what starts cyano?

[atlantisaquatic]

I got another one for ya Boomer... if one uses Kalkwasser (that precipitates phosphate), does that slow Cyano growth noticeably on the substrate or does it simply store the phosphates in a convenient location for the cyano? Would one then consider the phosphate precipitating nature of calcium hydroxide solution to be a benefit or a hinderance when dealing with cyano issues?

BOOMER! You're the man... now, I gotta know... did you look that one up or did that just come to your head of its own accord? Swank Brother... swank.

 

[returnofsid]

Cyanobacteria is one of the most common bacteria in the world and is thought to be one of the building blocks to life. Over feeding and low flow have been my recipe for Cyano. Whenever I've had an outbreak, it's always been easily overcome by changing flow, directing more flow towards the effected area. It's usually gone within a couple of days.

 

[Boomer]

I gotta know... did you look that one up or did that just come to your head of its own accord?

Nope, I read about it long ago in my book

Biology of the Cyanobacteria by N.G. Carr and B.A. Whitton, 685 pgs.

I got another one for ya Boomer.

We do not have a clue and are working on it now. I know some very advanced reefers that have lots of it and their parameters are perfect. They have tried everything possible to get rid of it only to fail. The only thing that seems to work with a plague of Cyano, you just cant get rid of, even with perfect water parameters, is to do large muti-WC every day for a week under reduced lighting and good strong current or go the chemical route. It also appears from some recent reading of mine that Nitrogen is # 1 in limiting. I'm also thinkin' it may be a Spring thing for many

 

[roscoe]

Thanks for all great the info fellas!!!

 

[JeffGil]

I'm definately no expert here, but with perfect water parameters I had a major outbreak of cyano in a 20g (even growing on the corals!) and used Red Slime Remover on my LFS's recommendation and it was completely gone within 2 days with no adverse effects on the rest of the tanks' inhabitants (fish or corals). After that (and a major water change following the product's instructions) I added another power head and it never came back.

Probably no surpise to anyone that I think the main culprits were low flow and over-feeding, but just wanted to give an example of my experience and an option for the the chemical treatment that worked for me.

 

[Boomer]

That is what I meant Jeff by going the "chemical route"

 

[warforged]

I would read this: http://netclub.athiel.com/cyano/cyanos2.htm

I’ve read the article and many others because I have had a huge outbreak. It was all my fault to. I didn’t notice my refuge crashed ..zero lighting = dead cheeto and micro algae..

Cyanobacteria form up and if you have a large outbreak or fast growing you will have false readings on tests. Why? Cause they are eating it all up.

You have to treat the source before you attack Cyano. Number one thing I learned the ‘very’ hard way.

Sources: Nutrients in the water are very high. What ever reason is going to be by your tank and your habits. Over feeding, Low flow areas, Protein skimmer needs cleaning or better one , lights went bad hitting spectrum that encourages its growth, lack of proper tank maintenance (using tap water top off, not so frequent water changes).

It takes the right conditions for an outbreak to happen. And mine was due to my idiocy.

I treated the source. Nutrients in my water were high.
Kent marine Poly-Ox assisted me by helping my skimmer out…
I cleaned every rock ..suctioned every bit of slime I found..and identified my source of nutrients and removed it.

Once I removed my nutrient source I attacked it with blue life red slime remover.

Currently I am enjoying a Red Slime free tank. And I am now doing preventative steps.
1. proper water change outs and top offs
2. 48 hours before change I use chemi clean
3. Keeping my cleaning crew stocked
4. Poly ox treatment.

Poly Ox does this: Poly Ox is an organic material oxidizer. It does not contain any algaecides. It assists in preventing growth of various cyanobacteria (commonly called red or blue green slime algae) by simply removing their food source. It will oxidize leftover food, and dissolve and suspended organic matter.

I hope this helps you.

PS. My first outbreak was due to hair algae and letting it cover one rock ...then applying the algae control stuff (forgot its name)..well hair died off and added nutrients= cyno broke out right ontop of the hair algae... long story short..> My Slug of hair algae eating death is in my tank now! I love my slug.

 

[warforged]

I think I will cut my photo period back and see what happens. I did dose chemiclean so that will help. Beleive me I have no dead spots in my tank there is a ton of flow in there. Most of the detritus settles in a spot where the multiple currents meet and stays at that spot all the time.

Roscoe im not very fond of Aquarium Paradise but they have Chemi Clean or Blue Life red slime remover.

Indoor reef caries the Kent Marine Poly-ox

Ive also read even cutting down your lighting by 50% for a few days "imitating cloudy days" in a way..can help speed things up.

 

[roscoe]

Thanks for all the info Warforged!! I've taken the proper steps towards battling the cyano and now it is starting to subside.

 

[warforged]

Thanks for all the info Warforged!! I've taken the proper steps towards battling the cyano and now it is starting to subside.

You are very welcome. I went through hell already. I want to prevent others from going through it to.

 

[tamarindthai]

i got this one for you Rosco,,,do not experiment new food to your tank ,specially fresh food.refer back to Boomer info ,,,organic and inorgaic PO4,,

 

[Boomer]

They can "pull off " inorganic PO4 bound to the rock. It is often why you see them on rock and substrates more commonly. In time you will see that the rock is dissolving somewhat. For organic Phosphates, all they have to do is have some "fall" on them or that on the rock they are growing across. Part of the reason to have strong currents.

 

[roscoe]

Thanks guys! I have over 70x water turn over. I don't see any dead spots. Although my rocks look like it is shedding some what. Oh well it looks like it is subsiding after the chemiclean treatment.

 

[tamarindthai]

They can "pull off " inorganic PO4 bound to the rock. It is often why you see them on rock and substrates more commonly. In time you will see that the rock is dissolving somewhat. For organic Phosphates, all they have to do is have some "fall" on them or that on the rock they are growing across. Part of the reason to have strong currents.

man that the great info /advise,Bommer

 

[apollothesun]

I gotta know... did you look that one up or did that just come to your head of its own accord?

Nope, I read about it long ago in my book

Biology of the Cyanobacteria by N.G. Carr and B.A. Whitton, 685 pgs.

I got another one for ya Boomer.

We do not have a clue and are working on it now. I know some very advanced reefers that have lots of it and their parameters are perfect. They have tried everything possible to get rid of it only to fail. The only thing that seems to work with a plague of Cyano, you just cant get rid of, even with perfect water parameters, is to do large muti-WC every day for a week under reduced lighting and good strong current or go the chemical route. It also appears from some recent reading of mine that Nitrogen is # 1 in limiting. I'm also thinkin' it may be a Spring thing for many

Boomer, what do you mean Spring thing for many?

 

[Boomer]

It seems that many have issues with Cyano in the Spring, just popping-up out of nowhere or is worse in the Spring.

 

[warforged]

It seems that many have issues with Cyano in the Spring, just popping-up out of nowhere or is worse in the Spring.

Interesting ...

I like my theory that the pits of hell open and unleash the beast into our tanks !
Sounds cool and more colorful =)

 

[tcduongxx]

I do feed heavy but my phos and nitrate are zero. I have plenty of flow especially the bottom half of my tank. I have low nutrients and over 70x turn over so what else could it be?

Check your make up water and water change water. This happen to me, a few week back when my RO unit fail and I keep using it for water change. Every time I change the water the red slime grow more. I finally replace all my RO filter and did a 50% water change and currently waiting to do a 25% change in about 2 weeks.

Your P/N will show zero because they already consume by the red slime in your tank.

 

[roscoe]

Check your make up water and water change water. This happen to me, a few week back when my RO unit fail and I keep using it for water change. Every time I change the water the red slime grow more. I finally replace all my RO filter and did a 50% water change and currently waiting to do a 25% change in about 2 weeks.

Your P/N will show zero because they already consume by the red slime in your tank.

Thanks for the tip bro but this thread is over a year old.


Sarang

 

[RAJOD]

It is on the rock and glass. It's stringy. I had this happened about 4 months ago. I used chemiclean and it pretty much wiped out the cyano overnight. Now it is starting to show up again.

How long did the chem clean treatment last? Did you loose any fish from it?

I have some of that red slime. Ugly stuff. It needs fuel so its probably has to do with your dosing.

It says 20% water change after treatment. (60 gallons for me)
Wonder what happens if you do less.

I might do the chemiclean just to get it under control.