Constant cyano-- please help

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Just like medications with generic name. Prime and Nutrafin will have the same results. It comes down to name preference. I agree that your fist priority for now is the ammonia and nitrite. Cyano may look ugly but they are not that detrimental to livestock. You can deal with it later on once you have stabilized your tank or it might just go away once you regain those bb.
 
Well, she doesn't have enough bb but that rock slowly leached enough organics to allow cyano to grow. If that's the case, this is a tank cycle and ammonia is expected. Purigen is good for nitrates and silica. The Chemipure absorbs some toxins and phosphates. You need a ammonia reducer. Suggestions?
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The bb is responsible for consuming ammonia. When cycling we know that we have generated enough bb when ammonia starts to decline until it is completely gone. When you have less bb then you are barely completing the cycle so ammonia still exists. We are both talking of the same thing but with different explanation. The same applies to nitrite. Another kind of bb consumes it and the increase of nitrate tells you that they are doing their job.

Covering the cured substrate with new dry sand made it totally ineffective temporarily until the new sand is cured. You also have disturbed the old sand and that's what's causing your ammonia and nitrite.
 
The bb is responsible for consuming ammonia. When cycling we know that we have generated enough bb when ammonia starts to decline until it is completely gone. When you have less bb then you are barely completing the cycle so ammonia still exists. We are both talking of the same thing but with different explanation. The same applies to nitrite. Another kind of bb consumes it and the increase of nitrate tells you that they are doing their job.

Covering the cured substrate with new dry sand made it totally ineffective temporarily until the new sand is cured. You also have disturbed the old sand and that's what's causing your ammonia and nitrite.


I think Greg is recommending replacing the sand bed with new sand. I don't see any reason that would cause anything worse than a diatom bloom. With nothing live in the sand I see no way that it would cause a spike it should be perfectly safe to add.
 
I changed 10 gallons of water today and used Prime. The only bacterial additive the LFS had was refrigerated Dr. Tim's. I bought it and poured the whole bottle in. The instructions stated I could do this. I also vacuumed the gravel and got rid of most of the cyano...temporarily. One question I have is that I cleaned the glass before I changed the water, and already it is showing signs of "fogging up". What is causing this? I had ordered a yellow clown goby, and though I am very saddened, I am not going to get him. My tank is sick and I don't want to endanger the beautiful little critter.


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dr tims is the only bacteria additive that I have had any luck with. i am currently cycling with it right now. :)

Was the fogging before or after you added the additive? It can cause some fogging of the water I believe, but its only temporary.
 
Well, that makes me feel better. How soon after I added it should I change water again? Was going to do it Monday. The water isn't foggy, the glass has spots that look foggy, but it is probably algae of some kind. Just don't know why it has reappeared within 4 hours and is spreading.


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The dr tims should force the bacteria you have to consume the ammonia and generate nitrites. Its like a boost to the cycle. I wouldnt change any water unless the ammonia or trites gets high. You will be diluting the dr tims if you do.
 
Virtually no cyano this morning. Ammonia showing 0. What ammonia kit do you guys use that you're comfortable with?


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I always just use an ati kit for ammonia, don't usually test for it in an established tank so I don't spend the extra money for a more accurate company.
 
Yeah, but I have an ammonia, nitrite and nitrate problem due apparently to a branching rock with turf algae on it that I nuked with hydrogen peroxide to get it off, then three or four months later added new dry aragonite on top of my live sand to increase the volume. Hence, bad params.


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Whenever I question my test kits (ATI) I will take a water bottle full of tank water to my LFS and have them test.
 
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