Is this a good sign in my fight against cyno

domsbuddy

domsbuddy

Member
I've been doing some major continuous battle with a cyno problem. I have thru numerous large water changes dropped my nitrates down to about 2ppm.
Very happy about that. I have been sucking out the cyno with the water changes and painfully sucking it off the rocks with a turkey baster. Recently I added for the first time activated charcoal - chempure and chem pure elite.
The problem has always been that within 2 - 3 days the cyno would be right back where it was - just as strong. For the first time, it is coming back slightly slower and after about 3 days the cyno is accompanied with a brown colored algae under the cyno. It also seems to suck up a little easier with the turkey baster. Any thoughts on whether this may be a good sign?
 
janastasio

janastasio

Member
Main question is are you using ro/di water?With all the things you are doing between water changes, manually removing the cyano and looking at the cause for it. Is it from your water you are using, is it from excess feeding, ect. You can also try reducing your light schedule. Goodluck!
 
domsbuddy

domsbuddy

Member
Using ro/di water. Feeding only once per day. Cut mh lights to just a few hours per day. VHO's on about 10 hours. Question is, does the newly forming brown algae indicate that the cyno is running out of whatever it is using to produce itself?
 
gmann1139

gmann1139

Active Member
It indicates there may have been a shift in the nutrients available in the tank, and it is also an indicator that there is something else (the brown algae) using up the nutrients that are fueling the cyano growth.
If you want to go hard-core, and your reef can handle it, goes without lights for a week.
 
domsbuddy

domsbuddy

Member
Thanks for the comments. I'll try to take and post a picture tonight when I get home. As far as my reef handling a week of lights out - it can handle it because it's in the beginning stages and not much to it. It would just be me that looks forward to checking the tank out when I get home. I've thought about it though and may do it if it's not gone in another week or so. Let me know what you think after I post a picture.
 
steelytom

steelytom

Member
I would use some kind of phosphate removing media if I were you. I got rid of my cyano in a week with a polyfilter sponge and a 50% water change. That was a few years ago when my tank was new. I still put half of a sponge in my canister filter to prevent any phosphate buildup. The longer it is set up the easier it gets. I have not had cyano or any algae at all in about a year. I have had my tank set up for over three years. It took me about two years to get the routine down to keep everything stable and prevent problems instead of always chasing them.
 
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