Cannot get rid of cyano!

[mattdean]

Originally Posted by fishytime

you had cyano!.....that means excess nutrients!.....

Actually, not at all. I have NEVER had P04 or N03 readings n my tank - I mean NEVER! Not since day one of the tank. I have incredible flow, new bulbs, I under feed my tank, exceptional filtration, there is NO way I should have cyano, yet, it grows in the darkest parts of my tank, on powerheads and in front of the returns of my closed loop. Cyano is a bacteria, not an algae. There are so many different forms and it's next to impossible to know what is feeding it sometimes.

Of course, you need to be sure you do not have excess nutrients. Agreed. But I got Cyano after trying bio pellets and I can't get rid of it, despite trying everything that has been suggested. Even Red Slime Remover. Something is feeding it. Just can't figure out what. The funny thing is, my tank, otherwise is all but perfect. Corals are happy, fish are happy, parameters are spot on and it only grows on the rocks, never the sand. Go figure.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by mattdean

But I got Cyano after trying bio pellets and I can't get rid of it, despite trying everything that has been suggested. Even Red Slime Remover. Something is feeding it. Just can't figure out what. The funny thing is, my tank, otherwise is all but perfect. Corals are happy, fish are happy, parameters are spot on and it only grows on the rocks, never the sand. Go figure.

Getting Cyano after bio pellets is very common if you don't start gradually and you don't use MB7. The latter is very important to establish beneficial bacteria before starting bio pellets. The beneficial bacteria will out compete the Cyano when consuming the bio pellets or other carbon sources (like vodka).

But have to ask, if you have zero N03 and P04 why are you even using bio pellets?

[mattdean]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

Getting Cyano after bio pellets is very common if you don't start gradually and you don't use MB7. The latter is very important to establish beneficial bacteria before starting bio pellets. The beneficial bacteria will out compete the Cyano when consuming the bio pellets or other carbon sources (like vodka).

But have to ask, if you have zero N03 and P04 why are you even using bio pellets?

This is a good question to which I have a good answer....I am stupid and impulsive! I was getting into a lot of SPS (I have around 80 SPS in my tank) and I wanted to pre-empt any nutrient problems, since I am heavily stocked and wanted to feed my tank more.

I started very slowly, with 200ml for a 125 gallon tank with a 55 gallon sump, and never had more than 500ml. I dosed bacteria and did everything I was "supposed" to do, but I got hit with cyano anyway. Unfortunately, since my nutrients were so low to begin with, I was stripping my tank to where the corals didn't like it and I couldn't seem to feed the tank enough, so i took them off line.

But I don't want to highjack the thread. I just wanted to give another experience.

[MarkoD]

i've changed over 100 gallons over the past few days. skimmer still going nuts.

anyone have any better suggestions? i've also been running carbon in a reactor for few days

[fishytime]

Originally Posted by mattdean

Actually, not at all. I have NEVER had P04 or N03 readings n my tank -.

nutrients is somewhat of a blanket term......lots of people have readings of zero across the board and still have algae and other problems like cyano