Quote:
Originally Posted by Diana
Its Cyanobacteria, an ancient and very resilient organism. Usually grows in aquariums with high nutrients, excess lighting and low flow (although I have seen it in higher flow areas).
I suggest as previously stated, remove as much manually with a siphon tube and then treat with Chemi Clean (follow waterchange directions).
To help curb future outbreaks remove more nutrients and waste, feed less, add more corals, add more flow, or reduce photoperiod. (Or combo thereof). It looks like you have slightly coarse sand? If you can safely gravel vac it that might help (it growing on the sand indicates that is where your nutrients are trapped). Sometimes you just get a stubborn batch that refuses to go away.
HTH
-Diana
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Just one thing, excess lighting does not cause cyano to grow. Worn bulbs will, or some other abrupt change in the spectral output of the bulbs, but most always in conjunction with high nutrients.
If you do use Chemiclean or a similar product, there is a little caveat, you have to shut your skimmer and carbon down while treating. Just something to keep in mind, especially if you have a high bioload in your tank. I have used it in the past and here's my thinking, you have to do a large waterchange at the end of the Chemiclean treatment anyway so why not just do the large water change to vacuum the gravel and siphon the Cyano off the rocks without adding the chemical at all. Even after the treatment it takes a few days to be able to run the skimmer, all together you're looking at about 2 days without carbon and 4 to five days without a skimmer, and all the while nutrients are building up in your tank, which is what caused the outbreak in the first place.