Lights-Off to control Cyano

[che25]

In my latest attempt to rid my tank of Red-Slime, I'm trying the "Lights-Off" method.

I'm getting really frustrated with this nasty bloom; I've had a reef tank for nearly 2 years without major cyano problems until now. It's been really bad........it's doubled in less than two hours at it's peak.

I've added a refugium (with Cheato), inserted phosphate absorbents, and used Chemi-Clear. I move the cyano around with a turkey baster daily.

I've been changing the water weekly, 20-30% with RO/DI water.

The bloom really took off when I added MH lighting about 3 weeks ago. The latest strategy is shutting off the lights for the next 72 hours.

A few questions please:

Is there any danger to the corals in doing this?
Will it be back after I resume a normal lighting schedule?
I want to take out the bio-balls. Is there any danger to doing this now?

I must say that after the first 24 hour period, the cyano has dropped by about 75%.

I hope this works and any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sassafrass]

Your corals will be fine,definitely get rid of the bio-balls and keep on doing what you have been minus the chemi-clear (it is only a band-aid) and have patience you are on the right track .You might want to check your RODI to make sure if any of your filters are exuasted.
Lee

 

[Capt_Cully]

Well said. The change in lighting spectra is likely your cause. It may come back once lights go on again though. Anytime you have a major change, you may experience problems while the system equillibrates to it.

Try shortening your photoperiod when you turn them back on. Perhaps it will be more manageable.

Whenever I worry about corals or fish, you gotta remember, at some point they were ok under crappy lighting in a LFS. OR they survived the trip from Fiji or Samoa etc in a plastic bag. They'll be fine in a clean, well balanced system for a few days.

 

[Allanira]

Take out the sand that the cyano is on. Thats how I finally got mine undercontrol and gone. Turning the lights out, doing water changes, and adding chemicals didnt help. Just scoop up the sand cyano and all and remove that from your tank.

 

[Sk8r]

Also check your windows to be sure a stray beam from a side window isn't getting to the tank at any hour of the day. That's one of the most frequent problems.
The corals may look disgruntled, but they'll come out once it's gone. Just DO be prepared for a big bio dieoff as you kill this stuff: it's animal protein, not plant, and it will need your skimmer in top form.
BE SURE your 4th day is actinic-only, or you can burn your corals. On the 5th day, you can go back to regular lighting schedule.

A very potent skimmer is important in fighting this stuff. It is bacterial, and it feeds on some nutrients, but mostly odd-spectumed light.

 

[Michael]

phosphates and organics cause algae, brown and red and green, a good skimmer wont produce miracles overnight but will help with organic removal, i had brown/red algae problems and bought asecond skimmer, a good 1, it was brill ive not had a problem since, this is my experience with the brown/red crap

 

[IslandCrow]

What do you mean by "move the cyano around with a turkey baster"? If you're just blowing it around your tank, that's a really bad idea. You can usually suck it up with the turkey baster and remove it that way, or give it a little blow and then suck it out of the waterstream.

 

[Sk8r]

An important point however, makes cyanobacteria different from other pests: it is a bacterium in sheet form, an animal colony, and gives off (and, I'm guessing, requires) amino acids...which are pretty well the skimmer's job to remove. Having a huge amount of cyano die off at once in your tank is about equivalent to having a largish fish die under the rockwork. (Glug.)
It's also why products such as Chemiclean are dangerous particularly in newish tanks: you get the dieoff of the cyano, and added to it, the dieoff of your beneficial bacteria: it kills both without discriminating. So just crank up the skimmer and get it by the lights-out method: a lot safer.

 

[che25]

I've been moving with the turkey baster to push it up into the water column where I hope the skimmer will hit it. There's been too much to remove...........it would take days. BTW--This problem developed very rapidly. It drives home the concept of "exponential growth rates".

 

[Sk8r]

che, I'm wondering if that RS80 is capable of handling a 75 well enough for whatever load it's carrying. I've usually found the gallons-estimate of skimmers to be off considerably. I ran an Urchin rated for 50-60 g in my 54 g and had a bad problem, then changed out to an Aqua C Ev120 (twice the skimmer) and have fared much, much better. I don't know how these companies figure their capacity but I've (insert grim humor) suspected them of doing it on tanks with no fish in them.

 

[Allanira]

Like I said take a fish net and scoop up the cyano and sand that it is on. All that you see. its just the top layer of sand that you are getting and remove it completely from your tank. I did it and got rid of it right then and there. I havent seen any of it back since then. Thats been about a week now. I love having white sand again lol. Good luck

 

[Michael]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12874225#post12874225 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Allanira
Like I said take a fish net and scoop up the cyano and sand that it is on. All that you see. its just the top layer of sand that you are getting and remove it completely from your tank. I did it and got rid of it right then and there. I havent seen any of it back since then. Thats been about a week now. I love having white sand again lol. Good luck

thats great news, however you will find it will be back unfortunately, you removed the visual crap, but you never sorted out the root of the problem, sorry to sound like im talking crap but scooping up the top layer of the substate will help however the problem is in the water and you need to address the problem long term, or it will return guarenteed

 

[che25]

Thanks for the great advice sk8r.

The RS80 skimmer has been working fine until now. I wish I came here when I was setting up the tank instead of relying on the LFS for advice. My money would of been better spent if I would of invested in a larger skimmer when I first installed system.

I'm trying to solve this problem without throwing more money at it. As you so adroitly quote the Great Augustus/Octavian Caesar: "Make haste slowly". If I'm still having trouble after exhausting all the cheap and simple solutions, it will be new skimmer time-----and yet another damnation at the LFS.

 

[kevin2000]

Cyano tends to be the direct result of excess phosphates within the tank ... turning off the lights may impede the cyano but isn't considered a serious method for eliminating.

Focus on eliminating the phosphates and remember that once established starving cyano can be a long process.

Increase the quantity and frequency of your water changes - syphon out the cyano on a regular basis. If you using filter media then rinse it daily until the cyano is behind you. If you using flake food consider switching to frozen (flake tends to be high in phosphate) - if your using frozen them make sure you thaw/rinse the food before feeding.

Must be a zillion posts on cyano.

 

[che25]

Lights-Off 48 hours+:

The Cyano is just about gone! I'm estimating that it is 95% cleared up.

I'm planning on one more massive water change tomorrow and removing 1/2 of the bio-balls today.

I'll post water parameters before and after the water change. Thanks for all the help on this nasty issue. I understand now why some people say Cyano can drive them out of the hobby.

Cheers.

 

[Michael]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12874964#post12874964 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kevin2000
Cyano tends to be the direct result of excess phosphates within the tank ... turning off the lights may impede the cyano but isn't considered a serious method for eliminating.

Focus on eliminating the phosphates and remember that once established starving cyano can be a long process.

Increase the quantity and frequency of your water changes - syphon out the cyano on a regular basis. If you using filter media then rinse it daily until the cyano is behind you. If you using flake food consider switching to frozen (flake tends to be high in phosphate) - if your using frozen them make sure you thaw/rinse the food before feeding.

Must be a zillion posts on cyano.

yep i agree kevin, i feel theres still away to go for che25 yet, good luck to che though

 

[che25]

Thanks Mike:

I'm not counting on miracles at this point...........I'm sure I'll have to add a phosban reactor to the system, I'm sure that is at the heart of the problem. Ye Gods.......another pump in the sump, I'm running out of room!

Also, as I take out the bio-balls, there is another sponge media between the sump and the return reservoir. Do you think this should be removed as well?

Thanks

 

[Michael]

i personally hate sponges, i have a sponge in my hang on overflow which connects to the sump, its the only 1 in my entire system, i clean it every day, if they get dirty they cause nitrate problems, if you can get to your sponge and clean it regually with no difficulties then id say its not a problem, if you have any in canisters then id say remove them, i only run carbon in my canister and switch of every 7-10 days to clean or replace, id soon get annoyed having to do it more for sponges though

 

[che25]

Lights-Off @ 72 Hrs:

The Cyano is gone! However, the real test will be when the lights resume. I will be doing a large water change before the lights come back on.

I removed 1/2 the bio-balls yesterday. When would it be a good time to remove the remaining bio-balls?

Thanks for all the great advice.

Cheers.

 

[ripthesystem]

Che25 - could you give an update on your situation now that you've removed the bio-balls and turned your lights back on? I just switched to a more powerful different spectrum light system and while my corals seem to enjoy it and the tank looks a lot better I ended up getting a huge burst of Cyano red slime and it's quickly taking over the tank.

I have a skimmer that barely pulled anything out before and now there's notable difference in the amounts it's skimming. I've sucked out and fished out the Cyano but it quickly returns and there's no way for me to get it all.

I'm walking in the other room right now and cutting the lights for 3 days and just want to make sure that as I go through this process I have all the info I can.

Additionally - Do you think it would be ok to turn on the Antnics for 10 minutes a day or so to feed the fish and try to turkey baster out the algae or should I just let the fish starve for the 3 day period? I only have 2 fish in the system ATM (clown/damsel)

Thank you!