Most Comprehensive Lyngbya Treatment Research for Infected Reef Tanks

stacksoner · Jun 7, 2019

What can I say about Lyngbya that hasn't been said about Osama Bin Laden?

I have scoured the internet and forums alike trying to find a proven reef tank treatment for Lyngbya, and was surprised that there's no consensus on how to kill this reef tank cyanobacterial terrorist that wears hair algae's uniform.

Here's what my tank looks like:

I am pretty sure that I have been dealing with this in one form or another for years now, but not anywhere close to the magnitude of the past week. The exponential growth killed my blue tang and yellow tang in under two hours.

I have tried Phosphate removers, Chemiclean, and Fluconozole with unimpressive results.

I'm now running a 6th grade, science fair level experiment on various antibiotics and treatments to see which one is the most effective at killing this. If anyone has a well-documented treatment method that I'm missing, please post it here and I'll send you a $25 BRS gift card

And now the starting line up of meds etc I am now testing with Lyngbya samples and tank water. Photos to come shortly.

Metroplex
Triple Sulfa
Furan 2
Flatworm Exit
Nopox
General Cure
Fungus Cure
H2O2
Chemclean
Lugols
Neoplex
Kanaplex
Lice/Worm Aquarium Treatment
Flatworm Stop
Rowaphos
Control Sample

If anyone has any suggestions on how to improve testing, I'm happy to hear your feedback.

seamonster · Jun 8, 2019

Try hydrogen peroxide.. take a rock out and put some on there.. the bubbling kills the algae

Jose Mayo · Jun 8, 2019

The Lyngbya sp. is a species of cyanobacteria whose colony takes on filamentous form, but still, it is a cyanobacteria. It is easily controlled with the antibiotic Azithromycin, at the dose of 1.0 mg / liter, applied once (single dose).

As much of Lyngbya as possible should be removed before applying the antibiotic because this cyanobacterium is toxic and can release toxins upon dying and can affect the animals in the aquarium.

Once cleaned, as best as possible, place a sock filter and wait until the water is clean, before treating.

The skimmer cup and activated carbon should be removed for 4 days so that the medicine is not withdrawn.

After 04 days you can return these equipment and, after another 04 days, perform a partial water exchange of 20% to stabilize the system. From this exchange, continue with the normal routine.

Regards

PS: At this concentration of 1.0 mg / liter, you can use Azithromycin directly in the tank, safely, without affecting the animals. You should monitor the biological filter with ammonia and nitrite tests for the duration of the treatment. THE SKIMMER SHOULD STAY CONNECTED, WITHOUT CUP, FOR WATER AERATION.

brandon429 · Jun 8, 2019

Lasse · Jun 8, 2019

Your nutrient levels? My first line of defeat this cyanobacterium is always to first doing a mechanical rinsing and afterwards rising NO3 and PO4 to around 3-5 ppm NO3 and around 0.04 - 0.1 in PO4. For this cyanobacterium - IMO - it is important to rise the inorganic N. I prefer NO3 because it is more safety and easier to use NO3 instead of NH3/NH4 or urea IMO) The reason for this is that this cyanobacterium seems to have an ability to fixate N from N2 even if it is not known to have any heterocyst. @Jose Mayo - correct me if I´m wrong or remember wrong.

A chemical treatment – outlined in other posts – can also be done – however my experiences is that they tend to comeback if not the environment is changed. In you case – using algaecides earlier – you can have altered the competition between different organisms in favour for this cyanobacterium. Giving a good environment for competing organism can be critical in the long run

IMO this cyanobacterium often is misidentified as Dinoflagellates

Sincerely Lasse

tautog83 · Jun 8, 2019

I actually used dino x in a little less than recommended dosage (wasnt as bad ) and after 2 treatments saw big improvements by the 4th it was fine. Doses some mictobacter 7 a couple times after never had a problem again . Was it coincidence ,just running its course ...who knows.

brandon429 · Jun 8, 2019

Linked a works run on lingbya or similar invasion below

brandon429 · Jun 8, 2019

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/is-this-lyngbya.338909/

We got updates over time. This is what happens when we take action

stacksoner · Jun 8, 2019

Lasse said:
Your nutrient levels? My first line of defeat this cyanobacterium is always to first doing a mechanical rinsing and afterwards rising NO3 and PO4 to around 3-5 ppm NO3 and around 0.04 - 0.1 in PO4. For this cyanobacterium - IMO - it is important to rise the inorganic N. I prefer NO3 because it is more safety and easier to use NO3 instead of NH3/NH4 or urea IMO) The reason for this is that this cyanobacterium seems to have an ability to fixate N from N2 even if it is not known to have any heterocyst. @Jose Mayo - correct me if I´m wrong or remember wrong.

A chemical treatment – outlined in other posts – can also be done – however my experiences is that they tend to comeback if not the environment is changed. In you case – using algaecides earlier – you can have altered the competition between different organisms in favour for this cyanobacterium. Giving a good environment for competing organism can be critical in the long run

IMO this cyanobacterium often is misidentified as Dinoflagellates

Sincerely Lasse

It's difficult to isolate the high nutrients as the result or cause of this being present. Chaeto rotting away in the reactor was definitely the catalyst, but now I'm not sure if they're high bc this stuff is dying or bec

Jose Mayo said:
The Lyngbya sp. is a species of cyanobacteria whose colony takes on filamentous form, but still, it is a cyanobacteria. It is easily controlled with the antibiotic Azithromycin, at the dose of 1.0 mg / liter, applied once (single dose).

As much of Lyngbya as possible should be removed before applying the antibiotic because this cyanobacterium is toxic and can release toxins upon dying and can affect the animals in the aquarium.

Once cleaned, as best as possible, place a sock filter and wait until the water is clean, before treating.

The skimmer cup and activated carbon should be removed for 4 days so that the medicine is not withdrawn.

After 04 days you can return these equipment and, after another 04 days, perform a partial water exchange of 20% to stabilize the system. From this exchange, continue with the normal routine.

Regards

PS: At this concentration of 1.0 mg / liter, you can use Azithromycin directly in the tank, safely, without affecting the animals. You should monitor the biological filter with ammonia and nitrite tests for the duration of the treatment. THE SKIMMER SHOULD STAY CONNECTED, WITHOUT CUP, FOR WATER AERATION.

Where does one find Azithromycin??

stacksoner · Jun 8, 2019

Here are some pics after 12 hours.

H2O2 had the most dramatic, and immediate effect, making the sample float to the top.

Samples treated with API Fungus Cure, General Cure, and Polyguard all appear to have more signs of disintegration evident by the dark colored dust accumulation, which is not a characteristic exhibited by all samples---specifically the control (which is flanked by camel figurines). More updates to come.

stacksoner · Jun 8, 2019

Lukas75 · Jun 8, 2019

I'm pretty sure it's only available by prescription in the US. You might be able to get a vet to prescribe it.

Lasse · Jun 8, 2019

My remark was not that you have too high nutrients - it was that I think they are too low

Sincerely Lasse

stacksoner · Jun 8, 2019

Lasse said:
My remark was not that you have too high nutrients - it was that I think they are too low

Sincerely Lasse

I'd believe it. But wouldn't a lot of people who keep zero NO3 and PO4 experience this type of issue?

I ran an NDOC test not too long ago and can post my results here if you want to take a look.

chefjpaul · Jun 8, 2019

slewrock1 said:
I'd believe it. But wouldn't a lot of people who keep zero NO3 and PO4 experience this type of issue?
.

They do. Many many threads relating to these pest invaders like cyano & dino strains as results from bottoming out nutrients.

If the mini camel doesn't work, I honestly couldn't tell you what can....

stacksoner · Jun 8, 2019

chefjpaul said:
They do. Many many threads relating to these pest invaders like cyano & dino strains as results from bottoming out nutrients.

If the mini camel doesn't work, I honestly couldn't tell you what can....

Just in case it was a relative of the "mood slime" from Ghostbusters 2.

Lasse · Jun 9, 2019

slewrock1 said:
I'd believe it. But wouldn't a lot of people who keep zero NO3 and PO4 experience this type of issue?

I ran an NDOC test not too long ago and can post my results here if you want to take a look.

Please do that - I have done three NDOC test and I´m very interested to see a NDOC test from an aquarium that have Cyanobacteria.. If you did a normal test - take that with.

Sincerely Lasse

Jose Mayo · Jun 9, 2019

Lasse said:
The reason for this is that this cyanobacterium seems to have an ability to fixate N from N2 even if it is not known to have any heterocyst. @Jose Mayo - correct me if I´m wrong or remember wrong.

Absolutely correct.

Regards

Jose Mayo · Jun 9, 2019

slewrock1 said:
Where does one find Azithromycin??

Only in pharmacies, human or veterinary.

Azithromycin is an antibiotic. American laws impose the need for prescription to get it.

Regards

stacksoner · Jun 9, 2019

Lasse said:
Please do that - I have done three NDOC test and I´m very interested to see a NDOC test from an aquarium that have Cyanobacteria.. If you did a normal test - take that with.

Sincerely Lasse