Need help with cyno

[VAguy39]

Due to mistakes on my part my tanks went through a mini cycle. I had an Ammonia spike due to some added live rock. That was over a moth ago. My water levels are good now. they are as follows.
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
PH-8.2
Nitrate-10 I know this is a little high, I have a new skimmer running for a week now and I hope this helps.
I bought a phosphate test kit and that is at 0.5.

My tank has has bad Cyno all over my sand and rocks for over 3 weeks now. I used Chem clean last week and that helped but did not fully remove it. I did another dose tonight. I have a 26 Gal bow front tank. I only use RO/DI salt and fresh water from my LFS. That water tests fine with my test kits. Will this stuff burn off....it really looks bad.

Sorry for the long post.....as usual thanks....

 

[quarryshark]

Here is my standard troubleshooting post to this problem. Please continue with specific questions.
1. Do you use RO water? If not your should make the switch and work on doing some water changes. If you already use RO water, test your source water. You may need to add a deionizer to it. This is the most important step.
2. Siphon as much of it as you can. Breaking it up only helps it to spread. You need to do this as frequently as possible.
3. Review your feeding habit. Are you overfeeding? Do the fish eat what you put in at feeding time within a few minutes, or is there food lying around the bottom after? Also, if you use frozen, make sure to drain the as much of the packing juice as you can before adding.
4. Do you have adequate water movement? Any dead spaces in the tank? Cyno has a harder time setting up in a system with brisk water movement.
5.Do you have a skimmer? If so, is it producing daily amount of dark thick "skimmage'? Adding or upgrading a skimmer may help.
You can also run a PO4 sponge which will help, but you need to address the other underlying causes.
These are few of the key things that feed a cyno outbreak.

 

[VAguy39]

I have been doing all of the above except step 2. I think this may be my problem as I tried to pick it out and caused it to spread. I will do more siphoning. I only use RO/DI water from my LFS and have been doing weekly 25% water changes for the last 6 weeks. I do not over feed.

Thanks...

 

[quarryshark]

I only use RO/DI water from my LFS

Also test their water for PO4. There is no guarantee that their water is pure.

 

[VAguy39]

I did test their water for PO4 it tests at 0.

 

[quarryshark]

Sure its cyno and not diamtoms?
Don't sue the chemicals, try instrad a series of water changes.
What is your total GPH water flow? Also, your tank size?

 

[VAguy39]

I am pretty sure it's Cyno. It is a dark maroon color and it grows in sheets. I have a 26 Gal tank with with a MJ600 rated at 160 GPH, and a MJ400 rated at 106 GPH so I have about 260 GPH plus my skimmer with the MJ1200.

 

[lando]

I have had very good luck using Chemi-Clean from Boyd Enterprise. It took care of the cyno in my tank in less then 48hrs. However, this stuff is just a band-aid, it will clean up your tank but if you do not find and correct the source of the cyno it will just keep coming back.

 

[JPloman]

Cyno is the DEVIL! I have been going through a battle with it myself. Let me give you the advice that I have found best to work.

First clean the tank really good. I know you have your babies in there and it is going to cause them stress but do it anyway. When I say clean, I mean touch every rock and sand particle in the tank and pick out all the nasty slime. Then do your water changes, do 25% every other day for a week, then go back to your normal routine.

How old are your lights? If you have older lights that could be helping the problem. I changed my lights and it seemed to help a bit.

Do you have hair algae in the tank too? If you do try get a lawn mower fish, he will help to keep the cyno from building up in that algae, where you cant really get to it.

The Cemi-clean helped but not very much for me... but then again when it started I thought it might be sponge or something so I let it go till it was really bad. Live, learn, then ask for advice always.

 

[VAguy39]

The problem is I can't seems to find the source. I was wondering if my lights could be the problem. I went from the standard cheap 15 watt to PC lights 2X65. So I went from 15 watts to 130 watts. I have noticed more green algae on my glass since I upgraded my lighs. I have had the new lights for over a month now. I did do a major cleaning today on my tank. I siphoned it off all the rocks and the sand, and I cleaned my glass. The tank looks spotless now. I also did a 25% water change after I was done. I guess I will see how it goes from there.

Thanks all...

 

[quarryshark]

Try running a PO4 sponge to see if that may kick start you in the right direction.

 

[VAguy39]

How do I run PO4 sponge? I am only running a HOB skimmer. I do not have any other filter. Can I place the sponge in the tank? Do you think I need to add mechanical filtration along with my skimmer?