Cyano ideas and questions

Ok, so my tank's been up for about 2 months now, and I am having some cyano problems that are a concern to me. I've heard that a cyano bloom can be a natural pat of a new aquarium and will resolve itself, but I've also heard it can take over if not addressed early on. It's not smothered one paly frag and killed it, and it's encroaching on my acro and zoas.

I've read the 3 part Cyano article from 1995, it seems a tad out dated (and perhaps obtuse), as newer sources refer to phosban reactors and a more complete understanding of the life cycle of cyano and how to prevent it...

I've read many anecdotal reports of various snails and hermit crabs eating red slime, but nothing in my tank will touch it except my female Ocellaris clown, and she can't keep up with it, just nips it from time to time when it gets near her frogspawn.

I have heard mixed results from the various Red Slime Control products that claim to be reef safe. My main concern there is nuking my beneficial microbes, but also it's just a patch and requires substantial water changes every 5 days during use, and doesn't address the root problem.

I have been siphoning it off rocks as best I can, but it only takes 48 hours or so to come back, and it often crops up thicker and faster every time. I don't want to do daily 20% water changes just to keep on top of it, which is what I loose when I suck it out.

My thought on that matter is to run my siphon hose into my sump through a filter sock. I know the Cyano is a rod shaped bacteria-like sub-micon organism, so I would be adding it back to the tank, but I would also be removing the bulk of it w/ the sock... wouldn't that count as nutriet export, and could it eventually help, or would the disturbance and propigation of cells into the water column just do more harm than good?

Any thing else anyoen wants to add?

Thanks!

-Doug

 

You would be removing the cyano like you said, and your only removing the visable stuff. And because its already in there, it may return due the fact that its in there and it has food to grow. A filter sock although good for larger particles however it may not stop bacteria from passing. All of the socks I've seen available are only about 100 - 200 micron socks which will stop most uneatten foods but isn't nearly enough to stop fine particles (which in this case would be bacteria [and you already know this ]). In my experience the only was to really get rid of cyano from a DT is to starve it by using something that uses the same nutrients that it does. I've used Chaeto with some success, but as soon as the cyano starts to grow in the Chaeto I've noticed the effectiveness drop significantly (thats just my tank however).

In my situation I don't have cyano growth in my DT anymore its for some reason migrated down to my refugium, and in order to battle that I added an overflow fed ATS to my system, and within weeks the cyano faded. About once a week I harvested both my turf algae on the ATS and any cyano that I could see (I also covered my pump with a filter sock as well to make sure it wouldn't travel back to the DT, don't know if it was effective though). That did remove the cyano, and I haven't had a major outbreak since then.

-Gavin

 

Phosphates and nitrates are the main food source of cyano. Remember that technically, its not even an algae, and it doesnt not need light to keep going. So if you can reduce those, the better. Whether it is through reactors, a fuge, reduced feedings, etc. Normally it usually takes a mix of those, or even all. Also, increased flow will also help, so if your down on that a little, you can try adding an extra powerhead.
Also, at two months, you are probably just going through it. It happens. My 40 went through it around that time. My 200 is just seeing it crop up.
I would not use the slime away products. They won't harm the microbes per say, but what they do is to release all the nutrients that the algae feed off of into the water colomn. That is why they call for the ridiculous water changes during/after treatment. Miss one of those, and yes, it can bring down your tank.
Whatever you choose, hang in there. Cyano is one of the easier algaes to beat IMHO.

 

I just had an outbreak at the 6 month mark - I have no idea why - I guess just part of the "process." I have a refugium and a prosphate reactor. Maybe having those two made it easier to control. During water change while siphoning, I took a soft toothbrush and scrubbed it off the rocks. The cyano comes off really easily. It seems to be pretty much gone for now except for a patch of red in the corner, which I know is a low-flow area and is blocked by a xenia on a large rock (that Jwin's friend is supposed to be picking up). Phosphates were 0 the last time I checked, but it's been a few months and I probably need to change the PhosBan media too.

 

Cyano is most assuredly a natural "algae" in the maturation of a tank. Honestly though I have never heard of it just going away. There are ways to combat it, so more natural, some not, some easy and some, well not.
There are a few things that need to be addressed prior. Most chemical treatments, say Chemi Clean, will work and yes while they are a "band aid" sometimes to get the tank back on its feet you need to use it. That product requires a 25% water change after the course. I am not familiar with any products that require multiple w/cs but I haven't used them all.... I have seen many people not do w/cs after the Chemiclean without any negative effects also.

One of the MOST effective remedies is MORE FLOW!!!!! Too many people have one or two pumps in the tank and think that is enough flow, unless your fish are struggling to swim I doubt you have enough flow. Try that first and foremost.

Also notice that cyano lives on area of high detritus, so A, its not getting enough flow there, B, you need to siphon that detritus out.

As far as critters that eat cyano, clibanarius tricolor, or dwarf blue leg crabs are suppose to eat it but nothing ever eats what it is suppose to, and you would need a good amount of crabs to keep up with rampant cyano. Ctenochaetus tangs, such as a Kole will also eat it to an extent but not every tank is large enough to accomodate a tang.

Elevated pH and alkalinity are other natural forms of removal. Not saying that they will wipe it out but it will help the tank "run" better decreasing the likelihood of another outbreak. Also use of fresh carbon will help as well as reactors geared to remove NO3 or PO4. NOTE many times you will test for these nutrients and get a zero reading, thats because cyano uses the nutrients as soon as they are produced in the substrate, preventing them from entering the water column.

Ozone has also been proven effective as will a nice well running skimmer!!

Good luck!!

 

Thanks guys! I am going to see what I can do in the way of natural approaches first, but have my chemical just in case.

one thing I'm still not clear on... increased flow. I have slime growing on the front of my mp40 and the outflow from my return pump, as well as in the highest flow areas on my rock.... so I'm wondering does increased water movement directly affect cyano, or just keep more detritus from getting a chance to settle before it gets swept up into filtration? My observation is that Cyano seems to be thriving in areas of high flow in my tank as much as in lower flow areas. In fact, the lower flow areas that get less light have very little or no cyano problems - but are also areas favored by my snails.

So with that in mind would regular baster blasting of lower flow areas do as much good as adding another PH?

Thanks again!

-Doug