Any suggestions???

kymberly2

kymberly2

New Member
We have set up a new salt water tank...about 4-6 months old now...our problem is this....we have started getting this brown, velvet like coating over the whole tank. We have done everything possible to get rid of it....we were told to add snails..well now everything is not living in it because it is so thick and nasty. The snails all died....
Can anyone tell us what this is and how to cure it??? All pet stores here have no idea what to do.....
thanks!!
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Please give us some very specific details about your tank. Size, water source, type tank [fish only, fish only with live rock, reef], type of substrate, filtration, water readings [ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phophates], etc., etc.
Is the brown stuff easy to clear or is it filmy, like in sheets that you can actually pick up?? Is it golden brown or brown, or more reddish?
 
kymberly2

kymberly2

New Member
Our tank is a 38 gal., fish with live rock and reef....we have had the water tested and everytime it comes out normal...nothing off in any way. We even had it tested at different places...No-one has any ideas what or how it has come to be....
Its like a dust but only thicker...sometimes in certain areas its like a moss type....its reddish. It covers everything....
Thanks for all your help....
 
melbournefl

melbournefl

Member
Kym, what's your lighting? also, did the places that did your testing test specifically for silicates and phosphates?
Later,
Paul
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Sounds like cynobacteria. Does it grow back almost immediately after you get rid of it?
You really should do your own water testing, rather than relying on someone else to tell you that it is fine.
 
kymberly2

kymberly2

New Member
Yes it grows back almost immediately....if we don't turn the lights on it takes longer to come back but it still does...What is this cynobacteria??? How do we get rid of it?? What caused it??
Sorry about all the questions...I am just about ready to tear it down and forget it all....My husband says no. We have too much money in it...I just don't know what to do.
Thank you for all your help.
Kym
 
kymberly2

kymberly2

New Member
We have a 50/50 light...not sure what this is...but the stores told us that this is what we need for our tank.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Sounds like cyno. Let me see if I can find some pics to show it to you.
 
kymberly2

kymberly2

New Member
Beth,
Yes that looks just like it....now how do we get rid of it???
It is a mess too....over EVEYTHING.....nasty....even kills fish...or at least they can't live in it.
Thanks!!
Kym
 
tpuffer

tpuffer

Member
I had the same thing in my tank and thanks to the help with the people on this site it all went away.
First I tried to clean most of it out with the sucker thing you put in the water then I did a 25% water change. And then I put a timer on my lights for only 8hrs. Then I moved my power heads to face the front of glass. I can say now that it's all gone, it took about a week in a 1/2 for it to go, but it has.
Don't worry it will go away. :)
 
tpuffer

tpuffer

Member
But you don't want to add chemicals if you are going to do a reef tank.
Really I had the same thing, it was black and growing all over everything. It was just what Beth said it was.
I really thought my tank was hopeless too, but after what I said I did, it really did go away.
 
newbiesalttank

newbiesalttank

Member
I would suggest that you clean your tank out as much as possible and maybe even thinking about clearing the water out if this algae breakout has killed everything in your tank. Lighting: Try to start out slow and build your way up..6 hours a day for a week and slowly increase upwards. Buy a phosphate tester and see what level you are at. Most people on the boards will recommend RO water to put in the tank so that you wont have phosphate being dumped in. I think you could also put a phosphate pad in your filter to absorb any phosphate that is present.
Good Luck.
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
Siphon out as much of the stuff as you can then start a series of water changes with RO water used as freshwater for saltmix, and for all evaporation top offs.
20% each week for a month.
Reduce lighting is your corals can handle it.
Change to a new bulb.
Check for nitrates.
Increase water circulation from deep to top of tank - get the water moving in there.
Reduce feedings - don't overfeed.
Whatever you're feeding now - cut in half - but not at the expense of any special diet requirements of your critters.
Get some cheap snails. Once they live - invest in a couple of Trochus Snails - these guys will eat cycno.
Cynobacteria loves slow moving water, that has a long lighting duration - especially if the bulb(s) are old.
Lower your nitrate - what is your nitrate reading ?
Cyno is a sign of something wrong
Nitrates
Little water movement
Poor lighting
Too long a lighting duration
Normally a combination of the above will give you repeating outbreaks.
These are some things I would consider doing ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top