cyano bacteria

lovelive

lovelive

New Member
I have had my tank up and running for about 3 months. I cant seem to get the cyano under control. I know that increasing the water flow but when I do that I get too much and it kicks up the sand. The water conditions are perfict so I dont know what else to do. Any help?
 
brokendeck

brokendeck

Active Member
Originally Posted by lovelive
http:///forum/post/3047558
I have had my tank up and running for about 3 months. I cant seem to get the cyano under control. I know that increasing the water flow but when I do that I get too much and it kicks up the sand. The water conditions are perfict so I dont know what else to do. Any help?
Start doing a 20% water changes every few days. When you are doing your water changes, siphon out the cyano with a tank siphon.
Also if it covers alot of rocks in your tank, you can take the rock out and put it in fresh saltwater and just scrub the cyano off the rock. This is whats helping me get rid of mine. Now if you cant get to the rock, dont tear down your rock setup just to do the above. If there is rock that can be taken out without tearing everything up then thats what i would do.
If this doesnt help, they make a canister that removes the food source that cyano lives on and it helps get rid of it.
There is also antibiotics they make to remove this, but this would be a last resort, bc it could affect your fish and corals if you have any. Hope this helps
What are your test readings? Check your calicum mag and alk as well.
 
bizzmoneyb

bizzmoneyb

Member
try feedling less as well. you have excess nutrients in your tank that is feeding it. what kind of clean up crew do you have?
and like broken said keep doing water changes.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
What everyone has said is right on...You also can't point a power head at the sand, as you now realize...A sandsifter will help to keep the sand clean and stirred up so stuff won't grow on it.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Cyano assimilate nitrates if you use a chemical agent to kill the Cyano keep an eye on your nitrate level
 
brokendeck

brokendeck

Active Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3047949
That's my luck too

I cant seem to get rid of it thou. I'll siphon it all out and clean the rock in fresh saltwater and it comes back in a day or 2. You can see it forming again with the bubbles on the rock. Cant seem to get it out thou. Any other ideas that may work?
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
It is a water problem, not a cyano problem. Ime, removing it will do next to nothing because your water still has the necessary excess nutrients to support the colonies. So if one bacterium remains (and trust me it will lol) then the whole tank is again populated with cyanobacteria. Keep removing it though, just don't freak if you see a spot of it on a rock. Remember that it is harmless to most organisms in saltwater aquariums (besides things that it can cover...like some nonphoto corals). Water changes, water changes, and water changes. DO NOT kick it up into the water column because then it will die and supply the tank with excess nutrients that new colonies of cyanobacteria can easily use. Kicking it up off the sand won't hurt the tank, but it certainly won't help it either.
This stuff can take months to years to eradicate and believe me, once it is gone, you'll be glad you didn't tear down your tank or use antibiotics. From a guy who has had and has beaten cyanobacteria, it is one of the worst (if not the worst) plagues that can happen to your aquarium, and I would say that most hobbyists get it at least once in their lives. Don't sweat it and good luck getting rid of it
Now I gotta go to school lol, keep up with the water changes
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
YEAH...WHAT PEZ SAID...I am almost 100% cyano free in my 54g, but I am still doing the extra w/c's...rinsing the food....and removing what little I have by hand
CONSTANT BATTLE....and it has taken months
 
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