Cyano phase

[TekCat]

gurus and noobs. I need your input. My tank is 3 months old, diatoms and green hair algeas had come and passed, I am in the cyano outbreak now. It had been almost 2 weeks in the cyano madness. Please comment on what's the average cyano outbreak time should I plan for. Tips, tricks, suggestions, critique are welcome.

90g tank, 30g sump, 120 lbs rocks, 80 lbs sand, ASM-G3
RO/DI always, Reef Crystals salt, 10g weekly water change
NH3 = 0
NO2 = 0
NO3 = 20
PO4 = 0.05
Alk = 10dKH
Ca = 440
Mg = 1400
pH = 8.3 - 8.4
Temp = 79
SG = 1.025

[SuperNerd]

Rowa Phos helped with my outbreak...

[TekCat]

Rowa Phos, hm... Do I need a reactor for that? I have Magnum 350 cansiter laying somewhere, will that work?

[SuperNerd]

Not sure about the filter. I think as long as water is being pushed up through the media it should work.
I've used it in a little bag placed in the sump, where a lot of flow goes over it, and in a reactor. I like the reactor (mine uses the upflow principle I believe) better but I don't think it's a necessity.

[TekCat]

okay, then I'll shop for a reactor then.

Still, is this only a phase of a new tank? If so, what's the average time for this phase? Or I need to really worry about it staying?

[a4twenty]

you should look for the source of the phosphates. using a remover is great but you have to find out how there getting in there.

[doin' fin]

Even when the phosphate reading gets low watch out. It maynot be over because it eats phosphates... so we were told with our tank. Sounds wierd but the more it eats the lower the level reads unless it is really bad or there isn't a problem. Perhaps this is nonsense but I guess it is plauseable. Is there a natural light source near by? That may add to the problem.

[TekCat]

AS far as source of phosphates, that would be the fish food. I recently switched from flakes to frozen kind, I've heard that flakes have lots of PO4.

Yes, the tank is near the window, but the window is always has shades, so no direct sunlight drops on tank.

[SuperNerd]

Originally posted by TekCat
okay, then I'll shop for a reactor then.

Still, is this only a phase of a new tank? If so, what's the average time for this phase? Or I need to really worry about it staying?

It has the potential to go away...but it also has the potential to stay if you don't correct it.

[TekCat]

darn, until I get reactor, will polyfilter work? (I just have one sheet left)

[theatrus]

Not sure on polyfilter.

I use PhosBan without a reactor, just in a bad in the sump.

The Two LIttle Fishies reactor is a good price though if you really want one. A canister filter would also work just fine.

[SuperNerd]

Originally posted by TekCat
darn, until I get reactor, will polyfilter work? (I just have one sheet left)

Not familiar with the polyfilter. If it's a bag that doesn't have too big of thread spaces then it should be fine. Heck if the grain size is not too small and the thread spaces are not too big even panty hose socks will work.

[ERICN]

Try chemclean also it will not fix the problem but will get rid of all the red algae in a day or so so the phosban has a chance to get it under control

[TekCat]

I meant Poly pad, instead of Polyfilter... my bad. They say it should remove phosphates. Anyways, I'd stay away from nuking with ChemiClean. I'm gonna put Rowaphos in a mesh and put it in sump. Wish me luck

[fingersdlp]

Some things I think on the subject:

1) RO/DI water - always as you said.
2) Macro algea in a sump or refugium (I like chaeto).
3) Run GFO - rowaphos, phosban, Drs.Foster caries there own now, many others. I prefer a reactor as well. Kent and Little fishies make inexpensive ones that work for me.
4) Keep the ph up (8.2 or above). cyano seems to like lower ph (IMO).
5) Ozone

[TekCat]

Thanks all for your valuable advise. I guess this is going to be long war I'll keep posting.

[PatMayo]

Hey TekCat, I have been watching your progress.

I would not run the RowaPhos in the Magnum 350 unless you can turn the flow down very low. (get a valve.) The 350 is actually better than the reactor because if you fill the container the rowa won't tumble. Tumbling is not good. The water needs to go through the Rowa slowly. I would also do more frequent water changes and change out the Rowa every 2 weeks. I used the Two Little Fishes reactor and it works well. It's expensive and easy to use. Just get a pump that flows 150 gph or less per hour and use a gate valve so you can turn it down.


I also have a good link that I will leave with you. It's kinda long but it may help you quite a bit.

Whatever you do my friend do not use the chemical means as was suggested. There are more tanks that get trashed from Chemiclean than actually get cleaned. But as well you still have not found the root problem.

I would not put the frozen food in the tank without first rinsing it with RO/DI water. Only after you have rinsed it would I use it.

Flow, Feeding, Skim like mad, Rowa.

Regards,

Pat

The link:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=147010

[TekCat]

Thanks Pat, question concerning rinsing frozen food. Do I have to defrost it and drain water? or rinse while it is frozen?


-- edit --

today at LFS I was tempted by an employee and "the dark side" to get some chemi clean )) ... but the force is strong in me

[sing4lts]

ttt. for tekcats question concerning the proper rinsing of frozen foods.

[Ryanqk]

question. i have been fighting a major cyno outbreak, i have tried blowing it off the rocks and taking it out, treating with red slime remover, and stirring the sand with a turkey baster every day and im still not completly in control. are there any other steps i can take? I curiuosly have tested 0 phosphate during the entire outbreak, although my nitrates have been a lil high, between 10-25ppm . I run a oversized skimmer and fuge with macro. anyways im still battling this cursed bacteria!

[PatMayo]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PatMayo
[B]Hey TekCat, I have been watching your progress.

It's expensive and easy to use.

Sorry I meant inexpensive.

Regards,

Pat

[PatMayo]

Originally posted by TekCat
Thanks Pat, question concerning rinsing frozen food. Do I have to defrost it and drain water? or rinse while it is frozen?


-- edit --

today at LFS I was tempted by an employee and "the dark side" to get some chemi clean )) ... but the force is strong in me

This is how I do it. I take the mysis and put it in a very fine strainer. I then take RO/DI water and pour it over the food in a very fine stream to unfreeze it. The mysis is very easy to defrost. The cubes are a little more difficult. I usually let them sit for a while. I then chop up the cube with a knife into pretty small pieces and then I rinse it with the RO/DI to get all the goo they put in it to hold it together out. I then feed it to the fish. Works real well for me.

Regards,

Pat

[PatMayo]

Originally posted by Ryanqk
question. i have been fighting a major cyno outbreak, i have tried blowing it off the rocks and taking it out, treating with red slime remover, and stirring the sand with a turkey baster every day and im still not completly in control. are there any other steps i can take? I curiuosly have tested 0 phosphate during the entire outbreak, although my nitrates have been a lil high, between 10-25ppm . I run a oversized skimmer and fuge with macro. anyways im still battling this cursed bacteria!

Is your sig accuraate? You state that you have a 24 hour photoperiod. You keep you lights on for 24 hours? I have to ask why?

What type of flow do you have in the tank? I would run RowaPhos as I suggested to tekcat. Also you say you have some other cannister filters in your set up. I would lose those. If you have live rock you don't need other filtration. If you have bio balls in the filter you need to remove them slowly to protect the critters. Reduce light, reduce feeding, more flow, no cannister filters, run some carbon, RowaPHos reactor, make sure your cheato is growing good. If you don't get a lot of "crap" in your skimmer tune it up or replace it.

Regards,

Pat