J and L's tip of the day

[Dale]

Hi hqgc,

Cyanobacteria is an opportunistic slime mold that usually stays at bay unless conditions (tank stress) allow it to flourish. The first step of course is to treat the outbreak (if it's bad) but it is far better in the long run to investigate and correct the causes of stress. Some of these are:

Overfeeding
Poor water circulation (deadspots)
low temps or temp swings
Dead fish or corals left in tank
Poor filtration. This can be broken down further into:
Under skimming
Lack of partial water changes
Lack of mechanical filtration
Lack of gravel vacuuming leading to detritus buildup

Go through the list and correct each issue if it applies. If the outbreak is limited try gravel vacuuming and being patient - I have had several semi outbreaks recede this way. I have treated severe outbreaks with a product called Chemiclean with good results. Follow the directions and don't be tempted to under medicate. Expect to do big water changes afterwords as well. Also, if the causes are not corrected expect to see a repeat performance (very frustrating).
There was a thread on here regarding the use of a medication eurethromyacin (sp?) but I have no experience to share about that.

Hope something helps,
Good luck.