replace light bulb induces cynobaterica??
 

Hi,

I just replaced old RSM lights two weeks with new ones. I notice there is a small outbreak in the cynobacteria on sand and live rocks. Nitrate is less than 1ppm with ELOS test kit. 10-15% water change every week. I am not overfeeding, a mandarin goby, firefish, and two yashia gobies. Is it possible that changing lights could cause an outbreak in cyno?

You bet. I wouldn't worry about it just yet, keep everything clean, good flow and it should disappear.

Hi Brad,

Thanks for the quick reponse. I also suspected it is the new lights. How long the cyno going to last? Have you experienced this situation?

Huy

I would siphon out the Cyanobacteria
People have a tendency to forget that the light is a source of energy. When you change the light bulbs with new one you put more energy to your system and that my have some side effects. In tome it will go away but as I said I would shut down all water movement it the max and siphon it out as part of a water change.

In the future cutting down the lighting hours and gradually returning to the normal times will help the system acclimate to the change.

It's likely due to a shift in the spectrum, as well as more energy, as mentioned above. You could siphon it, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. A reef tank is a dynamic enironment, and will blanace itself out as long as parameters are maintained. Your levels look fine, maybe test PO4 as well, but I bet it's gone in a week or two.

Can someone post a picture of cyano? Not exactly sure what it looks like.

Here is a link to look at.
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/dia...slimealgae.htm

I also noticed the same thing when I upgraded my MH ballasts. Huge outbreak of the worst kind: dinoflagellates. Took a long 2 month battle to finally get rid of the stuff, much worse than cyano.

The cyno is getting worse today, a little patches every where and I am not happy at all. I have to do major clean up this weekend when doing water change.

I just recalled, before changing the light bulbs, I took out the ceramic bio and added in like 10pounds of uncured live rock. Is this the reason for the algae bloom? Need your input on this one...

I don’t know what the percentage of rocks you have add from the total weights of your rockery and if you cleaned them or cycled them but…..
Yep! That might be just it.
The introduction of dry rock to the system will cause the rise and build up of phosphate and nitrate (decomposing of dead animals in the rock into ammonia -> nitrite-> nitrate)
The cyano just loves these conditions.