griss’ Battle with Cyano - all the Things I’ve Tried

[griss]

Anyone have any experience with Dr. Tim’s Cyano Treatment? In 36 years in this hobby I've never had such a problem with cyano. I've been battling it for at least 6 months.

I have a 40BR drilled in the back with an eshopps through the tank overflow. I have (2) 520 gph powerheads and a 230 gph powerhead on a Red Sea wavemaker. 10 gallon sump with filter sock which I change at least twice a week. eshopps cone skimmer rated for 120 gallons. 500 gph return pump. I run GFO and carbon. Lighting is 175 watt MH pendant with 10K bulb and (2) LED actinic light bars. I have about 1" Caribbsea sand on the bottom of the tank (which I vacuum once every couple of weeks) and about 35 pounds of rock. All water parameters are good and I do a 5-gallon water change once a week. Yes, I know based on my setup I'm old school

My RO/DI system is set up as follows. 5 micron sediment filter, 5 micron Chloramine carbon block, 1 micron carbon block, 75 gpd membrane, Anion cartridge, Cation cartridge and finally a mix bed DI cartridge. Water out of the membrane is 7-8 TDS and product water is 0 TDS. TDS meter is calibrated.

Minimal livestock in the tank. 1 Caribbean Hawkfish and 2 Clarkii Clowns, a rock anemone, 2 gorgonians, a handful of R. Florida, numerous Zoas, some Caribbean Stony corals that came on my KP Aquatics live rock and some snail and hermits.

This tank has been set up for a couple of years and has been very successful until the last 6 months or so. For the life of me, I cannot figure out WTH is going on.

 

[kharmaguru]

Is there an actual product that i don't see or is it the Re-fresh/Waste-away combination protocol?

Algae - Cyano - Dinos | DrTim's Aquatics

After reading the instructions it almost seems like turning off your skimmer and doing nothing else might work (since he suggests the skimmer is removing cyano's competitors).

 

[griss]

Is there an actual product that i don't see or is it the Re-fresh/Waste-away combination protocol?

Algae - Cyano - Dinos | DrTim's Aquatics

After reading the instructions it almost seems like turning off your skimmer and doing nothing else might work (since he suggests the skimmer is removing cyano's competitors).

It's the Re-Fresh/Waste-Away combination. Some online vendors sell them as a package and call it Dr. Tim's Cyanobacteria Treatment.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

I know this may be a dumb question but how often are you taking your powerheads and wavemakers and other filtration equipment offline and giving them a cleaning?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

6 months sounds about right, to me anyways

 

[JohnL]

For the life of me, I cannot figure out WTH is going on.

Are you growing any macro algae George?

 

[griss]

I know this may be a dumb question but how often are you taking your powerheads and wavemakers and other filtration equipment offline and giving them a cleaning?

I clean them every couple weeks.

 

[griss]

Are you growing any macro algae George?

No John, just the Mermaids cup that’s growing out of the rock. That will change when I upgrade as the upgraded sump has a Fuge.

Found out tonight my refractometer was out of calibration. 1.020, not 1.025. Could that be part of the problem?

Also, my RO membrane died yesterday. Totally clogged. It made it 4 years though, so I can’t complain. Ordered a new one today.

 

[JohnL]

Found out tonight my refractometer was out of calibration. 1.020, not 1.025. Could that be part of the problem?

I'm not sure.

 

[griss]

Also, I did 3 5-gallon water changes over the weekend, one on Friday, one Saturday and one yesterday. Now, I'm hoping I have enough RO/DI for topoffs until the new RO membrane arrives

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Water @ 1.020 is a problem with inverts & corals for sure.
Fish, not so much.
Bring it up SLOWLY.

 

[griss]

Water @ 1.020 is a problem with inverts & corals for sure.
Fish, not so much.
Bring it up SLOWLY.

Yep, that's what I'm doing.

 

[griss]

Okay, when I ordered the new RO membrane, I also added the Dr. Tim's Re-fresh/waste-away combo. When I receive it. I'll try to be good about posting results. I'm terrible about following up on things like that, but I'll try

 

[JohnL]

I'm terrible about following up on things like that, but I'll try

We'll remind you

 

[griss]

We'll remind you

 

[griss]

New RO Membrane and Dr. Tim's arriving today.

Here's a few tank shots from last night. Keep in mind, this is after the lights being on all day. First thing in the morning, almost everything is covered in cyano. Also, since doing 3 5-gallon water changes over three days, the Mermaids Cup algae has suddenly taken off and is growing like crazy. Yes, I know I need to clean my powerheads

 

[griss]

Once I get the RO membrane, I should be able to make water to do the initial water change that Dr. Tim's calls for. Once the water change is done, I dose the Dr. Tim's. Here's the instructions from what I've gathered for my size of tank.

Day 1 - Manually clean as much algae as possible. Add 20 mL of Re-Fresh. Turn off skimmer for 2-4 hours.
Day 3 - Add 20 mL of Re-Fresh. Turn of skimmer for 2-4 hours.
Day 5 - Add 5 mL of Waste-Away. Turn off skimmer for 2-4 hours.
Day 7 - Add 7.5 mL of Waste-Away. Turn off skimmer for 2-4 hours.
Day 9 - Add 10 mL of Waste-Away. Turn off skimmer for 2-4 hours.
Day 11 - Add 12.5 mL of Waste-Away. Turn off skimmer for 2-4 hours.
Day 12 - Do a water change.
Day 14 - Add 15 mL of Waste-Away. Turn off skimmer for 2-4 hours.

Then, I am supposed to add 15-20 mL of Waste-Away monthly OR add a Waste-Away Time Release Gel (these are supposed to last up to 30 days) to the tank.

 

[JohnL]

Good luck

 

[griss]

Good luck

Thank you sir!

 

[griss]

Got the RO membrane replaced last night and started making water. Got enough RO/DI for topoffs and to make 5 gallons for a water change. By then, it was to late to do the water change, so that will be tonight along with the first dose of Re-Fresh.