Ugly stages?

[Ab129]

Tank has been cycled for 6 months lights didn't go on till 6 weeks ago.
About 3 weeks ago I believe diatom bloom started. It looked like it was fading after a week and a half but now not so much. The accumulation on the glass seems to be getting worse! I clean the glass and in 24 hours it has a thin brown film on it already. CUC from reefcleaners is on the way but is this normal?
Sorry pic is such poor quality

 

[ramseynb]

Most likely normal. Are you carbon dosing?

 

[jlmawp]

Looks like that might be cyano. If it is, the CUC isn't really going to touch it.

What all did you add to the tank once the lights came on?

 

[RobZilla04]

Unfortunately you've just started the ugly stages. Light is a major component and necessary for photosynthesis. Now that you've added this fuel to the equation things are finally blooming from the excess nutrients.

You need to get some results for Nitrates and Phosphates, then get them under control.

 

[mcgyvr]

Does look like cyano
Next time.. turn the blue channels off or way down.. All that blue is one big reason you can't get a decent picture and it certainly doesn't show proper color rendition..

Siphon out the cyano with water changes and if you don't have corals you can cut the lights again to see if you can get it to go away..

And yes a film on the glass is pretty darn normal

 

[Fylerb]

Looks like cyano. Chemiclean will clear it up. They get ugly before beautiful

 

[Ab129]

No carbon dosing
Only thing afford since lights came on is one BTA
Nitrates in the 10-20 ppm range.
Don't have phosphate test kit yet.
took pics with blue turned down hopefully they came out better than the last.

 

[RobZilla04]

That's cyano and a lot of at that. Chemiclean and no more livestock till that's gone.

Follow the instructions exactly.

 

[Ab129]

The majority of the snails in my CUC will eat cyano according to reefcleaners.
They should be delivered on Wednesday. Should I give them a shot before trying the chemiclean?
I mean I don't want the CUC to have no food when I put them in.

 

[ramseynb]

The majority of the snails in my CUC will eat cyano according to reefcleaners.
They should be delivered on Wednesday. Should I give them a shot before trying the chemiclean?
I mean I don't want the CUC to have no food when I put them in.

Your tank is new. I wouldn't use chemi-clean. I've read horror stories about it. Plus, it'll just come back if the underlying problem isn't addressed. Just siphon out what you can during water changes, get a phosphate test and give it time. If in a month or two it's still there or gets worse, then look into cyano products that won't kill your good bacteria (ZEOvit makes one, haven't used it though). I have a bit of cyano in my tank that is there from either overdosing amino acids/etc or from elevated phosphates. I've just been patient in treating it. I lowered my dosing and suck as much out as I can during a water change. My tank is young too, so I just consider it a phase. No way would I put chemi-clean in my tank. Looking at it today, it seems to be getting better so once again, patience is paying off it seems.

 

[jlmawp]

The majority of the snails in my CUC will eat cyano according to reefcleaners.
They should be delivered on Wednesday. Should I give them a shot before trying the chemiclean?
I mean I don't want the CUC to have no food when I put them in.

I'd be careful. During my stint with cyano, I lost a good chunk of snails. I'm not saying they are wrong, I'm just saying that I had a large die-off during that time. Could have been that the algae got starved out, so they didn't have enough food, but I'm fairly certain cyano isn't good for a lot of animals that specialize in algae.

 

[Ab129]

So I picked up a salifert phosphate test kit today,
just tested and the results say zero phosphates.
Tested nitrates and they are between 5 and 10 ppm.
I have been doing a 10 gallon water change every week.
I think I will do 15 tomorrow and suck out as much of this crap
As I can.
It is driving me crazy to look at this cloudy tank!!

 

[ramseynb]

I know it sucks but have patience. Only bad things happen fast.

 

[mcgyvr]

What a difference proper color makes..

That really does not look like cyano to me now that I can see it properly.
Just diatoms and some green film algae mixed in...

It will pass in time.. your nitrate/phosphate levels are just fine too.. Patience.. You can siphon it out during water changes but expect to suck up quite a bit of sand as you do that..

 

[Ab129]

I'm glad to hear you don't think it's cyano and I'm trying to be patient.
Put that CUC to work when they get here!

 

[Jesterrace]

I'm glad to hear you don't think it's cyano and I'm trying to be patient.
Put that CUC to work when they get here!

Don't feel bad, I am at the green hair stage right now and it sucks. I have 3 turbos and about 23 other snails in my 90 right now am running GFO and it is only making a modest improvement. I hope the lawnmower blenny does it's job (will be adding it in another week or so).

 

[Ab129]

I know nothing at all about cleanup crews but the one I ordered will contain well over 100 snails for my 75. Maybe you need some more numbers.
I was shocked when I saw what was recommended for my tank and considered ordering down to like the 40 gallon package but decided to just go with what was suggested.