Beating Cyano algae - Join me on my adventure!

[phillybean]

My "Adventure" started on another thread, not wanting to high jack it, here it is in it's glory!

Problem: Cyano Algae in Refugium.

Cause: Not 100% sure, but a mix of low flow, low oxygen, poor lighting, high nutrients are all options. Overall sub-par husbandry.

Misc Info: Fuge is about 25 gallons, "T'ed" return from Mag 5 with Valve open about half way. Maxijet 400 also in fuge. Separate heater to ensure temp stays the steady. 2" sand bed, small ball of Cheato which doesn't seem to grow much. Several pieces of small live rock and a 3" Mantis Shrimp. Mantis Shrimp is fed every 3 days a small piece of raw shrimp and sometimes
a hermit crab if they are causing issues in the display. No Cyano, HA or any other micro algae has turned up in the display. Only coraline, most purple but some dark green that turns to purple slowly. Cyano seems to recede when the lights are off.

The Plan:
Plan A - Turn off lights for three days
Move powerhead closer to the top of the tank to increase oxygen movement.

Plan B - Isolate Fuge from main tank. Perform daily 2 gallon water changes, siphoning out Cyano.

Plan C - Red Slime Remover - Last resort as I want to try to beat this one my own.

Photo Evidence:

This is a picture of the Fuge while the lights have been on for about 8 hours.


This is a picture of the Fuge after the lights have been off for 8 hours.

[mseepman]

Count me on board...I've recently had a bout of it in my display and would prefer not to treat.

[Tarolisol]

I really dont want to join you in your venture to beat cyano but ill definitly watch you do it.

[phillybean]

Updates!

Lights off for 20 hours:


Lights off for 30 hours:


Lights off for 46 hours:


Lights off for 54 hours:


As you can see, I am making progress, albeit slowly. Later today I will siphon the rocks and sand and do a water change. Then lights will go back on to see what we've accomplished.

[banditpowdercoat]

Did the Cyano come back??? Ive tried lights out, lots of water changes. Still coming back. I'm real tempted to try Chemi-clean treatment

[tang daddy]

Have you tried sugar?

read a post on rc that said sugar reduces the cyano. We all know there are a few things cyano likes high nutrients, amino acids, lo flow and lets remember this is a bacteria a lights off for a few days may cure the cyano but even if there is a pinch in your tank thats all it needs to get back.

Traditionally in the past I have used red slime remover as I didn't have time to battle cyano however after killing a purple gorg I will never use an antibiotic again in my reef tanks. So theres got to be a natural cure anyhow report back to us on the lights out battle and I'll report here on the sugar dosing to rid this stuff.

So far I have a 50g skimmerless adequete flow feeding mysis and prawns once a week to my softies and lps which was probally a huge part to getting a tank with cyano. Since yesterday I put in 2 table spoons of sugar I will wait another 2 days and put in the same amount, because I dont have a skimmer I believe that the corals may uptake some sugar but not much anyhow I'll report back on my process here.

[scub steve]

get a 2 little fish phosban reactor there like 50 bucks +powerhead and phosphate removing media and run that it was the only thing i found that worked awsome on cyano

[banditpowdercoat]

Originally Posted by scub steve

get a 2 little fish phosban reactor there like 50 bucks +powerhead and phosphate removing media and run that it was the only thing i found that worked awsome on cyano

Yup, allready have. Nope, not working.... Phosphate allways reads 0 in my tank too.

I feed Mysis daily, but to my fish.

Flow, I belive is adequate,
Quiet one 3000
Mag 350
Koralia 2
All feed the circulation, so approx 1500GPH on a 45g tank

[Reef_kid]

Why don't you just treat with erythromycin for a few days and do a few water changes?

[marie]

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

Yup, allready have. Nope, not working.... Phosphate allways reads 0 in my tank too.

I feed Mysis daily, but to my fish.

Flow, I belive is adequate,
Quiet one 3000
Mag 350
Koralia 2
All feed the circulation, so approx 1500GPH on a 45g tank

I've never had any luck using a phosban reactor on my tanks either, Patience has always been the best remedy for cyano in my tanks, usually by feb it seems to start to recede. Of course before I was diligently doing 25% water changes weekly, blowing all the cyano off the rocks daily and using phosphate removers. I'm not doing that this year, I'm sticking to my regular regime to see if it will go away on its own within the same timeframe