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dustponds10 
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 Topic: Cyano problem
Posted: February 24 2009 at 12:00pm |
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Well I have been trying to figure out a way to get rid of the cyano that keeps building up in my tank and I just cannot kick it. So I am here for some suggestioins. First things first so you all know what my tank is. It is a 75 gallon and 30 gallon sump I have 3 #3 koralias that are rated for 850 gallons of water movement per hour, and the inlet from my sump. 2nd I have T-5 lighting and the bulbs in it are new last December.. I dont want to use any chemicals other then maybe carbon or something in that effect. I do run an ASM G-1 protien skimmer but Idont run any carbon or phosphoguard What do you all suggest?
Edited by dustponds10 - February 24 2009 at 12:01pm
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120
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130 frag system
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Rioreefer
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 12:02pm |
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What Are you Readings for No3 Po4 Alk Cal exc..
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I dont mean to brag but, yeah it's 6ft long.
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dustponds10
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 12:22pm |
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Ill guess I am going to have to check that out. I havent done any test for quite some time. I now that you say that I a bit scared what I might find. dang it. Ill get back on that. In the mean time if there is anything or anyone else that has some input post away. Dustin
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120
ASM G-3
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T-5 lighting
asm G-1x
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 12:27pm |
How long has the tank been running? What fish do you have? How much rock do you have?
Without seeing it here are my three suggestions
1) feed less
2) filter more (water changes)
3) increase circulation
Adam
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dustponds10
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 1:32pm |
Ok thanks Adam. I am going to still post the test results when I can get them. I guess that I will have to start doing more water changes or larger ones everyother week. and not feed quite as much when I do feed.
Fish wise here is what I have
yellow tang
small hippo tang
2 McKoskers wrasses male and female
shrimp goby
2 chromis
Royal gramma
That is about it.
Tank has been up and running for 1.5 years and I have around 100 pounds of Live rock. I have some picturest of the tank but none that show the cyano. Does this help you more?
also I feed 2-3 times a week and when I feed it is only a little cube of frozen brine shrimp or some other frozen food in the cubes. Dustin
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120
ASM G-3
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T-5 lighting
asm G-1x
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 2:18pm |
Hmmm, doesn't seem overly stocked nor over fed. Also, been up 1.5 years is a while. That is all really good to hear, and makes the cyano a little more confusing.
Adam
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dustponds10
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 2:40pm |
Yeah that is what I was thinking. I guess Ill do larger water changes when i do them. Ill do 15 gallons instead of 10. That kind of bites but if I can kick the cyano then it is well worth it.
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120
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asm G-1x
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 5:24pm |
In a properly filtered tank where N compounds are already low, new water often feeds cyano, so that usually will not work. Go here and look down toward the bottom of the first post at the topic "Solving a Cyanobacteria Problem": http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244A patch of Cyano in an established tank is really not a big deal. It's very natural. If it grows, covers a coral or is unsightly then that thread will help you pinpoint a remedy.
Edited by Mark Peterson - February 24 2009 at 5:27pm
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Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Kevin
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 5:43pm |
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Sometimes to help rid my tank of cyano I will suck up the cyano on the sand bed with a turkey baster, and then also suck up a bunch of the sand beneath the cyano. I fill a large cup or two with this sand and then go and rinse it in hot fresh water until I get rid of most of the crud in the cup. Then I dump the sand back where it was.
This doesn't get rid of the problem immediately but for me it helps.
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dustponds10
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 6:33pm |
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ok thanks for all the help Ill keep you all informed
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120
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130 frag system
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dustponds10
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 6:36pm |
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Mark that link for solving cyano isnt working is there another place i can go to find it?
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120
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Mike Savage
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 6:38pm |
 dustponds10 wrote:
Mark that link for solving cyano isnt working is there another place i can go to find it? |
The link works for me.
Mike
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dustponds10
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Posted: February 24 2009 at 10:46pm |
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Well I just thought that I would let you all know that my nitrates are 0. I am completely baffled. I have no idea what it could be. I have 2500 plus some flow in a 75 gallon that is more then enough flow. Could it be the bulbs? I know that they are only 3 months old but could that be it? I guess I am going to have to check everything and see what it is I can do. I might have to go back and use the cyano chemicals to get rid of it.
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120
ASM G-3
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130 frag system
T-5 lighting
asm G-1x
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Jimbo
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Posted: February 25 2009 at 10:47am |
I see you are only feeding 2-3 times a week with frozen food. Overfeeding surely isn't the problem. Are you rinsing the frozen food before you use it? Frozen Mysis shrimp in particular can be kind of greasy and that alone could cause some cyano if you are not rinsing it.
More frequent small feedings is a good regimen. Also try to give more of a variety. Some Nori for those Tangs ,a pelleted food (I have always liked the Spectrum pellets) even some flake. Sometimes people worry so much about overfeeding, they will underfeed. JMO
If all else fails and you get sick of looking at it Chemi-clean is a good product. Good luck HTH
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Kevin
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Posted: February 25 2009 at 12:55pm |
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how bad is the problem? Sometimes cyano just grows despite what we do. If it is out of control I might consider using a chemical, but if the problem is small to moderate I would try other suggestions first.
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olkeller
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Posted: February 25 2009 at 1:51pm |
I cant remember if you mentioned your RODI. I have just about the same setup with no problems and I disagree that cyano is normal I think it is a sympton of a larger problem. Have you checked your Rodi also my system is a 60 with 10 gallons sump/fuge not quite the same huh. I have an ASM G1x and I think my skimmer is a little undersized. Is it a fish only or do you have corals.
I know I think quite scattered but cyano is a symptom of high nutrients heavier skimming or perhaps wetter skimming and montering amount of nutrients going in whether from feeding or perhaps topoff and waterchanges do you have a TDS reading. Good luck and hope it gets better.
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dustponds10
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Posted: February 25 2009 at 3:49pm |
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Well to answer those questions I dont rinse the frozen food when I feed so I made a mental note of that thanks, and for the others I do use an RODI system and I havent changed my resin for quite some time. SO I am going to go and do that as well. My tank is a reef tank with mostly corals but there are a few fish as well. I checked my TDS meter and it is reading 6. I didnt think that was all that bad but I have been informed that it is because it might be releasing the things it obsorbed into the water because it is a bit old. SO i am changing that as well. I tested my tank for Nitrates and they still read 0 and I have what I consider a ton of flow so I am going to try a few of all the suggestions. First change the RODI resin and then I am goning to leave the lights turned off for a few days as well to see if that cures my problem. Thanks all for the great help and keep it coming. I will keep you all updated. Dustin
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120
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Andreason
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Posted: February 25 2009 at 5:33pm |
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Do you have something to sift the sand? Cukes, stars, nass snails? Also is your cleaning crew adequate? I know very few things will eat cyano but it seemed to help in my tank having them crawling over stuff and dislodging the cyano a bit. When we got cyano we sprayed the rock off with a power head and made sure there was good water flow across the top of the sand (very tricky!). Do phosphates contribute to the cyano? The last outbreak we had was attributed to our RO/DI filters, it was a pain to get rid of!
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ffc3
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Posted: February 25 2009 at 8:04pm |
"In a properly filtered tank where N compounds are already low, new water often feeds cyano, so that usually will not work." by Mark Peterson
How do water changes feed cyano? Isn't the purpose of water changes to remove stuff?
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IdahoReef
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Posted: February 25 2009 at 8:48pm |
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I had a cyano problem as well as hair algae. I did two things. I bought a bicolor blenny and I reduced my light period drasically for a few days and have been slowly increasing it. I will not be increasing it any more since I am seeing just a bit of algae growth again. This all pissed off some of my zoas, particularly my AOG, but they are back to normal now.
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