E.M. Tablets for cyano algae problems???

[IfoundNemo]

According to the package, these tablets are for treatment of tropical fish diseases. But, the people at my lfs says they used these tablets to get rid of cyano algae as well. Has anyone here try this method yet?

 

[saltcreep1025]

Id say your best bet is to find the source of the cyano rather than putting chemicals in your tank to stop it. You use ro/di I assume? Is the cyano just on the substrate?

 

[steve-s]

It's most likely an antibiotic in which case it will also destroy your biofilter in the process.

Cheers
Steve

 

[IfoundNemo]

rossv.
I got RO water from a lfs which almost everyone here uses. The cyano is just on the substrate now. It is slowly covering other spots in the tank.

steve-s.
That what i'm afraid to hear. I'm thinking maybe i'll just vacum it out, and change 25% water every two weeks... You think it will help?

 

[steve-s]

Check with your LFS to see if the water is RO only or RO/DI. The RO alone will not remove phosphate from the water, only a DI resin can do that. If only an RO, you might be introducing more PO4 to the tank, not diluting it. You should also test both the change water and tank water for PO4 levels. If even some registers, there will most likely be an abundance of organic PO4 which is what will fuel the cyano continued growth.

Siphoning out the cyano is definately a good choice, just be sure not to disturb it too much or it will spread if allowed to float free. Remove the algae and you also export some of the PO4 bound up in the algae itself.

What foods do you commonly feed and how much?

Cheers
Steve

 

[IfoundNemo]

I called my lfs, and the owner says she uses RO/DI water. I feed the fish with Nutrafin Max flake food and dried nory algae every morning. Then, frozen meaty food such as Formular 1 or brine shrimps in the evening. Every 3rd days of the week, i do direct feeding method with kent's micro vert to feed the corals. However, ever since the cyano algae attack... i had been cutting back on feeding. Now, i'm only feeding the fish with flake food soaked in garlic guard once a day.

I'm wondering if the PO4 could have been the result of dosing the tank with kent's reef starter kit. This kit includes liquid calcium, iodine, strontium, and molybdenum. :?

BTW, i called my lfs again reguarding biofilter....and the owner says she uses this method million times in all of her display tanks w/o any problems. This is a very legit lfs . So i guess, she knows what she is talking about. :?

1. Turn off skimmer
2. Remove activated carbon
3. Add E.M. tablets (3 for 75 gal) then wait 48 hrs
4. Change 25% water

 

[steve-s]

I feed the fish with Nutrafin Max flake food and dried nory algae every morning. Then, frozen meaty food such as Formular 1 or brine shrimps in the evening. Every 3rd days of the week, i do direct feeding method with kent's micro vert to feed the corals.

Feed the Formula 1 and keep up with the nori. The rest is moreso algae food, especially the Nutrafin. Even though they claim the lowest total phosphorous, it's the major contributor to the problem.

I'm wondering if the PO4 could have been the result of dosing the tank with kent's reef starter kit. This kit includes liquid calcium, iodine, strontium, and molybdenum. :?

Iodine especially can fuel unwanted algaes but even at that, none of these additives are needed for your system except possibley the Ca. Be sure nothing is added to your system that you cannot test for and verify the level at any given time. It's just asking for trouble.

BTW, i called my lfs again reguarding biofilter....and the owner says she uses this method million times in all of her display tanks w/o any problems. This is a very legit lfs . So i guess, she knows what she is talking about. :?

1. Turn off skimmer
2. Remove activated carbon
3. Add E.M. tablets (3 for 75 gal) then wait 48 hrs
4. Change 25% water

EM tablets = erythromycin = antibiotic. Antibiotics kill bacteria, your choice.

Cheers
Steve

 

[boardsurfer]

I've learned 2 things in this thread. Never use EM tablets again and I'll quit using Nutrafin. Thanks steve-s. Hopefully this will help my cyano, too.

 

[IfoundNemo]

Steve.
Thanks for the info about the Nutrafin. I'm just going to shiphon the cyano out, and change 25% water for now. Adding the tablets will be the last thing IF the cyano gets out of control.