3 Day Dark Period Effectiveness?

ChameleonNYSea · 03/20/2017, 03:05 PM

My tank is currently experiencing a huge cyano bloom, and I heard that one of the better ways to help with it (besides using chemicals - I would like to minimize the amount of chemicals that I put in the tank) is to completely cover the tank and shut off lights for a three day time period (in addition to reducing feedings). I will try to get a picture with the full extent of the outbreak as soon as I am able (and then post progress).

In the meantime, are there other methods that are effective, besides the lights off, reduced feeding, and manual scrape and suck?

Will a three day period with no lights be really harmful to my corals? I currently have:
Condylactis anemone
Euphelia torch
Hammer coral
Star Polyps
Pulsing Xenia
Zoas
Rainbow Acans (I would be okay with feeding them during the time period).

mcgyvr · 03/20/2017, 04:05 PM

Don't be afraid to use red slime remover.. Simply follow the directions and away it goes..
Siphoning out as much cyano as you can during water changes too..

But a 3 day lights out can also be pretty darn effective but my experience is that its not as effective/simple as just using the red slime remover/chemiclean..

Thats pretty much the best options.. some claim running GFO helped, others just wait it out and siphon as much as you can..

jda · 03/20/2017, 04:50 PM

It is pretty safe to do three days without lights. Chemiclean, or the like, is also pretty safe.

I imagine that you know that you are treating symptoms and that you need a play for the disease.

Skim heavy, water changes, siphon it out, watch your feeding, etc. The basic husbandry is all that is needed here.

BaltimoreFish · 03/20/2017, 07:45 PM

I did a 7 day complete blackout. Corals (mostly softies) did fine and cyano was gone after another week. That was months ago and its never come back. I did not do anything else.

ChameleonNYSea · 03/21/2017, 05:19 PM

The extent of the diatom bloom and the cyano outbreak.

03/20/2017, 03:05 PM	#1
ChameleonNYSea Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 55	3 Day Dark Period Effectiveness? My tank is currently experiencing a huge cyano bloom, and I heard that one of the better ways to help with it (besides using chemicals - I would like to minimize the amount of chemicals that I put in the tank) is to completely cover the tank and shut off lights for a three day time period (in addition to reducing feedings). I will try to get a picture with the full extent of the outbreak as soon as I am able (and then post progress). In the meantime, are there other methods that are effective, besides the lights off, reduced feeding, and manual scrape and suck? Will a three day period with no lights be really harmful to my corals? I currently have: Condylactis anemone Euphelia torch Hammer coral Star Polyps Pulsing Xenia Zoas Rainbow Acans (I would be okay with feeding them during the time period).

03/20/2017, 04:05 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Don't be afraid to use red slime remover.. Simply follow the directions and away it goes.. Siphoning out as much cyano as you can during water changes too.. But a 3 day lights out can also be pretty darn effective but my experience is that its not as effective/simple as just using the red slime remover/chemiclean.. Thats pretty much the best options.. some claim running GFO helped, others just wait it out and siphon as much as you can.. __________________ Who me?

03/20/2017, 04:50 PM	#3
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	It is pretty safe to do three days without lights. Chemiclean, or the like, is also pretty safe. I imagine that you know that you are treating symptoms and that you need a play for the disease. Skim heavy, water changes, siphon it out, watch your feeding, etc. The basic husbandry is all that is needed here.

03/20/2017, 07:45 PM	#4
BaltimoreFish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 40	I did a 7 day complete blackout. Corals (mostly softies) did fine and cyano was gone after another week. That was months ago and its never come back. I did not do anything else.