Tank black out for algea... - Aquarium Advice

canyon15 · 08-11-2006, 10:10 PM

How long should I black out (leave lights out) to ensure the algea prob is gone? The reason for the prob is my sump cracked on a sunday and I used tap when I rebuilt it and there are phosphates in my tap water. I know, I know ...... . Any ideas? Should the visible cyano be gone before putting my lights on? TIA.

angelscrx · 08-11-2006, 10:19 PM

Aim powerheads at the cyano. I have heard four days max. Do water changes to rid the tank of the phosphates.

ntswift · 08-12-2006, 02:50 PM

I'd be careful how long you black your tank out with your corals. How bad is your algea problem?

**melosu58** · 08-12-2006, 06:25 PM

I`ve heard of others blacking their tanks out but I`m not much of a fan of that at least not all day. I would take care of the excess nutrients first and some PWC`s and some shortened light periods first.

FishFrik · 08-13-2006, 11:31 AM

IMO, cyano is really hard to manually remove. If you don't remove it "all", the small/tiny pieces that are left in the tank will multiply rapidly by the seconds when the light is on. The only thing helped me removed all my cyano was blacking out. I tried more water movement, 0 PO4, 6 hours light period (only took cyano 2 hours to expand from a .25in piece to a 5in patch on the sand bed) and nothing really worked. I think you have to get rid of it first before trying to maintain a cyano-free tank and "any" amount of light will keep it alive.

Your corals will do fine for up to 4 or 5 days, IME. Out there, reefs get all kind of bad weather and corals don't get light for maybe a few weeks.

HTH

aquazen · 08-13-2006, 03:03 PM

Aim the powerheads at the cyano. It usually get airlifted away. Improved circulation with help prevent it from regrowing. Worked for me.

FishFrik · 08-13-2006, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Aim the powerheads at the cyano. It usually get airlifted away. Improved circulation with help prevent it from regrowing. Worked for me.

That kind of worked for me but the cyano that got blown away just settled somewhere else so i just helped it spread quicker

weemanpow3 · 08-13-2006, 03:54 PM

Quote:

That kind of worked for me but the cyano that got blown away just settled somewhere else so i just helped it spread quicker

same with me FishFrik

weemanpow3 · 08-13-2006, 03:56 PM

angelscrx · 08-13-2006, 08:40 PM

I siphoned it out, aimed the powerheads and did water changes. I never blacked out my tank and this worked for me in my 55g.

08-11-2006, 10:10 PM	#1
canyon15 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Halifax Canada Posts: 236	Tank black out for algea... How long should I black out (leave lights out) to ensure the algea prob is gone? The reason for the prob is my sump cracked on a sunday and I used tap when I rebuilt it and there are phosphates in my tap water. I know, I know ...... . Any ideas? Should the visible cyano be gone before putting my lights on? TIA. __________________ 65 gal reef EQUIPMENT: 2 PC's 192W each , 20 gal sump/fuge LIVESTOCK: 4 false clowns, 2 firefish, cardinal, midas blennie, toadstool, zoos, shrooms, trumpet coral, torch, pagoda, frogspawn, poylps, red open brain, devils hand, hermits, snails, 3 cleaner shrimp, coral banded and a emerald crab.

08-13-2006, 11:31 AM	#5
FishFrik Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 801 Images: 1	IMO, cyano is really hard to manually remove. If you don't remove it "all", the small/tiny pieces that are left in the tank will multiply rapidly by the seconds when the light is on. The only thing helped me removed all my cyano was blacking out. I tried more water movement, 0 PO4, 6 hours light period (only took cyano 2 hours to expand from a .25in piece to a 5in patch on the sand bed) and nothing really worked. I think you have to get rid of it first before trying to maintain a cyano-free tank and "any" amount of light will keep it alive. Your corals will do fine for up to 4 or 5 days, IME. Out there, reefs get all kind of bad weather and corals don't get light for maybe a few weeks. HTH __________________ I'm one of those fishnutz, who are actually nutz.

08-13-2006, 03:03 PM	#6
aquazen Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NC, USA Posts: 352 Images: 2	Aim the powerheads at the cyano. It usually get airlifted away. Improved circulation with help prevent it from regrowing. Worked for me. __________________ Peace is in the art of creation.

08-13-2006, 03:56 PM	#9
weemanpow3 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 206 Images: 10	__________________ 30 gallon with 250w 14k HQI lighting

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08-11-2006, 10:19 PM	#2
angelscrx Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 339	Aim powerheads at the cyano. I have heard four days max. Do water changes to rid the tank of the phosphates.

08-12-2006, 02:50 PM	#3
ntswift Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 732	I'd be careful how long you black your tank out with your corals. How bad is your algea problem?

08-13-2006, 08:40 PM	#10
angelscrx Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 339	I siphoned it out, aimed the powerheads and did water changes. I never blacked out my tank and this worked for me in my 55g.

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