cyanobacteria

[90greefman]

So I have been cursed with this red slime algae that doesn't want to go away. My nitrate was high around 20ppm. I have it down to 5ppm but it keeps growing and growing. Any thoughts or experience in beating this nuisaince?

[Percula9]

Cyano is also caused by high phosphate levels. Remove as much as possible, and try just actinic lighting for 12days. Phosphates can be removed with phosban in a reactor or in a canister filter. Remove as much detritus as possible and good flow. Keep filter socks clean. Make chemical treatment your last resort.

[90greefman]

Thanks for the input. I was reading some of the old archives and many people mentioned the old lights out method worked well. I have already done a lot of water changes so I think this will be my next approach.

[snorvich]

However, if the phosphate is embedded in your live rock (such as dense base rock), it is more difficult to eradicate.

[Flipper62]

Even if you do the " lights out " its just going to come back if you dont change the water movement it the tank. Cyano wont grow where there is good water movement, It grows in low flow areas. Here is a great article on cyano by Capn_hylinur.

http://www.reefcentral.com/wp/?p=288

[90greefman]

I will have to get a phosphate test. I have never checked it in the past, but it has never been a problem. This stuff is a pain!

[90greefman]

Originally posted by Flipper62
Even if you do the " lights out " its just going to come back if you dont change the water movement it the tank. Cyano wont grow where there is good water movement, It grows in low flow areas. Here is a great article on cyano by Capn_hylinur.

http://www.reefcentral.com/wp/?p=288

What baffles me is the cyano is growing all over my tank, even on rocks right in front of power heads. It is truely showing no signs of retreat.

[ALH]

Originally posted by 90greefman
What baffles me is the cyano is growing all over my tank, even on rocks right in front of power heads. It is truely showing no signs of retreat.

I'm in the same position. My cyano problem started right after I added two Vortech 40's. Go figure. Anyway, I ordered some GFO from Bulk Reef Supply to help reduce phosphates. Plus I'm being more careful with feedings.

[JSM]

My experience is it will grow in high flow as well as low flow. Last time I had an outbreak it only grew in highest flow area of my tank. I do agree, get your phosphates down and eventually it will go away.

[200mfromocean]

+1 for cyno in high flow areas only. If you have the space go for a carbon/gfo reactor.

Turn off sump/fuge light and grow calerpa in display. Turn off powerheads during feeding. Use smaller amounts of high quality food like PE mysis.

[90greefman]

Correction. I think I might have dinoflagellates in my aquarium. I noticed my snail population dramatically decreasing over this period. I read raising the ph and and running some gfo can possibly rid me of the problem. I am almost considering tearing down the tank and starting over if this doesn't work. My corals are slowly being taken over and dying too. This sucks. Any thoughts?

[90greefman]

Originally posted by 200mfromocean
+1 for cyno in high flow areas only. If you have the space go for a carbon/gfo reactor.

Turn off sump/fuge light and grow calerpa in display. Turn off powerheads during feeding. Use smaller amounts of high quality food like PE mysis.

I run chaeto in my refugium and it grows just fine, so that leads me to beilieve the chaeto is doing its part.

[jenglish]

Originally posted by 90greefman
Correction. I think I might have dinoflagellates in my aquarium. I noticed my snail population dramatically decreasing over this period. I read raising the ph and and running some gfo can possibly rid me of the problem. I am almost considering tearing down the tank and starting over if this doesn't work. My corals are slowly being taken over and dying too. This sucks. Any thoughts?

It is very important to ID which it is. More W/C helps slow cyano but will feed diatoms (for reasons I don't quite remember off the top of my head). I wouldn't worry about a PO4 test as it only shows free PO4 not what is in the rock or used by cyano. Have you eliminated the possibility of your lights being old and shifting color? If it is cyano, I generally recomend a 3 day blackout to kill cyano and release it's nutrients back into the water column, then to a big water change. This only knocks it back and it will return if you don't cure the light/nutrient/flow issues that allowed it to get a foothold in the first place

[90greefman]

Originally posted by jenglish
It is very important to ID which it is. More W/C helps slow cyano but will feed diatoms (for reasons I don't quite remember off the top of my head). I wouldn't worry about a PO4 test as it only shows free PO4 not what is in the rock or used by cyano. Have you eliminated the possibility of your lights being old and shifting color? If it is cyano, I generally recomend a 3 day blackout to kill cyano and release it's nutrients back into the water column, then to a big water change. This only knocks it back and it will return if you don't cure the light/nutrient/flow issues that allowed it to get a foothold in the first place

Lights could be an issue too. I thought it was cyano at first but now that I add my snails dieing off too makes me believe it is dinoflagellates. I dont know how to determine which one it is without some kind of test kit. If it is dino then all of the water changes I have done have only helped the dino. I am not doing a po4 test as my lfs told me the same thing you just wrote. I am doing a lights out for 3 days and then doing a big water change again. I guess I will do new bulbs too. Do you think raising my ph and running some gfo will help?