Can lowering nutrients cause Cyano?

[TLO45]

So I e been dealing with various levels with Cyano for close to 2 years now. In the past I have had such bad Cyano it covers almost everything. Sometimes it is greatly better but it never seems to go away completely.
The tank has been running for ~4 years but 20 months ago I switched from Marco rock to caribsea life rock. I realize that I probably should have switched to real live rock but I didn’t and I’m going to hang in there with what I have. I have tried adding real live rock to the sump to add diversity of bacteria without much success.
That being said I test 4-5 times a week just to keep an eye on levels. For a good amount of time I ran nitrates in the low 20’s and phosphate in the.20 range. Corals grew well (although i felt coral color could be better) but I always had Cyano. ICP tests confirm I’m in the range mentioned above. I do use Hanna checkers for both tests , which I know not everyone likes, but I like to get an actual number rather than guess at a color to determine actual levels.
Other parameters are as follow and are pretty steady.
Gravity 1.025
Alkalinity 9.0
Temp 77*
Nitrates 17-20
Phosphate .10-.12
Calcium 440-450
Magnesium 1350
I’m a long term reefer and have never had issues like I am now and I’m convinced that many of the issues are related to the dry rock/artificial rock.
Recently (last few weeks ) I reduced the amount of dry food I feed (auto feeder dosing a variety of foods for one minute each hour over an 8 hour period). I was dosing the same food under same time frame earlier for 2 minutes and that related to the higher nutrient levels mentioned above.
I’m just wondering what people feel about this?
I do 10% water changes weekly with instant Ocean salt which I have used for 25 years. Most times without any issue!
My main question is revolving around the nutrient levels. Although I did have some Cyano in the display it has seemed to be increasing since I reduced the amount of food I’m feeding the tank. Nitrates and phosphate levels have dropped but with that Cyano seems to be increasing.
The display is 120”L x 33”W x 22” H with 7 Nero 7’s for water movement. I know flow could perhaps be better but by no means would I say it’s poor.
I’ll include a video to show what I’m dealing with.

 

[TLO45]

So I e been dealing with various levels with Cyano for close to 2 years now. In the past I have had such bad Cyano it covers almost everything. Sometimes it is greatly better but it never seems to go away completely.
The tank has been running for ~4 years but 20 months ago I switched from Marco rock to caribsea life rock. I realize that I probably should have switched to real live rock but I didn’t and I’m going to hang in there with what I have. I have tried adding real live rock to the sump to add diversity of bacteria without much success.
That being said I test 4-5 times a week just to keep an eye on levels. For a good amount of time I ran nitrates in the low 20’s and phosphate in the.20 range. Corals grew well (although i felt coral color could be better) but I always had Cyano. ICP tests confirm I’m in the range mentioned above. I do use Hanna checkers for both tests , which I know not everyone likes, but I like to get an actual number rather than guess at a color to determine actual levels.
Other parameters are as follow and are pretty steady.
Gravity 1.025
Alkalinity 9.0
Temp 77*
Nitrates 17-20
Phosphate .10-.12
Calcium 440-450
Magnesium 1350
I’m a long term reefer and have never had issues like I am now and I’m convinced that many of the issues are related to the dry rock/artificial rock.
Recently (last few weeks ) I reduced the amount of dry food I feed (auto feeder dosing a variety of foods for one minute each hour over an 8 hour period). I was dosing the same food under same time frame earlier for 2 minutes and that related to the higher nutrient levels mentioned above.
I’m just wondering what people feel about this?
I do 10% water changes weekly with instant Ocean salt which I have used for 25 years. Most times without any issue!
My main question is revolving around the nutrient levels. Although I did have some Cyano in the display it has seemed to be increasing since I reduced the amount of food I’m feeding the tank. Nitrates and phosphate levels have dropped but with that Cyano seems to be increasing.
The display is 120”L x 33”W x 22” H with 7 Nero 7’s for water movement. I know flow could perhaps be better but by no means would I say it’s poor.
I’ll include a video to show what I’m dealing with.

 

[landlubber]

instability shifting the turf war in the cyano's favour, lack of flow and aged out t5 bulbs are all reasons i've had issues with it in the past.
my suspicions are mainly with changing out the rock. it took me nearly 2 full years to get things on track after starting a tank with completely new rock.

 

[Lavey29]

Cyano is primarily based on lack of flow and to much white light.

 

[TLO45]

So I’m running Phillip coral cares supplemented with a reef supplement
I may try adding a bit more blues

 

[darrick001]

The idea of life rock is way better than the reality. Life rock has very little surface area compared to live rock. With the limited surface area and the bare bottom your bacteria population is pretty limited. With how long you have been fighting it you may not be able to eliminate it with your current setup. I would add a refugium or ATS. If you already have one I would increase the lighting, size or flow. Cyano can use nutrients in the water faster than other algae so it's not surprising it's still growing. Something else that would help is adding a large number of pods. Pods love to eat cyano.

 

[darrick001]

One thing that just hit me is that there could be something in the life rock that is feeding it as well. Being that it started when you swapped it in its a real possibility.

 

[TLO45]

I do run a refugium but that too is covered in Cyano.
I can certainly add pods but what about perhaps adding some actual real live rock?
Would that help outcompete Cyano even though it is in the sump and not actual display?

 

[Dan_P]

So I e been dealing with various levels with Cyano for close to 2 years now. In the past I have had such bad Cyano it covers almost everything. Sometimes it is greatly better but it never seems to go away completely.
The tank has been running for ~4 years but 20 months ago I switched from Marco rock to caribsea life rock. I realize that I probably should have switched to real live rock but I didn’t and I’m going to hang in there with what I have. I have tried adding real live rock to the sump to add diversity of bacteria without much success.
That being said I test 4-5 times a week just to keep an eye on levels. For a good amount of time I ran nitrates in the low 20’s and phosphate in the.20 range. Corals grew well (although i felt coral color could be better) but I always had Cyano. ICP tests confirm I’m in the range mentioned above. I do use Hanna checkers for both tests , which I know not everyone likes, but I like to get an actual number rather than guess at a color to determine actual levels.
Other parameters are as follow and are pretty steady.
Gravity 1.025
Alkalinity 9.0
Temp 77*
Nitrates 17-20
Phosphate .10-.12
Calcium 440-450
Magnesium 1350
I’m a long term reefer and have never had issues like I am now and I’m convinced that many of the issues are related to the dry rock/artificial rock.
Recently (last few weeks ) I reduced the amount of dry food I feed (auto feeder dosing a variety of foods for one minute each hour over an 8 hour period). I was dosing the same food under same time frame earlier for 2 minutes and that related to the higher nutrient levels mentioned above.
I’m just wondering what people feel about this?
I do 10% water changes weekly with instant Ocean salt which I have used for 25 years. Most times without any issue!
My main question is revolving around the nutrient levels. Although I did have some Cyano in the display it has seemed to be increasing since I reduced the amount of food I’m feeding the tank. Nitrates and phosphate levels have dropped but with that Cyano seems to be increasing.
The display is 120”L x 33”W x 22” H with 7 Nero 7’s for water movement. I know flow could perhaps be better but by no means would I say it’s poor.
I’ll include a video to show what I’m dealing with.

I want to clarify the situation.

The aquarium was established 4 years ago. There was no cyanobacteria issues. Then, 20 months ago the 2 year old rocks were removed and new dry ricks were added. Then the cyanobacteria took over the aquarium. I assume there is a sand bottom.

 

[areefer01]

So I’m running Phillip coral cares supplemented with a reef supplement
I may try adding a bit more blues

I don't think I would do that. Why throw money as it relates to hardware when you don't fully understand what the cause is. I believe Dan's post above is the right direction. Clarify and work through that.

 

[TLO45]

I started the tank roughly 4 years ago with all Marco rock. Had a lot of issues with algaes, Cyano ect with that setup.
2 years ago I removed all the Marco rock and replaced with the Caribsea rock and have continued to deal with Cyano.
It has gotten considerably better but never completely eradicated it.
The Caribsea rock is about 20 months old which I feel has improved the Cyano issues but not eradicated it.
I have tried many things …sand, no sand, adding bacteria’s, added media blocks, increased nutrients, decreased nutrients , added phyto, pods cleanup crew ect.
Perhaps more patience is needed since the rock was devoid of any beneficial bacteria or biodiversity but I feel like there is a way to get rid of this issue once and for all

 

[TLO45]

I don't think I would do that. Why throw money as it relates to hardware when you don't fully understand what the cause is. I believe Dan's post above is the right direction. Clarify and work through that.

All I was saying is I would adjust
The spectrum to a slightly bluer light.
I’m not replacing any equipment.
So you think I should continue with the whiter spectrum?

 

[Lavey29]

All I was saying is I would adjust
The spectrum to a slightly bluer light.
I’m not replacing any equipment.
So you think I should continue with the whiter spectrum?

Corals don't need white light. It's for viewing pleasure.

 

[jackson6745]

IMO cyano is biome related. Having increased nutrient seems to help bacterial populations proliferate which is why it seems to combat cyano at times. Having quality established rock in an established system seems to keep it at bay. The one time that I started a tank with dry rock I couldn't get rid of patchy cyano for the life of me. There's so many variables though. I would add a 20lb live rock pack from TBS to combat it it in an aged system with steady nutrients.

 

[TLO45]

IMO cyano is biome related. Having increased nutrient seems to help bacterial populations proliferate which is why it seems to combat cyano at times. Having quality established rock in an established system seems to keep it at bay. The one time that I started a tank with dry rock I couldn't get rid of patchy cyano for the life of me. There's so many variables though. I would add a 20lb live rock pack from TBS to combat it it in an aged system with steady nutrients.

That’s what I’m wondering?
It really seems as I’ve reduced the amount of nutrients the Cyano has increased. Not to bad levels but noticeable.

 

[Lavey29]

That’s what I’m wondering?
It really seems as I’ve reduced the amount of nutrients the Cyano has increased. Not to bad levels but noticeable.

Have you tried @SunnyX extreme water clarity and cyano concoction? Works great simple to use. I use it weekly.

 

[TLO45]

Have you tried @SunnyX extreme water clarity and cyano concoction? Works great simple to use. I use it weekly.

I have to no avail

 

[AcanSweeper]

I'm dealing with a similar situation and my guess is the life rock. I had cyano 3 months ago and beat it with beneficial bacteria dosing, water changes/manual removal and pods. I wanted more rock for my Zoa and Acan gardens so I added a couple pieces of life rock into the tank and boom I'm back to square one with my cyano. I notice the cyano is mainly on sandbed around and on the newly added life rock. I'm very close to doing a chemiclean tx.

 

[BiggestE22]

So I e been dealing with various levels with Cyano for close to 2 years now. In the past I have had such bad Cyano it covers almost everything. Sometimes it is greatly better but it never seems to go away completely.
The tank has been running for ~4 years but 20 months ago I switched from Marco rock to caribsea life rock. I realize that I probably should have switched to real live rock but I didn’t and I’m going to hang in there with what I have. I have tried adding real live rock to the sump to add diversity of bacteria without much success.
That being said I test 4-5 times a week just to keep an eye on levels. For a good amount of time I ran nitrates in the low 20’s and phosphate in the.20 range. Corals grew well (although i felt coral color could be better) but I always had Cyano. ICP tests confirm I’m in the range mentioned above. I do use Hanna checkers for both tests , which I know not everyone likes, but I like to get an actual number rather than guess at a color to determine actual levels.
Other parameters are as follow and are pretty steady.
Gravity 1.025
Alkalinity 9.0
Temp 77*
Nitrates 17-20
Phosphate .10-.12
Calcium 440-450
Magnesium 1350
I’m a long term reefer and have never had issues like I am now and I’m convinced that many of the issues are related to the dry rock/artificial rock.
Recently (last few weeks ) I reduced the amount of dry food I feed (auto feeder dosing a variety of foods for one minute each hour over an 8 hour period). I was dosing the same food under same time frame earlier for 2 minutes and that related to the higher nutrient levels mentioned above.
I’m just wondering what people feel about this?
I do 10% water changes weekly with instant Ocean salt which I have used for 25 years. Most times without any issue!
My main question is revolving around the nutrient levels. Although I did have some Cyano in the display it has seemed to be increasing since I reduced the amount of food I’m feeding the tank. Nitrates and phosphate levels have dropped but with that Cyano seems to be increasing.
The display is 120”L x 33”W x 22” H with 7 Nero 7’s for water movement. I know flow could perhaps be better but by no means would I say it’s poor.
I’ll include a video to show what I’m dealing with.

Get a good uv

 

[TLO45]

Tried a Large Pentair for at least a year. Didn’t touch it.