good 'ole cyano

kolosy · 02/14/2010, 03:35 PM

i'm at a bit of a loss. i've had this tank for about 2 years now, and have never been able to minimize the unwanted algae or the cyano. i don't overfeed (as far as i can tell) - feeding 2x / week, with 3 fish in the tank. my params are always great (1.027sg, 79F, 400ppm Ca, 9dKh, 1300ppm Mg, 8-8.2 pH, 0 nh4, 0 no2, 0 no3), i run a fuge on a reverse lighting schedule, and yet i have diatoms in the main tank, and a fairly large patch of cyano that i can't get rid of.

i've tried a 3-day lights out. that kills it off, but it comes back after a few days.

ideas? i'm at a bit of a loss. the other thing is that i've never had good chaeto growth. all other algae grows great (funny, huh?) but chaeto doesn't.

thoughts? ideas? should i start dosing vodka?

FranktheTankTx · 02/14/2010, 05:16 PM

Searching for the problem over the internet can be very difficult & at times, almost impossible. There are so many factors that could cause tank issues - some you might think to post, some you might fail to post. Some you might think aren't worth posting & some you might be embarrassed to post. The overall problem MOST struggle with in situations like this is - something they think isn't a big deal is a big deal.

I had Cyano one time in my life - it was early in my reef keeping years when I knew very little about lighting, flow, params, etc. In the past several years, I have never had to fight diatoms, cyano, or HA. Why, because I provide high flow, the correct lights & cycle, good RO/DI water & salt. In addition, I perform good husbandry on my tanks & do not overfeed.

I don't know what to tell you. These issues are difficult to solve over the internet.

bertoni · 02/14/2010, 05:21 PM

How much macroalgae (if any) is being harvested out of the refugium, and how often?

kolosy · 02/14/2010, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

How much macroalgae (if any) is being harvested out of the refugium, and how often?

Not much at all, because I don't see it growing to the point where i'd consider it necessary. Should I br doing it regardless of new growth?

bertoni · 02/15/2010, 02:22 PM

If the Chaetomorpha isn't growing, then there's no need to harvest, most likely. It's not doing any good, though. I might consider trying some iron dosing, or changing the lighting. What kind of lighting does the refugium have?

Jstdv8 · 02/15/2010, 02:41 PM

you could make an alage scrubber cheap and easy and see if that helps.
I'm building one right now that will use the overflow water from my DT. Basically you build an area of algae outside of the display that pulls out the nitrates and phosphates similar to a ball of cheato, but with more surface area. You harvest the algae once a week and away you go.
Good luck

Sk8r · 02/15/2010, 02:50 PM

I'd suggest a potent skimmer. What are you using? If it dies back, but the stuff's not getting removed adequately, you're not gaining enough ground. The skimmer should be rated for 2x your system volume.

Tomaric · 02/15/2010, 03:46 PM

Why not try some turbo snails?

kolosy · 02/15/2010, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

If the Chaetomorpha isn't growing, then there's no need to harvest, most likely. It's not doing any good, though. I might consider trying some iron dosing, or changing the lighting. What kind of lighting does the refugium have?

i'm using the bulb from melev's reef: http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

kolosy · 02/15/2010, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

I'd suggest a potent skimmer. What are you using? If it dies back, but the stuff's not getting removed adequately, you're not gaining enough ground. The skimmer should be rated for 2x your system volume.

i have an msx 160, for rougly 70g of total volume... should be plenty, but maybe i need to dial it in a bit better...

kolosy · 02/15/2010, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomaric

Why not try some turbo snails?

turbos eat cyano?

either way - i've got a bunch

Sk8r · 02/15/2010, 04:37 PM

Try tending that skimmer meticulously during your lights-out periods. That should help. Cyano, unfortunately, eats carbon and light if nothing else is available, but if you're running 'rich' water, it can get just too happy. ALso what kind of lighting? MH can start changing spectrum at around 6 months, and off-spectrum light INCLUDING SUNLIGHT FROM SIDE WINDOWS can really make cyano quite happy.

kolosy · 02/15/2010, 04:48 PM

hm. lighting is 2x 14k phoenix bulbs, 2 geismann actinics, 2 koralen-zucht fiji purple

brubinfeld · 02/15/2010, 05:26 PM

i would try mercryn

kolosy · 02/15/2010, 05:37 PM

what's that

02/14/2010, 03:35 PM	#1
kolosy Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 655	good 'ole cyano i'm at a bit of a loss. i've had this tank for about 2 years now, and have never been able to minimize the unwanted algae or the cyano. i don't overfeed (as far as i can tell) - feeding 2x / week, with 3 fish in the tank. my params are always great (1.027sg, 79F, 400ppm Ca, 9dKh, 1300ppm Mg, 8-8.2 pH, 0 nh4, 0 no2, 0 no3), i run a fuge on a reverse lighting schedule, and yet i have diatoms in the main tank, and a fairly large patch of cyano that i can't get rid of. i've tried a 3-day lights out. that kills it off, but it comes back after a few days. ideas? i'm at a bit of a loss. the other thing is that i've never had good chaeto growth. all other algae grows great (funny, huh?) but chaeto doesn't. thoughts? ideas? should i start dosing vodka? __________________ not yet. maybe someday. Current Tank Info: 90L RR mixed reef, panworld 150ps external pump, t5/mh/led, 20g under-tank sump, 27g above tank sump, 27g fuge with 4" dsb, macro and lr rubble.

02/14/2010, 05:16 PM	#2
FranktheTankTx Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 2,306	Searching for the problem over the internet can be very difficult & at times, almost impossible. There are so many factors that could cause tank issues - some you might think to post, some you might fail to post. Some you might think aren't worth posting & some you might be embarrassed to post. The overall problem MOST struggle with in situations like this is - something they think isn't a big deal is a big deal. I had Cyano one time in my life - it was early in my reef keeping years when I knew very little about lighting, flow, params, etc. In the past several years, I have never had to fight diatoms, cyano, or HA. Why, because I provide high flow, the correct lights & cycle, good RO/DI water & salt. In addition, I perform good husbandry on my tanks & do not overfeed. I don't know what to tell you. These issues are difficult to solve over the internet. __________________ Frank the Tank "What, I thought we were in the trust tree... in the nest? Are we not?" Current Tank Info: Custom Rimless 60g (30.5"x24.5"x18.5")

02/14/2010, 05:21 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	How much macroalgae (if any) is being harvested out of the refugium, and how often? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/15/2010, 02:22 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If the Chaetomorpha isn't growing, then there's no need to harvest, most likely. It's not doing any good, though. I might consider trying some iron dosing, or changing the lighting. What kind of lighting does the refugium have? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/15/2010, 02:50 PM	#7
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I'd suggest a potent skimmer. What are you using? If it dies back, but the stuff's not getting removed adequately, you're not gaining enough ground. The skimmer should be rated for 2x your system volume. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/15/2010, 02:41 PM	#6
Jstdv8 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wasilla, Alaska Posts: 1,420	you could make an alage scrubber cheap and easy and see if that helps. I'm building one right now that will use the overflow water from my DT. Basically you build an area of algae outside of the display that pulls out the nitrates and phosphates similar to a ball of cheato, but with more surface area. You harvest the algae once a week and away you go. Good luck

02/15/2010, 03:46 PM	#8
Tomaric Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mid Missouri Posts: 239	Why not try some turbo snails?

02/15/2010, 04:37 PM	#12
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Try tending that skimmer meticulously during your lights-out periods. That should help. Cyano, unfortunately, eats carbon and light if nothing else is available, but if you're running 'rich' water, it can get just too happy. ALso what kind of lighting? MH can start changing spectrum at around 6 months, and off-spectrum light INCLUDING SUNLIGHT FROM SIDE WINDOWS can really make cyano quite happy. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/15/2010, 04:48 PM	#13
kolosy Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 655	hm. lighting is 2x 14k phoenix bulbs, 2 geismann actinics, 2 koralen-zucht fiji purple __________________ not yet. maybe someday. Current Tank Info: 90L RR mixed reef, panworld 150ps external pump, t5/mh/led, 20g under-tank sump, 27g above tank sump, 27g fuge with 4" dsb, macro and lr rubble.

02/15/2010, 05:26 PM	#14
brubinfeld Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: southfield Posts: 55	i would try mercryn

02/15/2010, 05:37 PM	#15
kolosy Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 655	what's that __________________ not yet. maybe someday. Current Tank Info: 90L RR mixed reef, panworld 150ps external pump, t5/mh/led, 20g under-tank sump, 27g above tank sump, 27g fuge with 4" dsb, macro and lr rubble.