God I hate cyano
- Thread starter davester1
- Start date
More flow? Sorry to hear you're having trouble with it... Are you running GFO? What is your feeding schedule?
I never had it until last time I was home I noticed it, so it had gone a long while without any cyano, and then it developed, but it only developed on the underside of a rock that had been there a long time with no previous traces of cyano. Hmmmm.
Have you tried Red Slime Remover? Maybe even less drastic is using the Boyd's Chemi-Pure Plus, which is the black bottled one with the gold label, and it's supposed to be regular chemi-pure carbon (which I really like using to begin with, as he is local and sponsors our club by selling at a huge discount at frag swaps) and it also has red-slime remover in the carbon sack, so it's always runing, but never harming the tank.
I never had it until last time I was home I noticed it, so it had gone a long while without any cyano, and then it developed, but it only developed on the underside of a rock that had been there a long time with no previous traces of cyano. Hmmmm.
Have you tried Red Slime Remover? Maybe even less drastic is using the Boyd's Chemi-Pure Plus, which is the black bottled one with the gold label, and it's supposed to be regular chemi-pure carbon (which I really like using to begin with, as he is local and sponsors our club by selling at a huge discount at frag swaps) and it also has red-slime remover in the carbon sack, so it's always runing, but never harming the tank.
gasman059
The OG mad scientist
I will vote totally against red slime remover!
I certainly seen tanks after w/o problems but recently saw a complete disaster after- killing 90% of thriving acros just a heads up.
How many times u r turning your tank over- more importantly what's your fish stcoking and skimmer.Cyano seems to be a problem with immature systems- it may not be your problem after a year but certainly could be.
CB is ubiquitous (meaning it is always present in trace amounts) and opportunistic; it only becomes a problem when stress conditions exist in the tank. Some common stressors include:
1.cycling a new tank.
2.moving a tank.
3.major aquascaping or disturbance of the sandbed.
4.overfeeding (high nutrient loads can be a stressor as well as fuel for CB).
5.decaying fish or corals.
6.low/no flow water zones.
7.poor filter/sandbed maintenance.
8.sudden large water changes after periods of no water changes.
9.overstocking.
10.spikes or drops in water temps (often showing up days or weeks after a power failure). It is not the highs or lows as much as the fluctuation between them.
11.low oxygenation (again showing up down the road from a power failure that stopped circulation pumps).
First, eliminate the stressors. You may treat and retreat without long term success until you do- RSR will quickly kill all the CB in your tank but it will also wreak havoc on your beneficial bacteria,
Be patient. If you correct the stressors it will diminish over time
HTH
I certainly seen tanks after w/o problems but recently saw a complete disaster after- killing 90% of thriving acros just a heads up.
How many times u r turning your tank over- more importantly what's your fish stcoking and skimmer.Cyano seems to be a problem with immature systems- it may not be your problem after a year but certainly could be.
CB is ubiquitous (meaning it is always present in trace amounts) and opportunistic; it only becomes a problem when stress conditions exist in the tank. Some common stressors include:
1.cycling a new tank.
2.moving a tank.
3.major aquascaping or disturbance of the sandbed.
4.overfeeding (high nutrient loads can be a stressor as well as fuel for CB).
5.decaying fish or corals.
6.low/no flow water zones.
7.poor filter/sandbed maintenance.
8.sudden large water changes after periods of no water changes.
9.overstocking.
10.spikes or drops in water temps (often showing up days or weeks after a power failure). It is not the highs or lows as much as the fluctuation between them.
11.low oxygenation (again showing up down the road from a power failure that stopped circulation pumps).
First, eliminate the stressors. You may treat and retreat without long term success until you do- RSR will quickly kill all the CB in your tank but it will also wreak havoc on your beneficial bacteria,
Be patient. If you correct the stressors it will diminish over time
HTH
Last edited:
davester1
Member
I too am against treating it chemically. Its probably why i still have it after all the steps i have taken so far.
I have an iwaki 100 (3600gph?) for my main circulation and a iwaki 55 (1200gph?) for a closed loop/chiller. I am told this should be plenty for a 220. I hesitate to add more for fear of a sandstorm.
My skimmer is a 4' asm g6 with 3 sedra 9000's.
1. i did not have cyano until about 7 months into the hobby.
2. not moved for over a year
3. nope
4. dropped from feeding twice a day with flakes + frozen + pellets to just pellets and frozen once a day. helped considerably but now comming back.
5. no fish missing, some coral death due to cyano landing on it in small places.
6. possible but the cyano is also in the high flow zones
7. This could be it. how should one maintain a sand bed?
.
8. i do a 55gallon change once a month.
9. 2 clowns, 1 emporer angel, i bicolor angel, 1 sailfin, 1 hippo, 1 power blue, 1 java damsel, 1 evansi anthia, 1 soldier fish, 2 pajamas, 2 bangaii. + corals and 1 anenome. too much?
10. hmmm.. winter has arrived, my tank is in garage and I did take advantage of cold fronts. I target 80 degrees but it has gone to 75 once for a few hours.
11. 1 large shop fan blowing over water surface + the 3 sedras in the skimmer.
I use instant ocean with great success. would you suggest an alternative such as nsw?
I also have ordered replacement filters for my 6 stage r/o.
I also ordered and installed replacement xm10k's.
Thanks for the tips, this is very helpful to me!
I have an iwaki 100 (3600gph?) for my main circulation and a iwaki 55 (1200gph?) for a closed loop/chiller. I am told this should be plenty for a 220. I hesitate to add more for fear of a sandstorm.
My skimmer is a 4' asm g6 with 3 sedra 9000's.
1. i did not have cyano until about 7 months into the hobby.
2. not moved for over a year
3. nope
4. dropped from feeding twice a day with flakes + frozen + pellets to just pellets and frozen once a day. helped considerably but now comming back.
5. no fish missing, some coral death due to cyano landing on it in small places.
6. possible but the cyano is also in the high flow zones
7. This could be it. how should one maintain a sand bed?
.
8. i do a 55gallon change once a month.
9. 2 clowns, 1 emporer angel, i bicolor angel, 1 sailfin, 1 hippo, 1 power blue, 1 java damsel, 1 evansi anthia, 1 soldier fish, 2 pajamas, 2 bangaii. + corals and 1 anenome. too much?
10. hmmm.. winter has arrived, my tank is in garage and I did take advantage of cold fronts. I target 80 degrees but it has gone to 75 once for a few hours.
11. 1 large shop fan blowing over water surface + the 3 sedras in the skimmer.
I use instant ocean with great success. would you suggest an alternative such as nsw?
I also have ordered replacement filters for my 6 stage r/o.
I also ordered and installed replacement xm10k's.
Thanks for the tips, this is very helpful to me!
reefarchitect
New member
Dude,
Out of curiosity, what is the TDS of your R/O?
Mine was at ~10-15 and once I changed my filters and went back to ZERO, the cyano started to go away with the water changes. As I siphoned it out, it quit comming back.
Also, how often do you change the carbon in your reactor? (just out of curiosity)
Stay away from red-slime remover. It is tetracycline which also kills good bacteria along with the bad that causes red slime..
Out of curiosity, what is the TDS of your R/O?
Mine was at ~10-15 and once I changed my filters and went back to ZERO, the cyano started to go away with the water changes. As I siphoned it out, it quit comming back.
Also, how often do you change the carbon in your reactor? (just out of curiosity)
Stay away from red-slime remover. It is tetracycline which also kills good bacteria along with the bad that causes red slime..
reefarchitect
New member
Also, if you have TDS in your r/o and you use that water to make the salt mix for water changes, you will get no releif from syphoning it out.
Just my 2-cents, check your TDS.
Just my 2-cents, check your TDS.
coralfragger101
Gone Postal
I read this thread yesterday and "almost" posted against the use of slime remover but didn't for fear of getting into yet another debate.
Glad to see others are taking the lead.
Glad to see others are taking the lead.
davester1
Member
McLovin,
If that is your real name
Don't make me go all pre-historic all on ya!
I doubt my TDS is at issue. You may recall, when I started the hobby, I was mixing salt water right from the tap, see 2nd photo. See any cyano?
Although now I know that is not wise and have since went from a no r/o to a 3 stage and then a 6 stage r/o, the introduction of the hundreds of dollars of r/o equipment have had no noticable effect on the cyano.
That being said, my TDS is up to 8 --- Jerk. And I have order replacement filters.
Maybe I should cancel and go back to tapwater? Or leave my PH at 4.2 like you?
Seriously, i think i will switch salts but thats another debate
Peace.
If that is your real name
Don't make me go all pre-historic all on ya!I doubt my TDS is at issue. You may recall, when I started the hobby, I was mixing salt water right from the tap, see 2nd photo. See any cyano?
Although now I know that is not wise and have since went from a no r/o to a 3 stage and then a 6 stage r/o, the introduction of the hundreds of dollars of r/o equipment have had no noticable effect on the cyano.
That being said, my TDS is up to 8 --- Jerk. And I have order replacement filters.
Maybe I should cancel and go back to tapwater? Or leave my PH at 4.2 like you?
Seriously, i think i will switch salts but thats another debate
Peace.
sufunk
New member
I've been having a small slime issue as well.<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11949102#post11949102 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gasman059
I will vote totally against red slime remover!
I certainly seen tanks after w/o problems but recently saw a complete disaster after- killing 90% of thriving acros just a heads up.
How many times u r turning your tank over- more importantly what's your fish stcoking and skimmer.Cyano seems to be a problem with immature systems- it may not be your problem after a year but certainly could be.
CB is ubiquitous (meaning it is always present in trace amounts) and opportunistic; it only becomes a problem when stress conditions exist in the tank. Some common stressors include:
1.cycling a new tank.
2.moving a tank.
3.major aquascaping or disturbance of the sandbed.
4.overfeeding (high nutrient loads can be a stressor as well as fuel for CB).
5.decaying fish or corals.
6.low/no flow water zones.
7.poor filter/sandbed maintenance.
8.sudden large water changes after periods of no water changes.
9.overstocking.
10.spikes or drops in water temps (often showing up days or weeks after a power failure). It is not the highs or lows as much as the fluctuation between them.
11.low oxygenation (again showing up down the road from a power failure that stopped circulation pumps).
First, eliminate the stressors. You may treat and retreat without long term success until you do- RSR will quickly kill all the CB in your tank but it will also wreak havoc on your beneficial bacteria,
Be patient. If you correct the stressors it will diminish over time
As for that list, the only 2 i have was a sudden temp drop and a lost lyretail anthias. I know he is in there somewhere and rotted but cant find him for the life of me.
Temp is stable now and have done a water change but cant seem to kick it
I think i'm gonna have to just siphon it all out and hope it doesnt return.
Fish2reef
New member
I was getting my RO water from a LFS until testing it with a TDS and getting a reading of 12 not that bad but just for curiosity I started using distilled water to see what happened as a result I see the rocks getting cleaner and a small amount cyano disappearing.
The cyano was a small amount so it never really bother me but I did notice some of my snails dying every time it showed up, something to consider if you leave them in the tank to decompose (pick one up and smell it) it turns out that cyano is poisonous and enough dead snails will stress your bio-load creating a vicious cycle.
The cyano was a small amount so it never really bother me but I did notice some of my snails dying every time it showed up, something to consider if you leave them in the tank to decompose (pick one up and smell it) it turns out that cyano is poisonous and enough dead snails will stress your bio-load creating a vicious cycle.
jeffbrig
Premium Member
Dave, I feel your pain. I've been dealing with cyano recently as well, and like you I refuse to use the chemical removers. I'm trying to stay vigilant by siphoning out the visible patches and limiting feeding. Even though I don't think flow is an issue in my tank, I am about to add another pair of Tunze streams. We'll see if that has any affect.
coralfragger101
Gone Postal
Out of curiosity, of those that are having the cyano issues - who uses baking soda?
NO - I don't know anything and am not suggesting anything.
Just looking for a common denominator.
NO - I don't know anything and am not suggesting anything.
Just looking for a common denominator.
coralfragger101
Gone Postal
Seems as though a lot of folks are using it maintain the alkalinity in their tanks.
reefarchitect
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11955233#post11955233 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davester1
McLovin,
If that is your real name
I doubt my TDS is at issue. You may recall, when I started the hobby, I was mixing salt water right from the tap, see 2nd photo. See any cyano?
Although now I know that is not wise and have since went from a no r/o to a 3 stage and then a 6 stage r/o, the introduction of the hundreds of dollars of r/o equipment have had no noticable effect on the cyano.
That being said, my TDS is up to 8 --- Jerk. And I have order replacement filters.
Maybe I should cancel and go back to tapwater? Or leave my PH at 4.2 like you?
Seriously, i think i will switch salts but thats another debate
Peace.
Dude,
Thats not cool, now everyone is going to know I'm a jerk. Thanks for outing me.
Change filters, make lots of water, do lots of water changes, then post again.
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