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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
Once again...what are the levels in your source water? What type are you using? I am getting tired of repeating myself.
OP
OP
zacdl
Guest
I use Seachem for the basic stuff and RedSea for the other stuff.
Since they are Marine kits I didnt think I could test FW water.
Since they are Marine kits I didnt think I could test FW water.
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
Your Red Sea PO4 kit should work on FW.
greenmaji
Aquarium Advice Addict
zacdl.. have you checked to make sure the impeller and the impeller housing on your PH are clean? and if you cant tell NO3 10+ levels then you might want to get your NO3 down below that level or get a new testkit that you can read..
seaham358
Aquarium Advice Addict
Wow this post is getting big quick... I just read it for the first time... Sorry I missed it.
Zac like the others are saying chem clean is a bandaid.. And with your corals doing poor adding chemicals IMO is not the way to go.
Light- Cyno needs light but shutting off your tank lights for 24-36 hours will not make it go away for long. I had it BAD in my fuge and I had to shut the lights off for over 2 weeks to make it go away. So IMO the light is not the main problem.
cyno needs a food source, you need to find it and then cut it off..
Any PO4 in the water is food for cyno, if your showing lets say 1 then there is more them 1 in the tank, remember cyno is feeding off this stuff so it is using it to live so there is more like a reading of 2 in the tank. You need to test top off water for PO4, that is how it was getting into my tank, top off for my kold sterile unit the PO4 level in my well went up this summer.
Wash corals in tank water you have in a bucket and use some hose and syphon it off them. Corals are tough so do not worry about hurting most of them.
Phosban reactor is IMO the way to go.. $35 at marinedepot now..
I got mine and within a month the cyno was reduced, I was also doing water changes with ro/di water and syphoning the cyno off the SB also.
The PBR comes with enough phosban to treat 150 gallon tank and it lasts for 3 months depending on how bad the PO4 is.
Power head take it apart and soak it in vinager for a day to clean it well.
So to wrap it up.... any level of po4 is BAD.. chemicals are a quick temp fix, Low flow and wrong spectrum lighting also help cyno grow..
Nitrates can effect the health of your corals....
Good luck and keep up the fight... it took me a year to break down and get the reactor, I wish I did it earlier when I look back at all the water changes and extra work.
Zac like the others are saying chem clean is a bandaid.. And with your corals doing poor adding chemicals IMO is not the way to go.
Light- Cyno needs light but shutting off your tank lights for 24-36 hours will not make it go away for long. I had it BAD in my fuge and I had to shut the lights off for over 2 weeks to make it go away. So IMO the light is not the main problem.
cyno needs a food source, you need to find it and then cut it off..
Any PO4 in the water is food for cyno, if your showing lets say 1 then there is more them 1 in the tank, remember cyno is feeding off this stuff so it is using it to live so there is more like a reading of 2 in the tank. You need to test top off water for PO4, that is how it was getting into my tank, top off for my kold sterile unit the PO4 level in my well went up this summer.
Wash corals in tank water you have in a bucket and use some hose and syphon it off them. Corals are tough so do not worry about hurting most of them.
Phosban reactor is IMO the way to go.. $35 at marinedepot now..
I got mine and within a month the cyno was reduced, I was also doing water changes with ro/di water and syphoning the cyno off the SB also.
The PBR comes with enough phosban to treat 150 gallon tank and it lasts for 3 months depending on how bad the PO4 is.
Power head take it apart and soak it in vinager for a day to clean it well.
So to wrap it up.... any level of po4 is BAD.. chemicals are a quick temp fix, Low flow and wrong spectrum lighting also help cyno grow..
Nitrates can effect the health of your corals....
Good luck and keep up the fight... it took me a year to break down and get the reactor, I wish I did it earlier when I look back at all the water changes and extra work.
Zac sorry to hear about all your troubles. You was warned wasn't you and from what I can tell you are going to do it your way and not listen to anyone that has experience with this problem. Trash the whisper 20 and get you a skimmer. With the whisper you are asking for trouble. I would bet your water is the problem. Try doing water changes with ro/di water only. Macro algaes do tend to get rid of some of the nutriants in your tank that feed the cyano. Harvest the macro algaes when they grow and pitch them. Physically remove as much (cyano) as you can everyday while doing water changes with ro/di water. Last but not least get you some good books!!!! Do not rely on what hundreds of people tell you if you don't believe them read what the experts say. I have The Reef Aquarium #1 and 2. I use them as a bible and have never lost a fish or coral in 8 years. Know your limitations! Sorry to seem so harsh but you will loose everything if you don't. Cyano is hard to get rid of and all the water changes in the world won't help if your source water is not good.
aamick1971
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
i had this problem back about a few months ago.i switch to using ro/di water instead of using tap water.i had a bad case of the stuff cyano.i scrub it off using a tooth brush and the rest of it that i could not get off my lfs told me to use Maracyn.i looked at them funny like that not going to work either but it actually did could not believe it. since using that and ro/di water i havn't had problems with it since. make sure that you turn off your protein skimmer before using this it will make it go crazy.
allen
allen
OP
OP
zacdl
Guest
OK I will try to test the PO4 tonight (looonnnggg day, might not get to it 
)
I did the 24 hours off thing. It seemed to kill the thinner layer of cyano, at least on the corals where it was most noticible. Corals still closed though.
I lessened the light cycle as well.
Picking up that Chemi Clean tomorrow is the plan.
I will try to get the PH looked at tonight as well.
Should I remove carbon before adding Chemi Clean? The Whisper will not take it out will it (other than the carbon)?
)I did the 24 hours off thing. It seemed to kill the thinner layer of cyano, at least on the corals where it was most noticible. Corals still closed though.
I lessened the light cycle as well.
Picking up that Chemi Clean tomorrow is the plan.
I will try to get the PH looked at tonight as well.
Should I remove carbon before adding Chemi Clean? The Whisper will not take it out will it (other than the carbon)?
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
This thread was started out of concern for your corals and has somewhat side-tracked. Pics of your corals, or at the very least, a proper desrption of their behavior would sure help us out in trying to trouble shoot your problem.
Remove all froms of chemical filtration, including carbon. Filter pads, if just floss, can remain. If you have a skimmer turn it off.
seaham358
Aquarium Advice Addict
lando I want to say they said the cyno was covering the corals... That is why we are telling them to get the water tested for po4 and get us some readings.
OP
OP
zacdl
Guest
I do think he was meaning sidetracked by the Powerhead issues.
But, Corals dying=cyano killing them=need to get rid of cyano=powerhead might help get rid of cyano.
Mechanical filtration can remain in there?
But, Corals dying=cyano killing them=need to get rid of cyano=powerhead might help get rid of cyano.
Mechanical filtration can remain in there?
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
There is no mention of this. The first post says that the corals are not opening and that he has cyno. Saying that the cyno is covering the corals causing them to not open is an inference (although you can assume). I asked for pics four pages ago and am still waiting. We may have been able to have things figured out by now...
OP
OP
zacdl
Guest
If I didnt type it i was thinking it.
Yes they WERE covering the corals.
Still want pics? Nothing special to see, they are closed up.
Yes they WERE covering the corals.
Still want pics? Nothing special to see, they are closed up.
lando
Aquarium Advice Addict
That would have been helpful info four pages ago...For now, Try Chemi-clean and wter changes. Replace your broken powerhead with two new ones and see what happens. I will graciously bow out of this thread. I do not have the patience any more.
OP
OP
zacdl
Guest
Longer day than I thought Today.
LFS was closed by time I got done, so tomorrow is the plan (Pretty darn certain i will get it tomorrow unless I am shot dead or something)
The Maxi Jet Powerhead people is sending me a new impeller.
LFS was closed by time I got done, so tomorrow is the plan (Pretty darn certain i will get it tomorrow unless I am shot dead or something)
The Maxi Jet Powerhead people is sending me a new impeller.
