Red cyano Algae help!!!!! (1 Viewer)

[amarin]

I've been battling cyano algae for about a month now, and I can't seem to get rid of it. Every time I try to syphon it it seems to spread all over. My parameters are up to par ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates, are zero, ph is 8.4, and salinity 1.025, and my lights are on for about six hours a day....... If anyone has any ideas please let me know, I want it gone.....

 

[Reefkeeper]

If you provide some details about your system, age, size , sump, macro algue, skimmer, what lights, gfo, carbon, bio pellets, live stock, feeding times and how much....etc we would be able to help.

 

[amarin]

Sorry about that! I have a 90 gal oceanic that has been running for a year and a half. I don't have macro algae in my sump, but I do have an octopus reef 1000 int. I don't run gfo but I do run carbon, and I have some coralife HO t5, that are 48 inches long. As far as livestock I have two clowns, hippo tang, two damsels, a mandarin goby; and they get fed every other day, and I don't over feed them sometimes I feel bad for them because I don't think I feed them enough.

 

[Reefkeeper]

Hi, to me it sounds like you have an excess of nutrients, how often do you do water chages and what volume, do you use rodi? Have you tested for phosphates...? There is no quick fix do not add anything excepting rodi salt mix and do weekly water changes and like you been doing take out as much cyano as possible. I would suggest you look at some sort of nutrient export, most common option are ...

1) macro algue
2) bio pellets

There is something causing the cyano bacteria to grow,to me it sounds like a nutrient issue sort that out and the cyano will go on its own.


I would suggest you go with bio pellets or zeovit system .... Bio pellets you could be up and running in 4-6 weeks at less than 150 usd..... In my opinion Zeovit is the best but this will be more around 300 usd.....both systems overfeeding is no issue.... And for bio pettelts it's recommended.... You can have fat and healthy fish and happy corals.

 

[amarin]

My phosphates are .5, I do weekly water changes, doing 15 gallons per change and I use nothing but rodi water, I have been from day one. I tried running a biopellets reactor, but my tank started to act funny so I stopped because I was afraid of crashing it.

 

[Reefkeeper]

O.5 is an issue , how are you reading 0.5 ? most test o.5 and 1.0 are so close..... phosphates should be no more than 0.03 in my opinion.... Get some gfo tomorrow from one of the LFS and run that in your reactor. If not a bag will do for now in high flow erea in the sump ...

You should figure out how the phosphates are getting in your system,.... With 15 % water changes weekly something is not right.... Some carbons can leach phosphates, most likely the food ....


if I was you I would still consider the Biopellette option or zeovit for the long term health of your tank....

 

[Diesel]

+1 on ZEOvit.
I have it too and have a hard time to keep my PO4 at 0.04 for the SPS.
I feed a lot and still sometimes it drops to 0.01

 

[amarin]

First i want to take the time and thank everybody that responded to my problem, and everybody on this site. you guys are great people and i wish i knew everyone personally. What is a zeovit reactor? How do I use it? What media goes in it? Can I get some more pointers!

 

[Jaybird]

Is this a multi-post to two different threads or was it moved and my phone just telling me there's two for some weird reason?

Phone says post is located in "new to hobby" and "general discussion"

 

[gm357]

Check the phosphates in your new water. Should be very close to 0.01 - 0.03 if using a quality RODI. Either way, a gfo reactor should help your cyano issue.

 

[tektite]

Fixing water quality problems will take a little time. If you want to get rid of the cyano fast, look into using ultralife red slime remover. Just follow the instructions for it (have a way to oxygenate the water upon initial dose, no skimmer use for a few days, water change after use). Usually don't even need to use the full recommended dose. It is very good at killing off the cyano. I use it in my macroalgae tank that has high nutrients, with lowering nutrients not possible in that tank the chemical route is the only one available to me. Even with high nitrate/phosphate, it usually takes 2-3 months for cyano to come back after dosing. Should be plenty of time for you to fix your phosphate issue.

 

[Reefkeeper]

To answer the zeovit question --- google zaovit starter kit ---- should be around 300usd for your size tank.... There are many additives you can add but the Starter should get you going read through some on the threads , you should learn allot based from other people's experiences and what additional additives to buy.... Or go see Dennis at FJW he will hook you up if he has stock, nice guy and lessons on how to use etc are free.... Adding any supplements you are treating the problem not the cause. In tektite's case this is the best alternative , but for you my advise is that should sort this out for good by finding a suitable way to export your nutrients... For the Long term health and benifit of your fish and Coral,...

 

[Jason]

What kind of substrate do you have? I used to have crushed coral and had problems with it. Switched to reef flakes and haven't had any issues.

 

[MontroseReef]

Lower phosphate and dose bacteria like special blends or micobacter7. The bacteria from dosing would compete nutrients with cyno and eventually win over. I would not recommend running bio pellets as it feeds cyno.

 

[Nam0821]

I read some where that a lil cyano isn't all that bad, just not out of control. They do absorb excessive nutrient in the tank. Might be bad info but I do too have lil spec here n there( glass n rock) but it's not over running my tank so I don't mind

 

[kyle1284]

way to get rid of cyano:

1. use RODI
2. use ROWA phos media in a reactor
3. preform 20 percent waterchanges weekly
4. skim wet

do this for 2 months and you can say good bye to cyano

 

[jqsquared]

Whats your flow like? I feel like cyno likes lower flow environments..Assuming you do have good water parameters using RODI water ect.