*Yup, need help with cyanobacteria (red slime)

[mburnickas]

Mine is not that bad. The black is only like 3" up from the bottom.
So I guess that is out. I will get a TDS today. If not that, it has to be my lights, lack of flow or overfeeding.
I think feeding is out. So onlu lights left. This all started like 1.5 months ago. It was fine before that.
Thanks for the pix. Now I know what to look for.

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by mburnickas
I am going to buy a TDS today. I found some online for like $30
Compare the "tolerance" range on the meters...
>>> +/- 0.02 or +/- 0.2 ???<<<

 

[mburnickas]

I found this one for $31 shipped to my door. Look like 2% is 0.02
Temp. Range: 0-80 degrees Celsius
TDS Range: 0 ~ 9990ppm (mg/L)
Accuracy: +/- 2%
ATC: Built-in sensor for Automatic Temperature Compensation of 1 to 50 degrees Celsius (33 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit)
Power source: 2 x 1.5V button cell batteries (included)
Battery life: over 1,000 hours of continuous use
Dimensions: 14 x 2.3 x 1.5cm (5.5 x .9 x .55 inches)
Weight: 32g (1.13 oz)

 

[mburnickas]

I found another for less but the Resolution is : 1 ppm

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by mburnickas
.. If not that, it has to be my lights, lack of flow or overfeeding.

Or it might be some "combination" of the three...
In order for "Algae" or Cyno or diatoms or even "wanted" Macros, Corals and Fish, to flourish, "several" conditions need to be in balance or within a certain "range"...
Food (nutrients or Mal-nutrients)
Light (spectrum and time)
Flow (oxygen...aerobic or anaerobic)
Temp (boil or freeze them)
Many people "push" one aspect..."It's Lights"...or "It's Tap water"...or "You feed too much"...
I'm guilty of that to a certain extent as well...I "push" flow or Oxygen levels...
Sure...you pump pure oxygen to the bottom of the tank and Cyno will dissappear...(But you need an O2/CO2 balance for Corals)
You turned "Lights Off" for three days and it's going away...(Also not good for Corals "long term survival)...
So in the "Big Picture" it may be a combination of things that rids you of Cyno and you may never know "exactly" which one it was...
A little more flow...a little less lighting (or new bulb)...a filter or water change...adjusting feeding habits or "two more" snails...
Any one of those may push your tank "into" the balance point and things go well from there...
Don't ever get "stuck" in the thought that ..."This is good enough"..."Must be something else"...
It might be "Just a little" more (or less) of this or that...

 

[mburnickas]

I got my TDs meter in. My RO/DI water is zero!!
My tap water for kicks is 039ppm..Pretty good. Just messing around with it.
So water is out so it is either from food, lights or lack of flow.

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by mburnickas
... If not that, it has to be my lights, lack of flow or overfeeding.
I think feeding is out. So onlu lights left. ..
OK...Change your lights or shorten your schedual (maybe just an hour or two will do it and not harm the corals...)
And then we can get "back" to talking about flow and oxygenation levels...

 

[mburnickas]

the PC lights are about 6 months old so maybe time to change. I had them on 8-hours and so far the 4.5 hours per day is doing ok. But I think I am still going to get new bulbs, just to have.

 

[mburnickas]

#1 Well since the cryano was getting worse. I did the following.
Replaced the first two filters on my RO/DI (cardon and a
sediment)..
Also tested TDS and got zero before and after replacing.
But they needed to be replaced.
#2 Moved PH around and the water is all moving better.
#3 Now the big one is I replaced all the PC bulbs with OEM 10K
and actinic and maybe it is me, but the new bulbs look
much bluer then the old ones.
#4 Also got another MJ 900 along with a Red Sea Wavemaster
Pro Wave Maker. So I will have (2) MJ 1200 and (1) 900 +
the sump pump (quiet one 3000 - 790 GPH).
#5 If this all does not work, it HAS to be the food.

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by mburnickas
...#5 If this all does not work, it HAS to be the food.
Not neccessarily....
Only if #2 and #4 are "properly placed"....
Having "ten" powerheads in the tank won't help if they're not moving oxygenated water where it needs to go...
I just cleared a guys tank of Cyno by readjusting his return outlet and adding 1 powerhead...Vacumed the cyno out, readjusted his flow and NO Cyno returned....

 

[mburnickas]

I agree, that is why I moved the PH around to go more movement. Also that is why I am adding another PH (with wave maker) to move the water behind the LR. The only trick I do not know 100% is 02 water. I am moving water from my sump/PS back to main tank. From there it goes in a “Y” loc-line fitting. One part points in one PH stream for o2 water; the other part points in another direction.