Cyano in sump only?

[6stokes]

This is the first time I've ever had a sump/refug and after about 3-4 months my sump is overrun with cyno. I thought the point of a refugium is slow flow? Slow flow leads to cyno, does it not? I will admit that my lights are on in the refugium for 18 hours a day because I built an algal scrubber and that was SM's suggestion. I could shorten the lighting period of the 3 other lights in the refugium and leave just the two on the scrubber for the 18 hours, but a little light will still get through.
I guess I can start with adjusting the lighting period on the other 3 lights and see if that works. Any thoughts on the flow in the refugium causing a problem?
Parameters:
0 ammonia
0 trites
1 trates
0 phos
8.3 ph
400 calcium
forgot what my reading was on kh, but was in the reef recommended range.
flow is 25x in display

 

[cam78]

Thats A LOT of light. cut it back 8 hours. 10 hours for a fuge is plenty.

 

[6stokes]

Thank you, that's where I'm starting, but a little light will still get through due to the scrubber lighting being on. Guess I'll have to make a few adjustments until I get it right.

 

[beaslbob]

I would kill the refugium lights completely to let the ats form the cyano and let the refugium have macros pods and so on.
If the refugium is actually an ats then just let the cyano grow there.
my .02

 

[6stokes]

Originally Posted by beaslbob
http:///forum/post/3276951
I would kill the refugium lights completely to let the ats form the cyano and let the refugium have macros pods and so on.
If the refugium is actually an ats then just let the cyano grow there.
my .02
I'm totally confused. What's ats and if you're growing macros, how can you do that with no lighting? My fuge is set up like this: first chamber (water in) holds the skimmer and is where my kalk drips 24/7 at the rate of evaporation. Middle chamber is where all my macros are with sand and rubble. It is also where my scrubber sits just above the surface of the water, so some display water enters here as well as the first chamber. That is why some lighting will get through. The third and last chamber is where the return pump is and nothing else other than a float switch to control a parastaltic pump for the kalk.
I did cut the other lights (not the scrubber's) and it has already made an inprovement on the cyano. I have since turned them back on but only for 8 hours while the scrubber's are on for 18 hours. I was afraid my macros would start dying if they didn't get enough light.

 

[ryancw01]

I leave my refugium lights on 24/7 and only got cyano when the refugium light went out and I couldnt get it replaced for a few days. What kind of lighting do you have in ther fuge?