How do I get rid of cyano when low nutrients is the problem?

[glb]

Here’s what’s growing on my rocks. I’m pretty sure it’s cyano. It blows off in a film and reproduces daily. My po4 is 0ppm and no3 is 2.5-5.0ppm. I dose po4 daily and dose no3 when needed. I’m sure the no3 and po4 are being consumed by this stuff. Since high nutrients aren’t the problem, how can I get rid of it? Tank parameters are:
Alk: 8.5
Ca: 495
Mg: 1380
No3: 2.5-5
Temp 77.7
Ph: 8.1
PO4: 0
SG: 1.025

This stuff is driving me crazy. Help!

 

[Mjrenz]

I'm not an expert on the subject but I have had good success with Boyd's chemiclean for cyano before

 

[Shinte122305]

Do you have corals? something needs to eat the nitrates/phosphates. if you dont have heavy coral load get a refugium to eat it if not the cyano is whats feeding off of it. new empty tanks are prone to cyano. i have a mixed reef sps lps running 10-25 nitrates and 0.02 phos. zero algae or cyano my corals out compete everything

 

[glb]

Do you have corals? something needs to eat the nitrates/phosphates. if you dont have heavy coral load get a refugium to eat it if not the cyano is whats feeding off of it. new empty tanks are prone to cyano. i have a mixed reef sps lps running 10-25 nitrates and 0.02 phos. zero algae or cyano my corals out compete everything

I only have a few corals. The tank is two years old. I put lights on it last fall and that’s when I started having problems. My skimmer works like crazy but there’s still no sign that it’s going away. Does it look like cyano to you?

 

[Shinte122305]

I only have a few corals. The tank is two years old. I put lights on it last fall and that’s when I started having problems. My skimmer works like crazy but there’s still no sign that it’s going away. Does it look like cyano to you?

yeah, id stop dosing nitrates and phosphates your just feeding the cyano. You need to feed the fish and let their poop feed the corals. let the system stabilize. You need to out compete the cyano. either a refugium or corals or less food etc. itll get to a point where the corals should out compete it and youll have 10+ nitrates with no alage or cyano issue

 

[lapin]

Cyano does not like low light or high flow. It is present everywhere. When conditions are favorable it will grow in your tank. Unless it is bothering your coral or you dont like red, I would let it runs its course.

 

[glb]

Cyano does not like low light or high flow. It is present everywhere. When conditions are favorable it will grow in your tank. Unless it is bothering your coral or you dont like red, I would let it runs its course.

Will it go away eventually?

 

[eggplantparrot]

Will it go away eventually?

I had cyano pretty bad before when my tank was a bit newer (going on 8 months now) and it was the same as yours. my rocks would be covered every week and I would turkey baster them off and suck it all out with water change. now that my tank is maturing more with lots of coralline i don't see much cyano if at all. maybe you just need to let it do it's thing and keep removing it when it gets on your nerves.

 

[Silver14SS]

I'm not an expert on the subject but I have had good success with Boyd's chemiclean for cyano before

Works great, I agree with this recommendation if you feel like you've exhausted your other options

 

[eggplantparrot]

btw I have always tested 0 for both nitrate and phos

 

[WVNed]

Does it go away at night? Mine does except for the largest mats.
Turn up your flow and turn down your lights.
I went from 60% to 80% on the gyres and 70% down to 40% on the PhotonV2. Then I started adjusting them back.
I have plenty of nitrates and phosphates in my tank.
I still have some cyano but it's like a living thing that creeps around the tank in small patches now. I can live with that.
A side benefit is I only have to clean my glass once a week now.

 

[BestMomEver]

btw I have always tested 0 for both nitrate and phos

Are you using API test kits? If you’re dosing, and that’s what the Cyanobacteria is feeding on, stop dosing for a bit.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I had a bad outbreak of a tan fuzzy Cyano and also some red.

After fighting it for quite a while I gave in... Chemiclean worked for me. I sucked out as much of the Cyano as possible during a pretty big water change, added slightly less chemiclean than recommended, took the collection cup off of the skimmer and lowered the water level so it wouldn't overflow, and let the chemiclean work for about 48 hours. Then I did a big water change, put the skimmer back to work, and added some GAC.

The Cyano didn't completely go away right away, but after a couple of weeks it was gone.

 

[lapin]

Will it go away eventually?

Yes and no. Over time you tend to not see it anymore but it will always be in your tank. It is the reason we have oxygen to breath. It is everywhere.
Cyano can make its own food with the addition of light.
http://ircamera.as.arizona.edu/NatSci102/NatSci102/text/extfirstlife.htm

 

[eggplantparrot]

Are you using API test kits? If you’re dosing, and that’s what the Cyanobacteria is feeding on, stop dosing for a bit.

I use salifert for both and don't dose anything other than alk and cal. I do feed kind of heavily. i don't have much cyano now if at all and I'm ok with having a bit here and there.

 

[BestMomEver]

I use salifert for both and don't dose anything other than alk and cal. I do feed kind of heavily. i don't have much cyano now if at all and I'm ok with having a bit here and there.

Sounds cool!

 

[MnFish1]

I'm not an expert on the subject but I have had good success with Boyd's chemiclean for cyano before

I second this - its the only chemical I use (have used) though they say you might need a second treatment - I have never needed this. Cyano (at least in my tank) tends to be worse at the time when the lights have been on the longest - I usually take a python suck as much off for a couple days - really the same as a 5 gallon or so water change (the python gives more suction than say just a siphon). Then if that doesn't take care of 90 percent of it - I use the chemiclean - never fails.

PS -I'm not sure its a nutrient problem - as much as it is once it gets established - it has 'taken over' most of the biomass. I know many people toy with NO3 andPO4 levels/ratios- but I personally haven't seen any correleation in my tank to any particular ratio - and my nutrients tend to be low.

 

[brandon429]

MN

This would be a great system for you to fix up remotely wo direct intervention to the target, what would you recommend?

its a good challenge for you bc the tank is large/hard to access due to gallons and it isn't packed with delicate life that would prevent some parameter tweaking. It would be interesting to see how you would prepare it for stocking/rid the invader without addressing anything directly via cleaning etc

 

[MnFish1]

MN

This would be a great system for you to fix up remotely wo direct intervention to the target, what would you recommend?

@brandon429 - I recommended direct intervention to the target already - I said siphon it away with a python and if it doesn't - use chemiclean. (I think its local nutrients that are causing it - rather than a lack of nutrients in general).

 

[brandon429]

The rocks have developed a very strong periphyton covering over time, that stuff is pretty retentive of waste...if we zap with chemi clean, what does that do for the waste feeding prior invasions and this one, and next ones? do those rocks look like typical coralline reef rocks?

how would you recommend this tank gets ready for SPS coral/ hard corals if chemi clean does happen to zap the topical growths off-I can't see that alone being the total prep step here