Dealing with the Uglies part 2

S

Shilpan

Member
Thanks guys for the discussion previously I found it very interesting! It's funny cause erythromycin was the final answer to my last exam question the other day!!

Anyway the uglies phase continues. I'm siphoning off the cyano whenever I water change and it grows back mostly to the same amount in one week. But I expect I'll have this issue for a few months to come as I started a tank with dead rock.

A few questions,

1) Do people normally continue adding fish during these months? Or isn't this a no-no? I wanted to add a bengaii with my two clowns.

2) siphoning cyano every week vs every 2 weeks, does this make a difference besides being an eyesore?

3) Uhm random but, should I Be cleaning GHA off my snail shells..? Interestingly the nocturnal snail does not have any.

Thanks team!
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
What is your current light cycle for the display and the fuge? Is there cyano growing in the fuge? Did you try a black out?

What type of bulbs are you using in your T5 fixture and how many bulbs are there? Are you using a reflector on your fuge light?

Have you done any water changes yet? Just currious.

I've started out with dead rock my last two times and cyano was never an issue in the display. I did have a bad outbreak of GHA after I neglected my algae scrubber for the better part of a summer.

When I moved this last time I just took all that old algae covered rock, just rinsed, not cured that dried for two months and restarted the tank with it. Dropped it in and let it cure. The GHA so far has never returned.
 
S

Shilpan

Member
Light cycle is 8hrs a day, the tank gets another additional 4-5 hrs of ambient light before the lights come on. Refugium on 18hrs a day, off when tank is on.

Yes cyano in the fuge. Strange thing it's stopped growing on my macroalgae which is was before. But it's there.

I just have standard T5HO lighting x 4 bulbs which are brand new. 2 white 2 blue.
The refugium light is a 6500K daylight bulb, it's got the cone thing that comes with a normal table lamp, don't think this is reflective.

Yup I've done 2 since the cyano. I'm doing 10% every two weeks (changing 40L each time). Nitrates either 0-5ppm or 5-10ppm, hard to tell haha, but above 0. Phosphate test kit will arrive in 2 days, was 0 a week BEFORE the cyano outbreak.

My live rock says from Thailand, stuff was covered when I got it so i acid cured, but still there's stuff deep in the crevices I couldnt get.

Attached is a picture of one week of cyano growth in the worst area. Also can see my GHA, which hasn't grown long enough for me to easily pick out yet.
 

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S

Shilpan

Member
Oh also I pruned back my macroalgae by about 80% a week beforehand my outbreak. It's all alive and healthy looking but its growing very slowly now (I think because nitrates are not 40ppm anymore, now they're 0-10). I'm wondering if this could be responsible for my cyano, the loss of competition by macro..?
 
S

Shilpan

Member
Would it helped if I turned lights on early to overlap with the ambient light?

I was holding off on this cause then I can't see my tank at night when I'm home. But I guess that's ok for now whil I'm dealing with cyano.
 
one-fish

one-fish

Active Member
Just my .02 remember i am about a month behind you in cycle. From my research this is a normal just as the diatom bloom we just went thru.....now I am starting to see the cyano...just small spots but expecting more I did play with the lighting during the diatom out break and it did help going the same route if a I see a cyano outbreak .......
 
S

Shilpan

Member
^True. I might reduce my lighting to 6hrs from 8, or alternatively I'll make it spitball overlaps with the ambient lighting so no extra light.

Guess I'll have to wait for the nutrients in the rock to burn out if I keep siphoning and water changing regularly. Once my phosphate test kit arrives I'll test and see if I need to change my gfo.

Wonder if I should make refugium 24/7 also
 
one-fish

one-fish

Active Member
As you know overfeeding is a big contribution but I kinda over feed but thats me only(3) fish no corals
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Yeah dude it sounds like your display is out competing your refugium. it's up to you how you want to handle it or just let it ride until is recedes on its own (if it recedes).

But I think trimming 80% of your macro is going to do nothing but work against you in this situation. The bigger it gets the more nutrients it will consume. It's up to you to work out the balance between over growing or under growing in regards to nutrient export.

I would invest in a inexpensive clip-on work lamp to help boost your refugium light output. http://m.homedepot.com/p/150-Watt-Incandescent-Clamp-Light-HD-300PDQ/205031467
 
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