Cyno?

jb rekit

jb rekit

Member
Sorry no pic but I was wondering if there was anything I should do about my cyno? It is starting to cover my LR and is all over the LS. I gravel vac it and it comes back the next day. Snails do a pretty good job on the glass but they can't keep up w/ the rock at all.
I was wondering if I should use Seachem METRONIDAZOLE 5GM Highly pure, reagent grade metronidazole. Effective against Cryptocaryon, Hexamita, and Ichthyophthirius. 5g treats 2,000L (50 gallons). or anything else?
Here are some tank details.
Been runnung in its new location about 8 months.
75 gal tank
10 gal fuge
skimmer
R/O DI unit
1.023 spec. grav
81 deg.
0 amm
0 nitrite
5 nitrate
fish:
6 green chromis
1 6 line wrasse
1 yellow wrasse
1 green wrasse
1 emerald crab
2 straberry crabs
1 arrow crab
1 ? crab
1 starfish (forgot what kind)
feather duster
2 different mushrooms
button polyps
3 little xenia pieces
2 pink tip anemonies
so what do you guys think my best solution is? Would like to do it naturally if possible, but I am out of ideas for this.
Thanks
John
 
memnoch

memnoch

Member
Metronidazole is primarily a fungicide. In the medical profession it is known by the brand name "Flagyl" because it is used to kill intestinal infections such as those caused by flagellates. I'm not sure if it is indicated for cyanobacteria. If you want to use an antibiotic I would go with erythromycin. Be careful though. The erythromycin will likely kill your cyano but it could also kill off your nitrifying bacteria causing volatile fluctuations in your nitrite and ammonia levels. I would go the cautious route and do a few more conservative things first. If you aren't running a protein skimmer then get one. Cyano feed of the organic compounds diluted in your tank water. Remove the food source and it will die off. You can also remove organics by water changes and activated carbon. Both of which will be safe for your reef tank. Hope this helps.
 
joemack

joemack

Member
I would try and get your nitrates down and check your phosphates also. If your going to use any chemical I would use chemi-clean but only do that if you get both your nirtates and phosphates low as possable/detectable.
I started a refugium as I did and it has helped a lot.
 
jb rekit

jb rekit

Member
Thanks for the replies.
I guess I will try to wait it out a little more and see what happens.
I have no idea what my phosphates are but the nitrates are at 5 ppm.
Quite a bit of circulation with the 500 gph on the w/d sump / refugium, an emperor 400, and a powerhead inside the tank as well. There is active carbon in the filters in the emp. 400. Do you think that is enough carbon?
And there is a prot. skimmer too.
John
 
memnoch

memnoch

Member
I would go down to your local supply store and purchase a carton of "Black Diamond Activated Carbon." Get a porous sinch bag, fill it up, and sink it in your sump near a powerhead. You really can't have too much carbon in your tank, and if the "Emperor 400" is what I think it is....it doesn't have much. Try doing a 10-20% water change once a week also.
 
dreeves

dreeves

Active Member
What filtration besides the skimmer are you using?
Cyanobacteria is best treated without any chemical (including antibiotics). It is growing due to nutrients available for it to grow. Old lighting can also be a cause. Locate the source of the nutrients, remove it and see what happens...also avoid large water changes and anything else that will effect the bio filtration of the system.
 
gonfishin

gonfishin

Member
I had a cyano problem and used myacin but it came back 1 month later. I recently used rowaphos in my filter and the cyano is gone. My phosphates tested almost 0 but as I read in past threads it is always present at sometime. Good Luck I know it is frustrating!!
 
jb rekit

jb rekit

Member

Originally posted by dreeves
What filtration besides the skimmer are you using?

The skimmer is in my wet/dry filter with a filter pad and bio balls. That flows into a 10 gal. refugium.
On the tank, I have an emperor 400 filter also.
I just put a bag of activated carbon in the bottom of the wet/dry.
About to test my phosphates.
I'll let you know what they are.
 
dreeves

dreeves

Active Member
Have you cleaned your bio-balls recently? If not..you could give that a try too...just mix them around in water from a water change to remove any debris which may have built up.
 
jb rekit

jb rekit

Member
No I haven't.
I think I will do that too and hopefully it will go away. I think it is already starting to die b/c the rocks that have more current on them are starting to have it blow/ peel off.
How long after it starts thinning out does it usually take to rid the tank completely of it?
 
jb rekit

jb rekit

Member
Well, it looks a lot better today. Only 1 rock that still has some stuck to it (less water movement in that area). Light just came on not that long ago so we'll see if it spreads any again before tonight or if it is on its last leg. The sand looks a lot better. Just one corner that still has any left in it. I think I might gravel vac it out and do about a 10 gal water change while I am at it tonight.
Thanks again for the help.
John
 
jb rekit

jb rekit

Member
Well I guess it might be 3-4 days before it is all goine b/c is has done some more growing today.
Talk about resilience.
 
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