Cyanobacteria bloom

rconner15 · 05/23/2017, 10:33 AM

Hi all! I'm having a Cyanobacteria bloom in my display tank.

About a month ago, I had a marine velvet outbreak. I'm now in the process of running my tank without fish. The bloom started after 2.5 to 3 weeks of being empty. My LFS thought that it could be due to the lack of bioload. Basically, the good bacteria is dying off a bit and allowing the bad bacteria to take over. Does that theory make sense?

I've tried syphoning to get rid of it with little success. Seems to come right back the next day. I'm thinking treating with chemi clean or similar product is my best option at this point. I currently have a encrusting monti, a war coral, some zoas, a flame torch, a hammer coral, and some mushrooms in the tank. Also have a fire shrimp and various snails. Chemi clean safe for all of this? I've read that you can wrap your tank for a few days, but I think chemi clean would be a safer bet for the corals.

BranchingHammer · 05/23/2017, 11:15 AM

Are there any low flow spots in your aquarium? Add another power head and face it at whatever it is on. I have heard good things about chemiclean but have never used it myself. You may need to do stuff with your mom skimmer like turn it off for a period of time.

rconner15 · 05/23/2017, 12:50 PM

How much flow does it need. With the flow I have, I can see the Cyanobacteria gently waving in the current.
Does the LFS theory of the cyano taking over my good bacteria make any sense?

fishguy597 · 05/23/2017, 09:24 PM

My guess is you stirred up a bunch of stuff in the tank when you were catching your fish. I've used the chemiclean before with good luck. You have to shut off your skimmer while treating it otherwise it will over flow. After your treatment period you should do a water change. I also would use carbon and skim dry until you know it will not over flow the cup.

scooter31707 · 05/25/2017, 10:46 AM

I have used Chemiclean with great success. It didn't bother my corals at all. My torch and hammer did not like it that much, but came back to life couple days later. They didn't fully close or extend. Be prepared to be dumping water from your sump cup when you turn the skimmer back online.

rconner15 · 05/26/2017, 11:49 AM

Another question. In the attempt to battle the Cyanobacteria, I ended up syphoningf up a good cup of my substrate. It's now dried out in a bucket. Is it safe to read that substrate to the aquarium??

rconner15 · 05/26/2017, 11:51 AM

When I said "read" I meant re-add. Can I put that sand back in the tank?

Spectorman · 05/26/2017, 11:55 AM

I would not shut off the skimmer. I would however,take the collection cup off. You NEED to oxygenate the water.

Valentini89 · 05/26/2017, 07:28 PM

*If you have no coral* you can just shut the lights out until the cyano is gone. That's what I did. Then position powerheads in areas that don't get flow when you turn lights back on.

quantumfuzz · 05/28/2017, 07:05 PM

I had a cyano problem a little while back. Kept manually removing it and changed the flow pattern of the tank to hit any dead spots. Took care of the problem.

ericarenee · 05/28/2017, 07:46 PM

Cyano is to easy to solve without chemicals to even consider using a chemical product..

AS said about Adjust your flow so there are no dead spots, Be sure your skimmer is functioning Correctly, use 100 micron filter socks and change them Daily with clean bleached replacements.. Depending on your corals lowering light also helps.. Do water changes every 3 days and feed your tank less.. Usually cyano is a Symptom of a water quality issue.
get your Nutrients, and export methods in check and the bacteria infection will go away..

Good Luck..

bcb577 · 06/01/2017, 09:47 PM

I had an issue with this before,I upped my flow siphoned it out did a water change or two(cant recall),but it went away without chemicals

Pelagic_e36 · 06/02/2017, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericarenee

Cyano is to easy to solve without chemicals to even consider using a chemical product..

AS said about Adjust your flow so there are no dead spots, Be sure your skimmer is functioning Correctly, use 100 micron filter socks and change them Daily with clean bleached replacements.. Depending on your corals lowering light also helps.. Do water changes every 3 days and feed your tank less.. Usually cyano is a Symptom of a water quality issue.
get your Nutrients, and export methods in check and the bacteria infection will go away..

Good Luck..

I did this, it works!

05/23/2017, 10:33 AM	#1
rconner15 Registered Member Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 5	Cyanobacteria bloom Hi all! I'm having a Cyanobacteria bloom in my display tank. About a month ago, I had a marine velvet outbreak. I'm now in the process of running my tank without fish. The bloom started after 2.5 to 3 weeks of being empty. My LFS thought that it could be due to the lack of bioload. Basically, the good bacteria is dying off a bit and allowing the bad bacteria to take over. Does that theory make sense? I've tried syphoning to get rid of it with little success. Seems to come right back the next day. I'm thinking treating with chemi clean or similar product is my best option at this point. I currently have a encrusting monti, a war coral, some zoas, a flame torch, a hammer coral, and some mushrooms in the tank. Also have a fire shrimp and various snails. Chemi clean safe for all of this? I've read that you can wrap your tank for a few days, but I think chemi clean would be a safer bet for the corals.

05/26/2017, 07:28 PM	#9
Valentini89 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Bay county, Fl Posts: 624	If you have no coral you can just shut the lights out until the cyano is gone. That's what I did. Then position powerheads in areas that don't get flow when you turn lights back on. __________________ I have 1 1/2 years experience in this hobby. Take my advice with that in mind. Current Tank Info: 26g bowfront QT tank, -- 150g tall = http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2671045

05/28/2017, 07:46 PM	#11
ericarenee Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Louisville Kentucky Posts: 3,110	Cyano is to easy to solve without chemicals to even consider using a chemical product.. AS said about Adjust your flow so there are no dead spots, Be sure your skimmer is functioning Correctly, use 100 micron filter socks and change them Daily with clean bleached replacements.. Depending on your corals lowering light also helps.. Do water changes every 3 days and feed your tank less.. Usually cyano is a Symptom of a water quality issue. get your Nutrients, and export methods in check and the bacteria infection will go away.. Good Luck.. __________________ 240+G Mixed BB Reef tank.. 350 G Marine Pond. And the expensive stuff that runs it. Chic's are for Chic's You silly men Go Fishing or something... Current Tank Info: 240= gal Reef /550 Gallon Saltwater pond 72 G Bay front Tropical aquarium

05/23/2017, 11:15 AM	#2
BranchingHammer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 46	Are there any low flow spots in your aquarium? Add another power head and face it at whatever it is on. I have heard good things about chemiclean but have never used it myself. You may need to do stuff with your mom skimmer like turn it off for a period of time.

05/23/2017, 12:50 PM	#3
rconner15 Registered Member Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 5	How much flow does it need. With the flow I have, I can see the Cyanobacteria gently waving in the current. Does the LFS theory of the cyano taking over my good bacteria make any sense?

05/23/2017, 09:24 PM	#4
fishguy597 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Minooka Il Posts: 912	My guess is you stirred up a bunch of stuff in the tank when you were catching your fish. I've used the chemiclean before with good luck. You have to shut off your skimmer while treating it otherwise it will over flow. After your treatment period you should do a water change. I also would use carbon and skim dry until you know it will not over flow the cup.

05/25/2017, 10:46 AM	#5
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	I have used Chemiclean with great success. It didn't bother my corals at all. My torch and hammer did not like it that much, but came back to life couple days later. They didn't fully close or extend. Be prepared to be dumping water from your sump cup when you turn the skimmer back online.

05/26/2017, 11:49 AM	#6
rconner15 Registered Member Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 5	Another question. In the attempt to battle the Cyanobacteria, I ended up syphoningf up a good cup of my substrate. It's now dried out in a bucket. Is it safe to read that substrate to the aquarium??

05/26/2017, 11:51 AM	#7
rconner15 Registered Member Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 5	When I said "read" I meant re-add. Can I put that sand back in the tank?

05/26/2017, 11:55 AM	#8
Spectorman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Upstate NewYork. No buildings... Lots of cows Posts: 186	I would not shut off the skimmer. I would however,take the collection cup off. You NEED to oxygenate the water.

05/28/2017, 07:05 PM	#10
quantumfuzz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 39	I had a cyano problem a little while back. Kept manually removing it and changed the flow pattern of the tank to hit any dead spots. Took care of the problem.

06/01/2017, 09:47 PM	#12
bcb577 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Whitehall ohio Posts: 219	I had an issue with this before,I upped my flow siphoned it out did a water change or two(cant recall),but it went away without chemicals