Help getting rid of Cyanobacteria

a round of chemiclean will knock it out, if it's real bad then 1 round followed with it's instructed water change and a second go around. I've never had to do 2 rounds though. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif

 

I've run it in my reef no problems. (disclaimer, I have a softy laden tank, not many hard corals... so take that with a grain of salt). But yeah, i've done it on a full blown reef 75g on down to my 14g biocube. Just follow the directions and you'll be fine. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif I've run this chemical in many tanks, both my own or ones I've maintained. Doesn't mess with bacteria. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif

http://www.petsolutions.com/C/Aquarium-Algae-Chemical/I/Chemi-Clean.aspx?CAWELAID=1630130020&%22cagpspn=pla%22&gclid=CJL_rfvp07wCFe1cMgodKEUA-Q

If anyones used it with adverse effects let the speak up, but I and several of my other fish tank buddies have used it with no problem. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif You can do some digging around on it if you want though, make your own educated decision. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif

 

I have used it in the past in a fully stocked sps tank with no problems. Like stated follow the directions and you'll be fine.

Bill

 

Makes your Skimmer go crazy though. I've used it before too and yes it works. Most of my corals didn't mind it but my frogspawn got ticked and I thought I was going to lose my hammers. I too followed the dosing instructions. You're also supposed to keep O2 levels up during the process, especially at night due to the risk of oxygen depletion but with my Skimmer on the fritz I had to unplug it. That made me a little nervous but it was fine.

Thats my experience with it. Excessive amounts of cyano point to excessive nutrients. Personally I'd start there. It takes longer, but is safer in my opinion.

 

I never had any trouble with my hammers or frogspawn? hum... interesting yours had trouble.

I never worried about O2 levels, just ran a bubbler in the tank to keep water surface turning. Nobody in the tank seemed to mind at all. BUT, I can agree with what Shane said... excessive nutrients should be examined!

 

Yeah Jazzy, I was surprised too. I hadn't even gotten to full dose and my hammers looked like they wanted to melt. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/crazy.gif I know lots of people have used it with great success, but I just wanted to share my experience since you asked. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif


The O2 levels are really only a concern when the case is really bad, and there are large fish in the system. Probably not the case here and it wasn't for me at the time either, but at the time I didn't know that was the reason for concern.





Justin, at one point years back, my reef was covered in cyano and green hair algae. I always tested 0 for PO4 and NO3, but without PO4, that stuff doesn't grow. It's binding it.


Also, your test kits are testing for inorganic phosphate, not organic phosphate. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/crazy.gif

 

I used to get cyano or diatoms every time I did a water change. Could it be something in your RO?

 

Your nitrates and phosphates will be 0 because the cyano is feeding off it. You can use chemi clean to rid it but it will just come back until you find the source. You said you tested your ro water, what did you test for? Simply testing your nitrates and phosphates in ro is not enough you also need to know the amount of Tds

 

You cannot really test for organic phosphate, not in that form anyway. Do you have access to a TDS meter?


And as said before, the cyano is binding it so it will test 0 regardless. The bio-indicator is there though, in this case cyano.


There is a difference between Chemi-Pure and ChemiClean. ChemiClean is a filter media similar to carbon.

 

Yes thanks for sharing shane. jstngates, the simple fact that the algae is growing is the 'test' that tells you that it's there... When 'testing' for organic phosphate, the 'test' is go to your tank, look at what's growing. Simple as that. You will read 0's because that algae is already using it up (binding it up, as shane mentioned).

The alternative to chemiclean is to manually scrub it out and remove it, while simultaneously reducing the source. IDEALLY you want to reduce the source in any case, but the manually scrub it out is the other option.

Yes, chemi-pure is like shane said similar to carbon, it's a filter media.... while chemiclean is an actual chemical (though to my knowledge I have yet to figure out which one) that you add to the water that allows for essentially the starvation of red cyano.

Hope that helps!

 

Are you syphoning the cyano out? You can syphon the cyano out and reuse the water if you'd like. Are you blowing the cyano off the rocks and corals also? Three days with the lights off works. The fish and corals will be fine with the lights off for 72 hours. Also make sure that the sunlight isn't getting through to the tank. I know people have success with the chemi-clean but I'd suggest NOT using it until you have exhausted all avenues. Excess nutrients causes it and, when a tank is cycling and/or going through a mini-cycle, cyano can rear it's ugly head. Last, if you just changed your bulbs, that can be part of the problem with the high nutrients.

 

+1 for Chemi-clean. I've used it and it works great. Just follow the directions and your fish and corals will be fine. I would take Sponge's advice first and try and remove it without adding anything to your environment and if that doesn't work Chemi-clean is a great way to go.