Cyano Outbreak!!!

[a2fire2i]

Well, looks like i have a cyano outbreak. I have read this POST, and am trying to fight it. I am guessing i have really been over feeding the fish as I tested and the parameters look fine. I am running a closed loop, but will be replacing that with two MJ 1200s with hydor flo nozzles. I thought it might of been coraline, but when it went to the sand i knew it wasnt. Plus, when i wipe at it with my finger it comes off and is slimy. Wish me luck.
AM 0 ppm
NE 0 ppm
NA 1-2 ppm
PO: 0.03 ppm
PH 8.3

Pic 2
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Pic 4

 

[mikeyjer]

It is caused by over feeding, insufficient lighting, not enough flow, etc. Good Luck! :happyfish

 

[azocean709]

leave your lights off for 3 or 4 days, get good flow through out your tank, and dont over feed..you will see the cyano start to peel and die . reapeat if needed. Good flow is a must. insufficient lighting can cause also, but leaving them totally off will kill it.

 

[murph]

Make sure your skimmer is working well also and is rated high enough for your tanks water volume. In fact no matter what skimmer you have subtract 50 gallons from its rating as the manufactures tend to over rate them.
Dissolved organics are a culprit in the growth of cyano and I suspect sometimes the main culprit as it is often the case that all other levels on the suspect list are eliminated through water tests. Other than water changes skimming is the only other way to get these out of your system.
Cyano is common in young tanks and like other algae outbreaks in new systems may/should run its course and disappear.

 

[a2fire2i]

Its a 20 L tank, and i have an aqua c remora with the surface skimmer box. i also have an aqua clear 500 turned into a refuge. the tank has been setup a little over a month, and the light were brand new. I also do a 2 gallon (10%) water change every week. I think i will start doing a 3 gallon from now on...

 

[bob a.]

If the setup is a bit over a month, then I wouldnt get too anxious. Cut back the lighting cycle maybe an hour or two and run a phosphate spong. I assume you are using RO water for your makeup and water changes?

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by Bob A.
If the setup is a bit over a month, then I wouldnt get too anxious. Cut back the lighting cycle maybe an hour or two and run a phosphate spong. I assume you are using RO water for your makeup and water changes?
I would agree with this, I do hope your using RO water....But having a fuge should help to reduce your phosphate levels too. This happens in new tanks all the time, nothing to worry about really..... :happyfish

 

[corally]

This is off the subject, but what is that blue thing in the first pic? Is it a sponge? Is it real? I'm asking because I've been trying to find a blue sponge.

 

[brotox]

I could be wrong, but it looks like a sea fan (gorgonian).

 

[a2fire2i]

I am using RO water to top off. I just order kent marine Phosphate Sponge. i didnt think 0.03 ppm was that bad of a level. i use to run my actinic from 12-10 and 10K from 1-9, but have changed them to actinic from 1-8 and 10 k from 2-7. This morning i also removed the surface skimmer from the remora.
The blue thing is a gorgonian.

 

[coolwine05]

I have had many battles with the cyanobacteria and i have found the best solution came in the book "Reef Notes, Volume 1". He states that insufficient lighting is not the cause, and i have to admit i completely agree, i have gone through the regular fluorescent lights that my tank came with and now to compacts and i see no difference. what i have done that made all the difference was take out the crushed coral that i used as a substrate and purchased a new aqua remora protein skimmer. along with that i use a large refugium that i run on my tank and it simply starves out the nuissence algaes food supply. Good luck with it!