New to saltwater-And as u might have guessed . . . HELP!

[kribkeeper44]

Hello all! So happy to join you guys! About eight months ago I started a 25 gal reef tank. All was well until I brought home a very small piece of live rock hoping that my button polyps would spread to it. Two days later I noticed it ... cyanobacteria! It has kept spreading and is now starting to smother some of my coral. I'm running a hang on the back power filter rated for a 40 gallon with floss and carbon, a seaclone 100 protein skimmer, zoo med power sweep, and for lighting Im using a 10,000k T-5 and a atinic T-5. I've been doing 25% water changes once a week and have a phosphate sponge. Nitrates are @ about 30 ppm (EEKS) and their are phosphates present in the tank. I also try to "swish" the cyanobacteria off the coral and the live rock into my dirty water bucket during my water changes. I'm sad to say that I'm feeling extremely frustrated. Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong would be great. Thank you in advance.

 

[joy13]

You can try chemiclean. Follow the directions and make sure you have enough flow when you do the treatment. My friend swears by it and I do it the old fashion way lots and lots of smaller water changes. Instead of doing a 25% water change once a week do about 3 smaller ones instead. It seems in my area there is a lot of people battling cyano this time of year.

Welcome

 

[Mudzie]

Your not using tap water for your tank or water changes are you?

 

[redsea]

Welcome!

 

[kribkeeper44]

You can try chemiclean. Follow the directions and make sure you have enough flow when you do the treatment. My friend swears by it and I do it the old fashion way lots and lots of smaller water changes. Instead of doing a 25% water change once a week do about 3 smaller ones instead. It seems in my area there is a lot of people battling cyano this time of year.

Welcome

Is chemiclean safe with corals and inverts?

 

[kribkeeper44]

Your not using tap water for your tank or water changes are you?

Yes, I would have to drive @ least 45 min. to get rodi water.

 

[Mudzie]

Well theres a real good chance you are adding phosphates to your tank with tap water and will more than likely continue to have algae problems. Walmart sells rodi in the supermarket section . I would do some checking theres got to be a resource somewhere near you.

 

[joy13]

Yes chemiclean is safe for the tank, as long as you follow the directions my friend uses it and does as the package says and doesn't have a problem in his small reef tank.

It does help a lot if you use ro water. Another thing you could use distilled water from the store. I don't know if there is a walmart around but when I first started that is where I got my water from.

 

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard. We are glad you found us here at AA.