Cyanobacteria

Hi all. Let me first say, I am not new to reefing (6+ years experience) however I am new to the group.
The problem:
I have had a lovely on again off again relationship with cyanobacteria over the years as i'm sure most of you have. For periods during my reefing career I have been able to drive the cyano completely from the tank and not see a bit of it back for 6 months. However, all happy stories must have a tragic ending (or is it the other way around)... Over the past 6 months I have been battling cyano (henceforth we shall call this the Cyano Wars of '09) and not had any success. I have not changed a thing I am doing. You can see my tank specs below.
Tank Specs:
55 gallon reef aquarium.
Lighting: Coralife 260W PC + Coralife 130 PC
Water Movement: Koralia 3 + Koralia 2
Protein Skimmer: AquaC Remora Protein Skimmer + Maxijet 1200
Filtration: Marineland C-360 Canister Filter (sans the polishing pad) 
Substrate: Fiji Black Sand
Contents:
50+ lbs liverock
Sebae Clownfish (Adult)
Queen Anthias (Adult)
Tiger Blenny (Juvenile)
Chocolate Chip Star
2 Engineering Gobies (Adults)
Ideas:
1. Could my Protein Skimmer have gone bad? I have taken apart and clean my skimmer 3 times over the last 6 months and nothing has been clogging it. There has been relatively little bio waste in the protein basket. Should I get a 2nd or replacement Protein Skimmer? in the middle of the Cyano Wars of '09 I replaced the pump that feeds my Protein Skimmer and even upgraded it to the Maxi-Jet 1200. Still no love.
2. I am long over due for replacing the Power Compact lights in my tank. At 6 lights and $30 a pop.. i have been reluctant to do so since I am merely hosting a fish and rock tank with the addition of a few zoas (1 colony of 3)... did i mention the Cyano Wars of '09 has taken a toll on me? Could limited spectrum light be causing the Cyano Wars of '09?
3. Filtration devices need cleaning. I have cleaned the filter media several times over and replaced the carbon about 6 times during the Cyano Wars. Could it be that I am cleaning my canister filter improperly? I have discarded the carbon bags, replaced the carbon bags over and over. I have removed the polishing pads as i have heard that they actually retain harmful bacteria.
3. I have started dosing for Cyanobacteria with a product that promises the removal of cyano. I've noticed that it physically separates cyano from glass and rock, however it seems to propagate it further.
Observations:
1. There is cyano on the outlets from both the Protein Skimmer and the Filter... interesting.
2. There is cyano wherever light touches... remove a rock.. no cyano. Leave it that way for 2 days.. CYANO!
3. For awhile in my tank I had only the Sebae and 2 engineering gobies. Cyano was prevalent. Adding more bio load did not increase cyano returning. I doubt bio-load has anything to do with my current Cyano Fiasco.
Anyway.. I guess that is that.
Thanks in advance on if anyone can solve my problem my detailed explanation.
Interestingly enough.. I'm at the point where I would be willing to pay for someone going all Dr. House on my fish tank and ridding my tank of this problem.
Thanks,
Sean Howard

 

I have a RO DI unit, I have replaced the filter media on it about 4 months ago... i'm using TAP, send through RO DI, then add Salt and mix in 10 gal. bucket. Then dump into tank....

Is there a better method? Is there a particularly bad kind of salt?

The Cyano Killer product i'm using is something I picked up at Pet's Playhouse. Blue Cap on top with a little measuring cup. I'm at work now, but I'll check it when i get home.

 

I am blown away by the responses to this thread! I may have found a new favorite website.

Answers to questions in order:

The product being used: Algafix - seems to detatch the cyano and blow it around the tank... i've attempted to catch the pieces but after awhile it's the old needle in a haystack game.

I'm using the standard 4 stage RODI, it may need a new membrane. I have not tested the output for awhile. I should do this.

The Salt I am using is Instant Ocean from one of the big buckets. I've heard that Instant Ocean is rather... odd when it comes to the nutrients contained within. Something about how it isn't very standardized from bucket to bucket.

I (lately) have been doing water changes weekly (yes, i'm blowing through the salt like there is no tomorrow... although it is nice always having a cleared door step - salt water eats through ice like nobodys business).

As stated i'm running a 55 gallon tank with a Level 3 koralia and a level 2 koralia... There is so much water movement my sebae does a moonwalk across the glass every now and again. Tons of surface water movement with my protein Skimmer and cannister filter and these 2 turbanes.

My heat is at 79. You recommend dropping temperature by 3 degrees? You think it will help that much? I'll try it out.

The bioload had no affect on the tank because the tanks nitrate, nitrite, ammonia were all near 0ppm. It is a rather stable tank.. which is why this whole cyano business is confusing the buggers out of me.

This tank has been up for 2 years. I ended up selling almost all of the contents of my tank when i moved back to CR from Ames. My tank was down for around 6 months while the sand / rock / tank / etc just sat there. I ended up washing off all the contents and bringing the tank back up around 2 years ago. It worked / looked / functioned great for 1/5 years when all of a sudden... Cyano reared its ugly head. My current setup differs from my original setup with the addition of:

The cannister filter
an additional 4 10 lb bags of sand
and I removed the calcium reactor... yes.. my old tank had a calcium reactor for a 55 gallon... hah!
I am now using Power Compacts, where a year ago I was using VHOs. Could it be that Power Compacts aren't doing the trick that VHOs were?

The rock has been in place for 2 years. No new additions.

My sand bed varys between 2 and 4 inches.

I don't have a refugium

 

I live in Cedar Rapids, near Taft.

1. The skimmer appears to be working. but I can't really tell. Is the best way to be certain of it working is to put in a massive load of protein pollutants?
2. I ALWAYS clean my subtrate.. I used to never clean my subtrate, but then I developed these lovely pockets of debris where nitrates would form. When the sand was stirred it would make my nitrate and phos levels do some fun things.
3. I will lower the temp. that's simple enough.
4. I will turn my lights off for 4 days while i'm attempting to get a new lighting rig. Do I need to cover my tank? It is located right across from my front window which enables real natural sunlight to enter the tank during normal hours of the day.
5. I have stopped adding chemicals as time has gone on as all it does is seem to make it spread quicker.
6. I will look into a T5. I would like mainly softies like frog spawn, mushrooms, and toadstools. any suggestions on a T5 rig for a 55 gallon?

Much thanks,

Sean

 

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I also have 3 of these. http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewitem.aspx?idproduct=ES53401&child=ES53401&utm_source=mdcsegooglebase2&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=mdcsegooglebase2&utm_content=ES53401

So ideally i'd be able to find a lighting system that allows for the coralife system.

 

Additional News!

I went home last night and turned off the lights as stated, turned down the temp a tad and checked my protein skimmer. Its bubbles are coming now. I had read that the remora protein skimmer doesn't start skimming immediately after disturbance / cleaning. This could have been a problem since I cleaned it out again last week. It is now producing a healthy foam that has began to store. So I think we can check off the protein skimmer as a culprit.

I'm still leaning towards the lights... i'm beginning to dislike power compacts....