
Increase your flow, I would double it in GPH if you can. Buy new pumps or borrow some from your local club to get over this hump.
Start using or change your currently used GFO and GAC. While you are going through this battle change it weekly during your water change and tank maintenance.
Finally, I have used Blue Vet Red Slime Remover with good results but chemicals should only be used if the above actions fail AND the cyano is threatening the health of the animals that you keep. I am sure that others will chime in and are probably ticking away on the keyboard as I type this reply. Keep the faith, you will get through this and best of luck!
Can you please detail for us your tank description? How many gallons, how much flow do you have, do you have a skimmer, what kind of lights, how old are your bulbs, do you do water changes, how often, do you use only RO/DI, do you use GAC and or GFO, what do you feed the tank and what animals do you house? What are your most current water test numbers?
Of course you should attempt to clear this up naturally using the following steps.
Perform an immediate 40-50% water change using ro/di water only. If your ro/di filters are old, get new ones.
Immediately cut the amount of food that you put in the tank in 1/2
Cut your photo period down a bit so that there is less light on the tank for the next few weeks. Of course, take into account the animals that you keep and don't deprive SPS, Clams, etc etc from the light they need to survive. I am sure that you can cut it a bit though.
"Wet Skim" as much as possible so that you are emptying the collection cup more often, like once daily, rather than pulling dryer skimmate from the collection cup. There are two schools of thought on this option. Some say, "Why wet skim when you can just change water" Seems like a good argument but "wet skimming" has seemed to work for me in the past and that is all I can attest to.
Increase your flow, I would double it in GPH if you can. Buy new pumps or borrow some from your local club to get over this hump.
Start using or change your currently used GFO and GAC. While you are going through this battle change it weekly during your water change and tank maintenance.
Finally, I have used Blue Vet Red Slime Remover with good results but chemicals should only be used if the above actions fail AND the cyano is threatening the health of the animals that you keep. I am sure that others will chime in and are probably ticking away on the keyboard as I type this reply. Keep the faith, you will get through this and best of luck!
yup deff cyano. Give us some more details on the tank ike how long its been up size how much flow ETC. Then we can give you more details on what you need to do as to battle it and get rid of it. Remove as much as possible by hand syphon ETC as you can and possibly do a water change. Low flow bad lights over feeding are 3 things that really contribute to cyano outbreaks.
http://www.suite101.com/content/how-to-battle-cyanobacteria-a44385
that link goes into some details on what to do to help combat it.
http://www.suite101.com/content/how-to-battle-cyanobacteria-a44385
that link goes into some details on what to do to help combat it.
75 gallons
3 Koralia Evo 750
AquaC Remora
Ecco Canister Filter
Feed once daily, have started every other day
AquaticLife 6 bulb fixture with the original bulbs which came with it. Maybe 2 months old
Use bottled water for changes which happens once a week (10 gallons each change)
Tank houses: Velvet Damsel, Yellow Watchman Goby, Midas Blenny, 2 Clowns, 1 snail and 1 hermit crab
Feeding Spirulina Brine Shrimp and flakes along with the occasional frozen meaty food.
Thank you!
3 Koralia Evo 750
AquaC Remora
Ecco Canister Filter
Feed once daily, have started every other day
AquaticLife 6 bulb fixture with the original bulbs which came with it. Maybe 2 months old
Use bottled water for changes which happens once a week (10 gallons each change)
Tank houses: Velvet Damsel, Yellow Watchman Goby, Midas Blenny, 2 Clowns, 1 snail and 1 hermit crab
Feeding Spirulina Brine Shrimp and flakes along with the occasional frozen meaty food.
Thank you!
DLANDINO
D.L. Heritage Rings
Bottled RO water? And what frozen food? Mysis shrimp and the likes are loaded with po4. EVERY TIME I started to use mysis shrimp I got a cyano outbreak. I have not used them in a year and wallah, no cyano to be found. If you must use, you should rinse the cubes in water to get rid of all of the juice they freeze in the blocks. Flakes are also a major Po4 holder. My guess is that these two combined foods has greatly contributed to your problem.
Palting
New member
Definitely cyanobacteria. Usually from too much nutrients, bad or old lights, and not enought flow. By bottled water, do you mean bottled RODI or just bottled water?
Anyhow, I had a severe cyano outbreak in my QT. Fixed it by vaccuming my whole sand bed to get rid of detritus and the cyano that was in there, turkey basting the cyano in the rocks to get them in the water column, replacing all my mechanical filters, and doing a near 100% water change. It worked.
Here are a few pics of the QT. BEFORE:
AFTER:
Cyano never came back.
Anyhow, I had a severe cyano outbreak in my QT. Fixed it by vaccuming my whole sand bed to get rid of detritus and the cyano that was in there, turkey basting the cyano in the rocks to get them in the water column, replacing all my mechanical filters, and doing a near 100% water change. It worked.
Here are a few pics of the QT. BEFORE:
AFTER:
Cyano never came back.
Anytime you use frozen food to feed make sure you rinse it real good in RO/DI water and let it thaw completley before feeding.Be sure your not over feeding when you do feed, I always fed slowly and in real small amounts even if it meant having to feed the fish 3 or 4 times at once instead of a big pinch all at once. Check the water you are using and see if it is RO or RO/DI water. Your water could be causing the problem.
Also lower the powerheads into the tank some to where they blow more across the rocks and see if that helps lower the cyano.
Do you happen to have a small HOB filter you could possibly add some carbon too? Add it too see if helps clear the water up some.
Also lower the powerheads into the tank some to where they blow more across the rocks and see if that helps lower the cyano.
Do you happen to have a small HOB filter you could possibly add some carbon too? Add it too see if helps clear the water up some.
