please ID?? Possible cyano outbreak.

[paulweck]

Is this cyno or is this read hair algae I can't seem to shake this stuff. I've got rid of 75% of my green hair algae but this stuff didn't go away. Please help me Id this stuff.

 

[mr_X]

cyanobacteria.

 

[paulweck]

Thanks doug. What do u recommend to get rid of it?

 

[mr_X]

well, it's a nutrient issue, so water changes, vacuuming out what you can with each one is the best defense. cut back on feeding...etc.
if you are frazzled and can't seem to get a handle on it you can use a product called chemiclean by boyd enterprises. it worked well for me on more than one occasion. ultimately, the cyano will eventually resurface if some changes in husbandry aren't implemented.

 

[paulweck]

I do 7-10 gallon water changes every two weeks I've added a bio-pellet reactor about 6 weeks ago I plan on adding my phosban reactor in the next week or to ( I'm allowing time for the bio-pellet to establish itself). Should I up the pwc to once a week? It a 45 gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump/fuge here's a picture of my fuge there allot growing In there to.

 

[mr_X]

i don't know. possibly. you have to figure what you are putting in the tank to gauge how often you need to do water changes. how often are you feeding, and how much? what's the bio load like?

 

[paulweck]

I feed a tiny bit of small pellets every morning and frozen mysis shrimp every other day I rinse it aswell. In the tank is 2 clowns a lw blenny 2 fire fish and a yellow eye kole tang (I know my tank is too small for him I will be putting him in a bigger tank in 6 months.) In terms of corals I have a torch coral a few mushroom and small candy cane frag and a small polyp frag

 

[mr_X]

Maybe try a different food. You could also feed every other day for a while. I've typed it a few times, but in case you missed it, I feed the devon fitness club tank only twice a week and the fish are fat and healthy.

 

[paulweck]

Alright ill cut it back. Do u think there is a need to feed the pellets? Should I feed pellets and frozen mysis and switch every other feeding just mysis every other day. Also I remember reading somewhere about your home made food do u have the link to your recipe? Thanks for all the help Doug

 

[Kio707]

Following this.

 

[paulweck]

I forgot to add that I do also feed my lw blenny and my tang seaweed strips to twice a week

 

[shawnt90]

Flow... Try to Point your powerhead at it

 

[Mudzie]

Im sure your using ro/ di water for salt mix and top- off?

 

[paulweck]

Yes I am and it in a pretty hi flow area

 

[mr_X]

i've seen cyano grow on the outputs of power heads as well as low flow areas.

 

[paulweck]

I've counted out flow I've herd u talk about that before and it is in hi flow areas. So flow is deffenitly out. I'm going to up my water changes to once a week. Also I'm going to install a phosban reactor to help.deal with the phospates. I'm changing my filter socks every three days and I'm also going to cut back feeding to everyother day.

Doug do u think I should try to pull out all the cyno? I have a bunch growing in my fuge. Do u think I should clean out the fuge. Here's a pic

 

[mr_X]

i would zap the tank with chemiclean, but that's just me. if you have exhausted every option, chemiclean works fine and won't harm anything else if used as directed.

 

[paulweck]

I've done allot of testing today tested everything here's my readings

Ph=8.1
Ammonia= 0
Nitrites=0
Nitrates=between 0-5 ppm
Phospates=0.2
Alk= 6 dkh
Ca= 380

I'm using the API test kits I will soon be changing over to the redsea test and a Hannah checker for calcium.

Also my sand seems to be clumping up and kinds turning green is this caused by the cyano?

 

[paulweck]

Also I will be buying the chemiclean tomorrow at my lfs

 

[MBliss81]

Flow is only an issue when low flow areas allow food to accumulate and decay, leading to added nitrates. High flow will not stop cyano from growing. I’ve had it on the front part of my powerhead, right in the flow. It’s all about eliminating its nutrients. In this case, it looks like your phosphates are the likely cause.