Home from vacation . . . Could use a little advice.

[04V10]

Originally Posted by Enigma

So, I took the approach of doing nothing beyond adding garlic and just watching. While whatever was on her fin is still there, it has shrunk considerably and is barely noticeable. She remains very active and social, so I'm optimistic that the situation is resolving itself.

How are you getting rid of the Cyano? I've had a breakout ever since I did a tank move. The Cyano showed up around th 6th of August. It has been spreading, I've done 50% water changes, and cut back feeding. Sorry to jack your thread, just thought I'd enquire.

[Spyd]

What's your flow like in your tank? That can cause cyano. Also, old lighting can trigger it, etc. To remove, siphon as much out as possible, in increase the waterflow in that area, replace bulbs, lights out for 3 days or so, etc. etc. Lots of ways to prevent it but getting a good grip on what caused it is the main part.

[Enigma]

The Cyano isn't gone yet. I've been able to reduce it. I'm skimming harder, I've replaced my carbon, I've started straining thawed frozen food before adding it to my system, i'm dosing BIO-spira, and I'm manually removing it. I reduced my light cycle, but my SPS browned out.

I am going to pick up some Red Slime remover today and test that in a 10 gallon tank I have which only houses one coral: a coral that was removed from my display system as it wasn't thriving. That coral has some cyano on it. If the test goes well, I'll try it in my display system on Saturday.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by Spyd

What's your flow like in your tank? That can cause cyano. Also, old lighting can trigger it, etc. To remove, siphon as much out as possible, in increase the waterflow in that area, replace bulbs, lights out for 3 days or so, etc. etc. Lots of ways to prevent it but getting a good grip on what caused it is the main part.

I've got two MP10s running at 40% in "lagoonal" mode, in a 40 Breeder. I can't go any higher than that, as my LPS and softies take too hard a beating. There is a lot of flow, and this is on an open spot in my sandbed directly in front of my hammer coral. My bulbs are two months old.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Spyd

What's your flow like in your tank? That can cause cyano. Also, old lighting can trigger it, etc. To remove, siphon as much out as possible, in increase the waterflow in that area, replace bulbs, lights out for 3 days or so, etc. etc. Lots of ways to prevent it but getting a good grip on what caused it is the main part.

higher flow is known to cause cyano where as we use to think higher flow helped rid it, alot of ulns sps tanks with crazy flow have the worst outbreaks:P


cyano can literally be caused by hundreds of things as its a bacteria and not an algae

[Spyd]

Red Slime removed will take care of it, however, it may return worse than ever if the cause of it has not been taken care of. I wouldn't worry about your corals with the red slime remover. It WILL get rid of it and without any real casualties. Just be sure to add additional oxygen in your tank during the process via powerheads being raised up for more contact with the outside air, or an air stone.

[04V10]

Sounds interesting Enigma. I don't want to reduce my lighting either due to my clam, and my SPS.

As for my flow, I have increased it substantially to try and get rid of the problem. I've got an AC70 HOB that I converted into a refugium last week with some chaeto, live rock, and chemi-pure elite (wasn't running this before), I've got a koralia 240, and a hydor 180 for additional flow, plus my hob skimmer. I have also cleaned my rock with a turkey baster and sucked some of it up. My lighting is LED radions, so no bulb changes required at this time.
I've also cut back feeding.
I'm wondering if I should just wait it out as my params were good with regards to nitrates, however I did show a tad bit of phosphates (below the lowest number on the scale, but still visible color change during test). With chemipure elite and the chaeto in the system now, I'm wondering if it will tie up the remaining phosphates and eat up the food for the cyano..

[reefwars]

seems to be a common link between the both of you with lots of flow

read up and youll see, we are realizing flow helps spread the bacteria.

[Enigma]

A crummy BB pic:



While the flow there isn't insane, I would classify it as "moderate."

Haven't cleaned it up yet, today.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by 04V10

Sounds interesting Enigma. I don't want to reduce my lighting either due to my clam, and my SPS.

As for my flow, I have increased it substantially to try and get rid of the problem. I've got an AC70 HOB that I converted into a refugium last week with some chaeto, live rock, and chemi-pure elite (wasn't running this before), I've got a koralia 240, and a hydor 180 for additional flow, plus my hob skimmer. I have also cleaned my rock with a turkey baster and sucked some of it up. My lighting is LED radions, so no bulb changes required at this time.
I've also cut back feeding.
I'm wondering if I should just wait it out as my params were good with regards to nitrates, however I did show a tad bit of phosphates (below the lowest number on the scale, but still visible color change during test). With chemipure elite and the chaeto in the system now, I'm wondering if it will tie up the remaining phosphates and eat up the food for the cyano..

I wouldn't mess with the lights if your clam and SPS are doing well. I need to run a long light cycle to keep my SPS coloured up (four T5s over the tank, which isn't enough), and my SPS browned out quickly. They're coming back around, but there is no way I would risk a clam.

I think that if what is feeding it can be found, the problem will resolve itself, but I'm personally sick of looking at it.

I suppose I should change my ROWAphos, too. I use the API phosphate test, so while it looks like 0, I know darn well it isn't.

Originally Posted by reefwars

seems to be a common link between the both of you with lots of flow

read up and youll see, we are realizing flow helps spread the bacteria.

you might have a very good point. I'll bump the MP10s down a bit and see what happens.

The bacteria came in on a frag. The frag that had it has been clean of it for weeks, but the outbreak popped up on the other side of the tank from it.