Is there any way to prevent Cyano??

[groupergenius]

A lot of us have encountered the Cyano battle at 1 time or another. Is there any way to prevent Cyano? Besides keeping water parameters perfect and good flow.
Say you get a frag somewhere that you can't see the bacteria on until it's too late. What do you "dip" the corals in to prevent any infection to your tank?

 

[perfectdark]

Iodine dip usually kills off any bacteria and infection before it can get into your tank. But I agree transfering cyanno to your tank from an other source is big issue when I look to buy something.

 

[rykna]

Originally Posted by PerfectDark
Iodine dip usually kills off any bacteria and infection before it can get into your tank. But I agree transfering cyanno to your tank from an other source is big issue when I look to buy something.
That would do it, but LR or DR absorbs the iodine~right? I was contiplating using bleach water to kill off anything on the LR for the dwarf seahorse tank. But I decided against it due that the rock is porus.

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by Rykna
That would do it, but LR or DR absorbs the iodine~right? I was contiplating using bleach water to kill off anything on the LR for the dwarf seahorse tank. But I decided against it due that the rock is porus.
Yea but I dont think it would absorb enough to throw your levels off in your tank. Lots of people do iodine dips to their corals before adding them to their tank. Fresh water dips too, to help rid the LR of unwanted hitchikers.

 

[rykna]

Ok

 

[groupergenius]

Originally Posted by PerfectDark
Iodine dip usually kills off any bacteria and infection before it can get into your tank. But I agree transfering cyanno to your tank from an other source is big issue when I look to buy something.
Is there a special mixture of iodine-water? I finally cured my brown algae problem then noticed last night I have a small spot of cyano going on the back side of my clove polyp colony.

That colony has been in for at least 2 months now. Should I take it out and dip it?

 

[perfectdark]

I havent heard of any "% to salt water" mixtures. People have put SW in a small container enough to cover the coral. Then they pour the iodine in until the water turns tea colored. They dip it for a few minutes and then you can rinse it off in either SW or FW before returning it to your tank.
I wont hurt your coral to do it you can also brush off the cyano when you take it out too.

 

[snakeblitz33]

If you are going to do an iodine dip, you need "reef dip." Read the directions very carefully, do not add the used saltwater back into your tank. (BAD THING!)
Personally, I don't think that by adding the cyano to your tank from a frag etc. would definately NOT do anything to your aquarium. The main thing is that you have an excess of nutrience in the water, which needs to be taken out/care of.
Take a turkey baster and blow off the cyano to get it in the water column. (make sure your pumps are off) Then siphon up all of the gunk that is in the water. Do about a 35% water change. ... any algae or detritus that has built up in the tank. Make sure that you have an awsome protein skimmer and that it is working properly. Have fun!

 

[perfectdark]

I dont agree here. I bought a zoa frag a while ago in which the tank it came from had cyano in it. I put it into my tank and in a weeks time I had an outbreak of it starting at the base of the LR where the zoas are. From start till then I never had cyano and after cleaning and scooping I havent had it since.

 

[farslayer]

Cyano does indeed spread rapidly given the right conditions; it is a primordial creature, a bacteria with the capability of photosynthesis (origin of the chloroplast). It can quickly get out of control if you are not careful, even from a small amount. The best way to fight it is of course to maintain water quality, but sometimes you just get an outbreak. I tend to get one here and there, notably by adding a coral to the tank which introduced some more cyano. I use chemi clean (I think that's the name) if I get a bad outbreak (did about a year or so ago). It is comprised of antibiotics, so you need to follow directions carefully, but it works very very well. Sometimes you just have to resort to medicine to kill the junk off.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Any cycled aquarium with any live sand or live rock has cyanobacteria in very very small amounts. If your aquarium is healthy, there should never be an outbreak.