Cyano

[David604]

So now I have Cyano.
Great!
About a month ago a removed my crushed coral substrate and replaced with live sand from a reef tank.
The reef tank had been "let go" as it was being torn down.

I change water A LOT, every week. I do have a large bio load. My skimmer does suck and I'm thinking my water flow might be too light.

The problem did occur though when I changed the substrate.

Where should I focus my efforts other than cutting back on feedings and increasing ater changes. Should I increase lighting time....add a powerhead?
I am definately going to test for phosphates first...

If it's not one thing it's another! lol
David

[phishphood]

def test the phosphates, nutrients have to come from somewhere. But also toss in another powerhead or create more flow in one way or another. Your bulbs could be going, but not likely.

Just a thought too, might test your new water for phosphates and see if you're just adding more...

[lucubrator]

You also probably caused a small ammonia spike when you dug up the sand from the other tank.
Try to get your skimmer pulling water from the top of the tank as well.
People have also mentioned that their algae problems nearly disappeared when they cut the light cycle by a third or so.

[SDFISHMAN]

Are you useing Ro water or tap?? increase your flow and syphon it out every few days..

[SDFISHMAN]

lucubrator maybe you can answer this for me.. Is cyano a algea or bacteria? I was told it wasn't a algea but I took care of it by turning my lights off for a few days.. Algea needs light to thrive so what is it??

[BigAir]

Water changes , 10-15% 2 times a week. Cyano is not phosphate oriented, it is a bacteria. Definatly increase flow and skim the living crap out of it. I went thru a bout of cyano a while back, and the lights were not the problem nor were phosphates. It was all about flow and skim with lots of water changes for atleast a month. A good sized clean up crew for the substrate also made a difference.ie... any small snails that borrow in the sand.

[lucubrator]

bigair's right, it's a bacteria. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm

[swissfish]

Cyno is a bacteria, but i is mostly refered to as an algea because it is caused by the same problems as alge blooms are. To many nutrians and Phosphates.

David 604 I would defenetly increase flow, and reduce your feedings. Cutting back the light cycle, might cure it for a while but not fix it. I would also thinking about adding a refugium or phosban reactor. After you get all that fixed it will take time for the cyno to clear up. If you are unpatient like me, treat your tank with chemi clean, wich will kill cyno in a couple off days.
Keep in mind what caused the cyno outbreak, fix the cause first and then treat the symtoms with chemi clean.

[nanoreefbro]

Yeah I used chemi clean in my nano reef and it cleared it up really quick. Just make sure you do a 20% water change when you're done treating your tank.

[GAD]

I third the chemi-clean. Once had a cyano outbreak and it took care of it within a day. You really should figure out the source first so it won't come back after using the chemical.

[lucubrator]

Cyno is a bacteria, but i is mostly refered to as an algea because it is caused by the same problems as alge blooms are. To many nutrians and Phosphates.

I dunno about that one bruno. This probably isn't all that important when it comes to the problem at hand, but if anyone is interested in the minutae:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae#Relationships_among_algal_groups

[Talkn2themike]

Chemi Clean is pretty much an anti biotic that kills MOST forms of cyano. So it will most likely get rid of it. Downside of using Chemi Clean is that Cyano being a bacteria can mutate into a stronger strain maybe even making it resistant to chemi clean. (I.E. You get a cold, the doc prescribes a med and you take it. The meds work and u get better. 3 months later you get sick. The doc prescribes the same meds but it fails to work. So you have to sit it out or get a diff prescription.) So if it ever comes back you could screw yourself. Personally I would do water changes twice a week, add more flow and crank up ur skimmer. If ur skimmer isant working correctly then you should get another one. Use chemi clean as a last resort. And if you use chemi clean you have to follow its directions to a tee. Hope it helps -Mike

[BigAir]

I dunno about that one bruno. This probably isn't all that important when it comes to the problem at hand, but if anyone is interested in the minutae:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae#Relationships_among_algal_groups

Hey, Thanks for the link, there is some really good info there. I will have to scour those pages more when I get some time. I did notice that there is a link at the bottom just for cyano, those with the problem might want to look there as well as RC and WWM.

For the record, I am not all that fond of putting chemicals in my show tank, so I would save the chemi crap for a last resort. If you can swing it, get a better skimmer, or mod the one you have to work better and do the water changes. Don't do big ones, just the 10-15% twice a week. Too big of water changes could wipe out your good bacteria and cause a "new cycle". Be dillegent and wipe the rocks off with your fingers as you are vacuming the tank, and suck that stuff up as best you can.
I also found that if you are using scripps water, and storing it where the sun can get to the container, that will aid in the cyano bloom. Yes, I found out the hard way, and it took me several water changes to figure it out. I did not know it, but my barrels were getting about 2hrs of direct light each day, that coupled with the die off that happens with sea water, made a bad problem worse.

[David604]

I do have a cleanup crew and I use tap water for top off and dilutation that has sat around for a few days.
I just increased light time when I noticed the cyano based on a response on wwm. Should I go the other way....I have a bta which is the only creature needing any light to pseak of in that tank. I have recently done some large water changes, which could have caused some issues. Getting a phosphate test kit this weekend...and maybe a powerhead or such...

Thanks all