Cyno and hair alge problem..they're winning!!

[Jorgens]

Ok. I've been working on getting rid of my cyno for over a month with WC and picking/vaccuming off substrate. Within the last week it's almost taken over my system. I ordered another 24 hermits of various types (scarlets/red legged) a coupld more sea stars to help with detitus, and 2 dozen nassarius snails.

Currently we have....
since 9-06

180g Display 150#'s LR
2-3"DSB

3x250w 10k MH 8hrs
4x96w PC Actinics 13hrs
moons constant

55g sump/refigium
cheato/caluprea
6" DSB

ASM g3
Quiet one14000 return pump aprox 3000gph
2x powerheads 1@500gph 1@200gph
50+ blue leg hermits
Hundreds of ceriths
1 yellow tang
1 scopas tang
1 scooter blenny
1 Mandarian
! Blue Trigger
1 Diamond Goby
2 clowns /1 big Nem
15-20 small frags of assorted corals

Whats the best way to battle this as I'm loosing with my current stratigy!!!

All input Greatly appreciated!!!

AS of this am

trAtes 0-5ppm
alk 10 calcium 400
PO undetectable
0 ammonia/trItes
Drip Kalk/trace elements on auto-topoff

 

[Woodstock]

I would ...

• reduce the photo period to 2-3 hrs for several days
• get two phosban reactors (use phospan or rowaphos media) ASAP
• Get a ro/di unit
• maintain good water flow and surface aggitation (cyano loves low oxygen)
• continue removing/exporting the algae daily

You will win. Honest. Just keep up the battle~

Do not let the 0 phosphate tests fool you... it is just that the alga absorb the po4 extremely quickly/efficiently.
Try getting a water sample from underneath the cyano (in the sand or from a pore in the rock); or place a piece of cyano in the test vial. You'll get different results then....

 

[boozeman]

do you think its still being caused by the aragacrete?
woody has made some good points on where you take your measurements...btw, how old is your test kit and what brand?
also, something that I hadn't noticed b4...IMO you do not have enough flow for a 180 with just those two small powerheads

 

[Jorgens]

PO kit is API 1 month old. those 2 heads are jut for circulation. the uiet one returns about 3000gph thru 5 returns for a total nearing 4000gph total...

 

[blue_eyes53813]

I had a problem with cyano a few months back.. I borrowed a diatom filter from my lfs and it did a good job... I also did lots of water changes, increase flow,fed less and scraped and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned,,, keep everything as clean as you can... all filters ,sponges, anything you can think of,,, I rinsed mine daily.... Good luck

 

[lcstorc]

?In addition to the items already mentioned you may want to add a fighting conch. I was battling a cyano outbreak in my tank and was slowly winning when I added 3 to my 125g reef. Within a week the remains of the cyano were gone and it has not come back. Now the conchs were not the only thing I did. I was also rinsing the food, running phosban, and doing lots of water changes, but the conchs seemed to tip the scales from slowly winning the battle to all gone rather quickly.

 

[sasquatch]

Jorgans, if you want to test your flow use a stick with a small ribbon on it, I think Boozie's right on the flow, if you break it down like this 3000gph divided by 5 outlets = 600 gph per outlet divided by 60 minutes =10 gpm. so 10 gpm spread out over the back face of the tank,interuped by rock and corals really = very little flow. I dont think total gph pumped really equates to directional flow.Steve

 

[Jorgens]

WEll to top it all off my new pump just blew. It didn't seem like anything leaked into the system but damn what a smell. Now I'm back to my old aqua via brley pushin 800gph. So yes spread over 5 returns that is awful now...Not sure how I'm going to handle this one.....

Some days ya think a guy would toss in the towel...lol

 

[Jorgens]

Jorgans, if you want to test your flow use a stick with a small ribbon on it, I think Boozie's right on the flow, if you break it down like this 3000gph divided by 5 outlets = 600 gph per outlet divided by 60 minutes =10 gpm. so 10 gpm spread out over the back face of the tank,interuped by rock and corals really = very little flow. I dont think total gph pumped really equates to directional flow.Steve

I really see our point now that im back down to a small pump....What would you reccommend for flow. I may have to suck it up and just go with powerheads but which? I see ok sizes for $20 i see nice ones for $300 I've learned a lesson with pumps already. Although I though quiet One's were a good brand. I wont bash but thats 2 inside a month that gave me a headache...

Whats the easiest way (cost effective that means) to get flow going thats not too horrible to look at. My wife HATES things hanging in the tank. It's difficult to drill for a closed loop properly since the tank is already in the wall and bulkheads would not be easily accessable.

Appreciate the info guys really...

 

[boozeman]

heres something to think about as far as choices go...
you may want to replace your main pump with something reliable like a reeflo dart. Or one size up baracuda but that much flow thru sump may create a micro buble issue so you may have to install a filter sock or play around with your baffles. Then maybe look into the newer smaller power heads for flow (tunze nanos or koralia) these are small enough that they can be hidden by your rock work..but you will have to get a few of them. Another option would be the larger tunzes covered by their ceramic rock cover. once the ceramic is covered by algae it is undistinguishable from your live rock. And lastly the vortechs which, by design, don't protrude far from the glass.

 

[zimboy]

It's difficult to drill for a closed loop properly since the tank is already in the wall and bulkheads would not be easily accessable.

Appreciate the info guys really...

Closed loops do not need to be drilled thru the tank, they can go over the edge, this may make it harder to disguise the piping, but it will still look better than powerheads in the display IMO

 

[boozeman]

you can drill for closed loop once the tank is filled...just lower the water and get something like this for the intakes(check bottom of page)
Barr Aquatic Systems - Custom Sumps - Beckett Protein Skimmers - Kalk (Nilson) Reactors - Calcium Reactors - Waste Collectors - Reef Systems - Salt Water Systems
then do the returns over the tank.