Diatoms and Cyanobacteria help

A few things;
if you see a acronym like GFO, hold your cursor over it, it will show you what it stands for, most times

You ran tap water for 6 months and have been using RODI for less than 2, all the crap from the tap water is probably settled into the sand and is still being used up, everything in this hobby takes time, it will take time to get this cleared up as well. How often are you doing water changes? I'd consider upping them a bit.

I'd also cosnider a biopellet reactor, or GFO/carbon reactor(separate reactors).
New Videos - BRS TV - English
Carbon / GFO Videos - BRS TV - English

Also, I doubt a UV sterilizer is gonna help with the cyano! I may be wrong on that, but prob not the first battle ya wanna fight anyways.

Also read up on red slime killer! There are tons of threads under the algae section. seems to work great.

good luck

 

Algae problems are usually caused by aquarium water with excess nutrients like phosphate, nitrates etc. You can try and siphon out what you can to remove the algae in the short term. In the long term you may have to examine how you care for your tank. There are some commercial dry foods also contain excess nutrients and other undesirable things like nitrates, phosphates etc so I strain/rinse my fresh/frozen foods before feeding my tank. You may want to consider feeding your fish less often. Also using RO/DI water and a high quality salt with little if any NO3, phosphates etc like Tropic Marin will really help too. Adding a phosphate remover, looking at your lighting (intensity and duration) and increasing flow in your tank may help too.

 

GFO.

I used to have a bit of cyano in my 20g tank and could not get rid of it. I don't have any fish so feeding wasn't the issue. Once I started using GFO (2 teaspoons every 2 weeks in "the bag*" along with 5 teaspoons of carbon in it placed in my Whisper 40 power filter), the cyano disappeared and never returned.

* "the bag" can be found on DrsFosterSmith.com at the following link:

Aquarium Filtration & Water Quality: The Bag

 

GFO and Carbon Reactors - English

You might have used Tap water too long. Do a regular WC and run the Gfo reactor, you will see it steadily go away..

 

I would be wary of the API Ca test, I was getting readings similar to yours but my coral looked great. I finally took my water to my LFS and wouldn't you know it, my Ca was 400, not 220 like I was getting with my API test. I then bought a Hanna checker and my Ca has been fine ever since. Those reagents in those kits go bad after a while and give false readings, I would get a second opinion about your Ca level. That seems really low to me, especially given your other parameters. Instant Ocean is a fine mix for corals, it offers above ocean levels of Ca and Mg, lots of people use that mix!

 

GFO and Carbon Reactors - English

You might have used Tap water too long. Do a regular WC and run the Gfo reactor, you will see it steadily go away..

 

Thanks Brendan,

Just trying to help here. As you know, you have to get your nitrates and phosphates to ) or just about, or the cyano, algae, diatoms- (which are silicon fed mostly I think) will thrive.

I have had a problem with cynao in the past, not quite as bad as your however. Some things that helped were switching from tap to RO/DI Water changes. I also increase the flow in my DT with power heads/fans. I also eliminated any type of filter that bui9lt up detritus- which would add to the Nitates eventually. I also used the vacuum tube type of gravel vacuum filter (also DIY) to siphon to my bucket for WC's. I also did a few more WC's than normal, and lately, I've had little if any cyano, etc.

Good luck, stay with it, you have our support!

 

do not go the bio pellets route unless you read read read. bio pellets are more complicated than they are said to be. pellets can create to much bacteria in your system which can kill.... its hard to see it happening. its all about bacteria. ...cyano is a bacterium not and algae.
i never had cyano till i tried bio pellets. i lost half my fish due to the oxygen depletion that bio pellets created, and it left me 5 fish less in my tank and cyano all over my sand. oh it did get rid of my nitrates.... and a few fish with it....tread carefully when you decide to dive into bio pellets....

 

I'm having the same problem in my 20gallon. Sorry, I don't mean to hijack this thread but I didn't want to start a new one on the same topic.

My params are 0 - 0 - 0 an the system is 2 years old. I also run Chemipure elite.

Lately I've been getting some cyano and brown algae on the rocks. Also clumped up areas on the live sand(with bubbles trapped on the surface).

Any suggestions? I know many of you are saying GFO but I believe Chemipure elite does contain GFO.

Lights in the DT are on 8 hours a day. 2 Boost LED par30 bulbs.


The stuff on the sand was just blown off with a turkey baster so there isn't as much. You can see some on the LR in the back too.

@ Brendan Z: Once again, I don't mean to hijack the your thread but hopefully this will help you too. =]

 

Agreed,also be very leary of cyano removing products,I had a very similar experience with oxygen depletion (used exactly as instuctions stated) and lost all fish,inverts and several corals.

Less feeding
More flow,especially in "dead" spots
Better (more frequent) filter maintenace
Nothing but 0tds ro/di water for top offs and wc's
Start running GFO
Patience and persistance

I've also found the addition of UV filtration to be a great asset as well.