I heard it mentioned by a few different folks recently.
API. PetSmart. ~$15
One box has ten packets. Each packet treats 10 gallons daily. Typically treatment is five days. Even after the fifth day you may still cyano present. Fortunately it will continue to die off and disappear days after the last treatment. If possible, do a decent water change prior to treatment. Take that opportunity to vacuum out as much cyano as possible.
So on a 36 bowfront I would need 4 boxes?! Please tell me I misunderstood something!
Derrrrr...sorry I was not clear. I have a 20g tank and 1 box (has 10 packets) was enough to treat the tank for 5 days (1 packet for 10g daily). A 36g would need 2 boxes.
If you could find a larger box (>10 packets) then that would be more economical.
The good thing is that once treated with EM, the reoccurrence rate is very low. Just need to because of what you put in there (moving equipment, siphon hoses, nets, plants, etc from tank to tank).
Thanks! I just cant seem to kick it in one of my tanks. I am not very faithful in water changes but Im not that bad and the bioload is low!
EM should do the trick. Be patient; results will not happen overnight.
I just cleared a planted tank of cyano that had been persistent for months (did not know what it was). I would siphon it off the plants and it would grow back. Not that the cyano is gone, I think Blackbeard algae has taken its place on the older plant leaves. Can't win
Cyano can happen easily in tanks that have a nitrate level constantly below 10ppm, a build up of organic's from not enough WC's, low flow, and many other reasons can attribute to cyano problems. There are other methods besides Erythro BUT Erythromycin is the most effective way to get rid of it and keep it gone.
Do a WC and get as much of the cyano out of the tank as possible before you start treatment. Then treat for 5 days. Don't add any carbon or do a WC for a few days after treatment is done as the cyano will still be dying off. Erythromycin won't affect BB but it can cause an ammonia spike from the cyano dying.
I wouldn't do any WC's at all during treatment. I've never heard of that either.