Cyanobacteria I’ve tried everything!!!!

[micdri81]

Hello everyone I have red cyano all over my sand! my water levels are good no nitrates or nitrites! I’ve tried chemiclean I also have done water changes and used seachem pristine. I also have kept all lights of for a week and only turn them on for 2 hrs max. What do I need to do to get rid of the red?!

Ps. Tank is 10 gal 2 Ocellaris clownfish 1 sand sifting starfish and fake anemones

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello everyone I have red cyano all over my sand! my water levels are good no nitrates or nitrites! I’ve tried chemiclean I also have done water changes and used seachem pristine. I also have kept all lights of for a week and only turn them on for 2 hrs max. What do I need to do to get rid of the red?!

Ps. Tank is 10 gal 2 Ocellaris clownfish 1 sand sifting starfish and fake anemones

With 2 hours of light, this bacteria is photosynthetic and will feed off any light. I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 3-5 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the 5 days, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with air bubbles which form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it settles as skimmate. When the protein skimmer has low efficiency or you do not have the suitable protein skimmer to cover the tank, the air bubbles created might be insufficient and can trigger cyano .
- Use of Aminos which actually feed them.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured will act as a breeding ground for red slime .
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is a welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example of po4 and no3 introduction.
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for red slime algae development

 

[Formulator]

Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question, but have you removed it from the sand manually and it just comes back?

 

[curts coral]

I used red cyano rx. I forget if it’s invert safe, but for me it worked like a charm

 

[Formulator]

With 2 hours of light, this bacteria is photosynthetic and will feed off any light. I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 3-5 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the 5 days, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with air bubbles which form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it settles as skimmate. When the protein skimmer has low efficiency or you do not have the suitable protein skimmer to cover the tank, the air bubbles created might be insufficient and can trigger cyano .
- Use of Aminos which actually feed them.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured will act as a breeding ground for red slime .
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is a welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example of po4 and no3 introduction.
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for red slime algae development

This is good advice. But also if its just on your sand you can siphon it off while you are working to address the root cause. For some reason I tend to get cyano when my nutrients bottom out…. I also used to get it every spring like clockwork because my tank is right next to a window with southern exposure.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is good advice. But also if its just on your sand you can siphon it off while you are working to address the root cause. For some reason I tend to get cyano when my nutrients bottom out…. I also used to get it every spring like clockwork because my tank is right next to a window with southern exposure.

Please post pics under bright white lighting for confirmed i.d.

 

[micdri81]

With 2 hours of light, this bacteria is photosynthetic and will feed off any light. I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 3-5 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the 5 days, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with air bubbles which form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it settles as skimmate. When the protein skimmer has low efficiency or you do not have the suitable protein skimmer to cover the tank, the air bubbles created might be insufficient and can trigger cyano .
- Use of Aminos which actually feed them.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured will act as a breeding ground for red slime .
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is a welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example of po4 and no3 introduction.
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for red slime algae development

Thank you! I have had many other reefers recommend the crabs so I am going to try that!!

 

[Spare time]

Raise the nitrates.

 

[NefariousPillow]

Raise the nitrates.

I second this. Just out of curiosity, did you start with live rock?

 

[Formulator]

Please post pics under bright white lighting for confirmed i.d.

Was that intended to be a reply to my post? I don't have anything needing an ID at the moment. But perhaps you were asking the OP to do so.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Was that intended to be a reply to my post? I don't have anything needing an ID at the moment. But perhaps you were asking the OP to do so.

Oops - Yes, OP

 

[crazyfishmom]

Many of the chemical remedies will end up either causing issues or will become a necessity and you’ll have to continue to use Chemiclean or others over time.

I started using cyanoclean a week ago in my 40 gallon softy tank which is a bacterial strain that outcompetes Cyanobacteria. I also dose microbacter 7. Within 48 hrs I started to notice major differences and now even the corals that were suffering from being matted with it are looking clean and bouncing back. Highly recommend this.

 

[legionofdoon]

I use chemi clean then, microbe lift special blend at large dosages with skimmer off. It also works for dinos minus the chemi clean. Special blend is a PNS so leave the lights on they are photosynthetic. Also adding pods is always a good idea too.

 

[Doompastew]

With 2 hours of light, this bacteria is photosynthetic and will feed off any light. I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 3-5 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the 5 days, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with air bubbles which form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it settles as skimmate. When the protein skimmer has low efficiency or you do not have the suitable protein skimmer to cover the tank, the air bubbles created might be insufficient and can trigger cyano .
- Use of Aminos which actually feed them.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured will act as a breeding ground for red slime .
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is a welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example of po4 and no3 introduction.
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for red slime algae development

I have my skimmer section of my sump set low. I have a pretty concentrated skimmate. I'm just seeing the beginning of cyano. nitrate is 0.1, phosphates are 1.1, ph 8.08, alk 8.8. I am also running an ATS. my question is, should I bring the level up in the skimmer chamber and skim more wet?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have my skimmer section of my sump set low. I have a pretty concentrated skimmate. I'm just seeing the beginning of cyano. nitrate is 0.1, phosphates are 1.1, ph 8.08, alk 8.8. I am also running an ATS. my question is, should I bring the level up in the skimmer chamber and skim more wet?

Yes and empty and clean cup daily during blackout

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hello everyone I have red cyano all over my sand! my water levels are good no nitrates or nitrites! I’ve tried chemiclean I also have done water changes and used seachem pristine. I also have kept all lights of for a week and only turn them on for 2 hrs max. What do I need to do to get rid of the red?!

Ps. Tank is 10 gal 2 Ocellaris clownfish 1 sand sifting starfish and fake anemones

Cyanobacteria grow when they have some form of nutrient that they like.

The best thing to do is keep vacuuming it out, as that way you remove the bacteria together with the nutrient that they have consumed.

If you simply kill the bacteria with an antibacterial product, the.dying bacteria release the nutrients back into the water, which of course feeds the next round of bacteria.

Removal, together with addition of activated carbon and a couple of water changes will remove most of whatever nutrient they're consuming.

 

[micdri81]

Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question, but have you removed it from the sand manually and it just comes back?

Yes I have removed it from the sand it it comes back

 

[micdri81]

Please post pics under bright white lighting for confirmed i.d.

 

[micdri81]

I second this. Just out of curiosity, did you start with live rock?

No I have never had live rock

 

[micdri81]

This is good advice. But also if it’s just on your sand you can siphon it off while you are working to address the root cause. For some reason I tend to get cyano when my nutrients bottom out…. I also used to get it every spring like clockwork because my tank is right next to a window with southern exposure.

Could be my isssue I’m in San Antonio tx and my tank gets mild light from the window