Fmxmatt Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 I'm guessing my tank is at the stage where Cyano is going to be an issue for a while. Once the lights come on during the day, the tank gets covered, overnight, it disappears and I wake to a beautifully clean tank with nearly no trace of it! But then the cycle just starts again. As cyano is caused by a number of different things, i'm kinda stumped as to what it could be. Its probably very obvious, but my brain doesn't seem to be working too well at the mo (lay off the grass for a while? LOL) Tank params are SG - 1.025 Temp - 25.6 - 26.8 (Trying to keep as close to 26 as poss) Alk - 9.9dKh Cal - 450ppm Mg - 1380 PO4 - 0.1ppm NO3 - 10 NO2 & NH4 - Non Detectable I'm working on getting the PO4 down to undetectable, and its dropped from 0.5 to 0.1 since Saturday. Recent History for reference: Using RODI water with Coral Pro Salt (no longer using tap water) Started dosing Reef Solution http://www.petsolutions.com/images/400/12900052.jpg Increased Flow to 38x turnover (originally was 22x) I also dose Prodibio BioOptim and BioDigest. Skimmer is a Deltec MCE600 I've got the feeling its got something to do with lighting as its gone in the morning but back by the time i'm home from work in the avo, am I on the right track? After 1 more Bulb arrives I'm doing a Lighting Upgrade from 225w total to 315w I have the "red slime remover" antibiotic on the way, which i've heard a number of people rave about, but I'm reluctant to use it without trying all the other methods first Anyone wanna point me in the right direction, suggest something I'm missing? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 are you feeding anything like brime shrimp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted January 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Haven't been since this started, the fish have had to live off 2 small feedings of pellets a day, and I'm making sure it all gets eaten! Another guess i've got is that its organic PO4 which I cant test for? Maybe thats through the roof? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 If I understand it correctly, once established cyano photosynthesises, so you need to knock back your trace elements. I'd stop dosing the tank altogether and try to starve it of the nutrients it needs to complete the photosynthesis process. If you don't have one already, I'd also add a Xenia - they seem to be good 'nutrient mops'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Another thought - the crud might be in your rocks - I've still got grey silt coming out of my live rock - it might be that you still have quite a bit of organic matter leaching from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted January 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Is it also worth giving the skimmer a bloody good clean? (Prob hasn't had a good clean for a couple of months) How long should I stop dosing for? And I'd love a xenia, Wilson's one will be fragged shortly I hope? Sponges make good mops too? That one which has those zoos growing from it that you used to have Conch, is growing like mad Possible about the rocks too, the tank has only been running since September, and 1/3 of the rock was "dead rock" to start with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 you can have some xenia at any time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted January 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 How bout this weekend? U want ur bubble then aswel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 I'd leave the skimmer as is and stop dosing until the cyano goes, then restart only if you are keeping Cataphyllia etc - most other things don't seem to need too much over what gets introduced by food anyway. I can do you a big lump of Xenia if wilson can't, but you'll have to get it to attach to a rock yourself - he might be doing frags already attached which makes it much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 the frags i have are small is but all on rocks - still waiting on my MH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted January 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Trying to save for airfares at the mo, so I'll just do my fragswap with wilson unless ur ok with deferred payment? (In which case I'll have some from you and wilson I liked the idea of using that Reef Solution, it contained all the supplements I was dosing anyway, but in a single dose application (so 1 bottle instead of 4) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 ok see you this weekend at the normal time :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 You can have the Xenia for a few snails - I regularly chop it off and throw it out - nutrient export 'n all :lol: Beware, it is a weed, and will grow very quickly in a high nutrient environment (which is exactly what you want) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Trying to save for airfares at the mo, so I'll just do my fragswap with wilson unless ur ok with deferred payment? (In which case I'll have some from you and wilson I liked the idea of using that Reef Solution, it contained all the supplements I was dosing anyway, but in a single dose application (so 1 bottle instead of 4) Its good stuff, but quite potent - and you don't want to add what can't be used up before the cyano metabolises it. I direct feed it to corals mixed with their food rather than just tip it in to try and get it where it needs to be without poluting the tank too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 You can have the Xenia for a few snails - I regularly chop it off and throw it out - nutrient export 'n all :lol: you can always throw some my way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted January 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 How many snails u want? I've only got 17 (that I can see) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 I'm not to worried - 5? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted January 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Hmmm wanna wait and see if I get any babies first? I know theres more than 1 spawning, so hopefully its only a matter of time I'll have a look tonight and see if there are some smaller "non spawning" ones that I can part with Dont wanna go breaking up a relationship between spawners haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 No probs, just let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted January 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Just thinking about it, could the sponge that i've got in the tank "catching pods" be causing any problems? I was going to take it out after 2 weeks but haven't got round to getting the rearing tank setup so its been in there for about 4 LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 I wouldn't have thought so - its effectively cycled by now. I suspect that your tank is just nutrient-loaded and once that is reduced the cyano will go. Make sure you syphon as much as possible out - its a form of nutrient export too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted January 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 I've been syphoning like a mad man! Me thinks me needs a bigger syphon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Cyno is a sign of nutrients in the tank. Also seems to like the hot temperatures during summer. Like everything in reef keeping things don’t get better overnight. Many organics will still be in the rocks and slowing releasing back in the tank. Your po4 levels are still high and lower levels would be better like .03 As a short term remedy you can turn off your tank lights for 2-3 days. This will not harm the corals. When you turn you lights back on the cyno will be gone. Take it easy on the reef solution as this can cause excess cyno due to the iron and minerals in the product, i normally only dose it once a week. Avoid frozen foods as this adds lots of po4 back in the tank. Sounds like you are doing the correct things so just be patient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolliolli Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 I just got back today from spending 10 days away in Auckland, came home tank glass covered in green algae (which i expected) but also a lot of red slime cyano on the sand. About a month earlier i had a problem with cyano which went away when i upgraded my lighting. It was fine when i went away and i even replaced the phosphate absorber so im thinking maybe a bit of excess food in the tank. Plus my xenia has grown massively in the last 10 days and so has one of the acros. let me know how you go yours matt, since our tanks are about the same age i'm always interested to see if you've going through the same issues/cycle as me. BTw i'll have to arrange swapping those frags at some point While i was away i had the pleasure of visiting cookie extremes tank. WOW what an inspiration that was , now it makes me want to completely rescape my tank. His rockwork and coral layout was fantastic and all his fish/corals were super healthy and colouful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Sometimes adding vodka to the tank will help. It increases bacterial growth by giving them a carbon source. The bacteria compete with the cyano bacteria for food and are then skimmed from the tank. Vodka is dosed at 1 ml daily per 100 litres of tank water. If after a week there is no effect it can be increased to 2 mls daily. Because vodka dosing will eventually promote a bacterial monoculture in the tank, it should not be done for longer than a couple of months or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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