New Tank Syndrome or something else?

ARVERLY · 02/07/2015, 10:29 PM

Tank Info:
-100 total water volume
-barebottom
-35 lbs real reef live rocks and tonga branches
-Marinepure blocks 8x8x4- x2
-Omega Vertex 150 (cleaned every Sat)
-4" filter sock changed every Wed and Sun
-1/4 cup BRS high capacity gfo and 1/2 cup of BRS Rox carbon mixed in BRS deluxe reactor changed every two weeks

Tested my Nitrate (API) and Phosphate (Hanna Low Range) today and they are both zero.

Tank has been setup since Nov. It's all over the rocks and coral plugs argg!!!

What should I do to remove this type of algae?

Water change?
Coral Snow with Zeobak?

Thanks for your help!

PhaneSoul · 02/07/2015, 11:10 PM

how long has your tank been setup? its lookin like your rock is laiden with phosphates and nutrients, the good part is itll go away with proper maintenance. the bad part is its there.

manually remove it and keep your rocks blown off with a turkey baster. get as much flow going over the rocks as you possibly can. cyano doesn't like flow. let the bacteria purge the rock of nutrients and keep exporting detritus weekly.

others will tell you things like 3 day blackout and what not. just remember, it may look like its gone but the nutrients will still be there until they are removed. you are the best for removing nutrients & your skimmer and gfo help.

PhaneSoul · 02/07/2015, 11:13 PM

also how well are you cleaning your skimmer? im not a pro at skimmers but I do believe its better to deep clean your skimmer once a month and just worry about the collection cup the rest of the time but ill let someone with better skimmer knowledge confirm that.

tkeracer619 · 02/07/2015, 11:25 PM

Yeah this is typical of new tanks. It is bacterial. If you want look into chemiclean. It works but you have to follow the directions exactly!

I would for now continue manually removing it because you are removing the nutrients that cause it. Eventually it will get better. Some tanks have a harder time than others and if it is hurting the corals and frags then use chemi-clean. Likely the cyano will come back in time but hopefully by then it won't be as bad.

You will likely bounce back and forth between cyano, some hair algae, and maybe some bryopsis over the course of the first year and eventually it all settles down with regular maintenance. You won't read phosphates in the water with that stuff growing like that.

reefchase · 02/08/2015, 02:31 AM

Yeah it could be new tank syndrome but if it stays like that u will probably need a better skimmer or cheto, along with deep sand bed and live rock.

acabgd · 02/08/2015, 06:28 AM

Looks like cyano to me. Increase flow, reduce feeding. I wouldn't use Chemiclean. Which tests do you use for nitrate and phosphate?

Docdiggy · 02/08/2015, 06:43 AM

I had pretty bad cyano on my sand and sucking it up with a hose regularly eventually did it in. That and husbandry.

ARVERLY · 02/08/2015, 09:18 AM

Thanks! I'll just manually remove the cyanobacteria with a toothbrush and turkey baster and start doing weekly water change.

I have plenty of flow in the tank- gyrexf150 and mp40.

02/07/2015, 11:25 PM	#4
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Yeah this is typical of new tanks. It is bacterial. If you want look into chemiclean. It works but you have to follow the directions exactly! I would for now continue manually removing it because you are removing the nutrients that cause it. Eventually it will get better. Some tanks have a harder time than others and if it is hurting the corals and frags then use chemi-clean. Likely the cyano will come back in time but hopefully by then it won't be as bad. You will likely bounce back and forth between cyano, some hair algae, and maybe some bryopsis over the course of the first year and eventually it all settles down with regular maintenance. You won't read phosphates in the water with that stuff growing like that. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

02/08/2015, 02:31 AM	#5
reefchase Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Seattle Posts: 38	Yeah it could be new tank syndrome but if it stays like that u will probably need a better skimmer or cheto, along with deep sand bed and live rock. __________________ Please visit my youtube reef videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpLi-JEGBxwtl2JIfsUmAtA Current Tank Info: I currently have a 75 gal mixed reef tank

02/07/2015, 11:10 PM	#2
PhaneSoul Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 949	how long has your tank been setup? its lookin like your rock is laiden with phosphates and nutrients, the good part is itll go away with proper maintenance. the bad part is its there. manually remove it and keep your rocks blown off with a turkey baster. get as much flow going over the rocks as you possibly can. cyano doesn't like flow. let the bacteria purge the rock of nutrients and keep exporting detritus weekly. others will tell you things like 3 day blackout and what not. just remember, it may look like its gone but the nutrients will still be there until they are removed. you are the best for removing nutrients & your skimmer and gfo help.

02/07/2015, 11:13 PM	#3
PhaneSoul Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 949	also how well are you cleaning your skimmer? im not a pro at skimmers but I do believe its better to deep clean your skimmer once a month and just worry about the collection cup the rest of the time but ill let someone with better skimmer knowledge confirm that.

02/08/2015, 06:28 AM	#6
acabgd Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belgrade Posts: 1,086	Looks like cyano to me. Increase flow, reduce feeding. I wouldn't use Chemiclean. Which tests do you use for nitrate and phosphate?

02/08/2015, 06:43 AM	#7
Docdiggy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Worcester MA Posts: 645	I had pretty bad cyano on my sand and sucking it up with a hose regularly eventually did it in. That and husbandry.

02/08/2015, 09:18 AM	#8
ARVERLY Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 1,104	Thanks! I'll just manually remove the cyanobacteria with a toothbrush and turkey baster and start doing weekly water change. I have plenty of flow in the tank- gyrexf150 and mp40.