Green cyano?

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Bah...it's coming back. Probably the lights and the fact that the top layer of sand got stirred up when I siphoned the stuff off...

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
So just let it run it's course, Doug? Keeping with my weekly 20% PWCs and 3x week feeding?
 
I'm thinking it might be that microalgae you pointed out. I'll stop by the LFS this weekend anyway to pick up some supplies (need a Mg test, since I've never tested it)...
 
A little update...The sand still has some of this stuff on it, but it doesn't appear, as of now, to be spreading. If anything, it looks like it's self limiting, and was probably caused by an accidental stir-up of the sand bed. My zoas, frogspawn, torch and duncans are all thriving, and my last water test (during Sunday's PWC) showed 0 across the board for all params that should be at (or close to) zero.
 
I ordered a Hanna phosphate checker today, and picked up some Salifert Nitrate tests to compare to my API tests, which show 0 for both parameters.

The algae is still there, not spreading too far or fast, but is irritating. I don't want to stir up the sand bed any more by attempting removal, though....should I?
 
I should learn to keep my mouth shut. It is making advances, slowly. Still don't know why, since I don't overfeed, and I don't believe I'm overstocked (2 clowns, hi fin goby, pistol & cleaner shrimp, 2 featherdusters). Feeding is 3x a week, a single mysis shrimp to each fish. (Yes, I'm target feeding them)

Any thoughts? Is this just "the uglies" that have to work themselves out?

(EDIT: I was pondering a small blenny, but then I will be overstocked and won't be solving the problem...)
 
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I did a 40% change on Saturday and another 40% on Sunday.

One thing I noticed is that my siphon (1 inch inlet) can't pull the gunk off the sand bed. It tries, but with a few grains of sand mixed in, just can't do it. I hesitate to move to a larger siphon to really clean it off since I don't want to empty my tank...

I'm willing to bet that if I get it off the sand for good, it'll stay gone...any thoughts?
 
In the same boat as you are. I just suck up what's on the sand bed, and the sand it takes with it, I just rinse it around in the drained tank water and add it back to the tank...
 
My problem is that I think since I have such a narrow siphon, it doesn't have the oomph to suck up the algae that is entangled with the sand, so it just tumbles in the siphon cylinder. I'll hit the LFS for a bigger one soon...and make sure that I have 20G of mixed water ready to top off..
 
I use just the 5/8 hose to siphon it sucks up and algae with ease! Some sand will come with it, but like you said once it's gone you don't need to do much with the sand!
 
Same here. I just use the the hose without the attachment. You can find a hose at your local hardware store... Don't necessarily have to get an other vac or water changing hose. I've seen some pretty small ones at petco/petsmart for less then $10. Just use the hose part. I'm pretty sure you can get it cheaper at a hardware store but don't take my word for it. Lol. This is how I siphoned up my cyano. On occasion it appears when I skip a week of my water change. So hope you can fight it off for good! I hate cyano!
 
I just think this is microalgae, not cyano (thank goodness), but the hose on my siphon is pretty small and just can't move the water fast enough to suck it all down. I'll stop by the hardware store this weekend and get another hose.
 
I pulled out my mega-siphon that I use to change out the water on my FW tank and was able to suck off about 99% of the stuff from the sand. Hopefully it stays gone. I did 2 40% PWCs this weekend, and about 30% last night. My water is pristine, my zoas are growing like gangbusters, and everyone in there is happy (except my cleaner shrimp...when I have my hand in the tank for too long, he bites :) ).
 
I did my first PO4 test with the Hanna Checker today. It came out at 0.02ppm which I think is acceptable. I will probably continue to run phosguard to make sure that it stays in check.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
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