Yet another CYANO Question

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badfish

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
485
Location
Albany, NY
Alright, first thing first i have a 50 gallon reef tank up for around six months. I have all the equipment listed below in my sig. My water parameters are ammonia = 0, PH = 8.1, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate = 10, Calcium = 400, Salinity = 1.023. I have never had a problem with Cyano, or any alage for that matter. I Use RO water, and do 10% Water changes weekly. The only reason why i can see it starting is i went home for 5 days last week, when i go home to my parents house i unplug my skimmer so it doesnt run dry should too much water evaporate. My question is, by unplugging the skimmer, could this have started the Cyano. I noticed it the day i got back, it wasnt that bad, few patches on the sand here and there. I did another PWC, cut back lighting by two hours, and reduced feeding to once every two to three days. I will go get phosphates checked this weekend, but dont expect that to be the problem. Could it be because i had my skimmer unplugged?

TIA

- Jeff
 
If you got cyno I would say you have po4. Even if its not enough to be detected you have it. By ro do you mean ro/di or just ro?
RO water could have PO4 and nitrates in it, the DI cartridge is the part that removes it.
Test the water and get back to us, I don't think that shutting off the skimmer for a few days is the problem. Also it could take several weeks for it to fad away by cutting back the lighting and then it could come back.
 
i use RO/DI water, the bottled water from Walmart with the purple cap. When i get my PO4 checked, i will get back to you.

Thanks,

Jeff
 
ANother factor is the age of the tank. It is now old enough where levels of nitrate are significant enough to be adding to the problem.
 
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