Nitrates/cyano--can't lower mine

[andy12265]

Hey all, i have a 55 gallon aquarium and i just can't rid it of cyanobacteria...i have three powerheads on the bottom gravel and i have a berlin airlift potein skimmer...i've done water changes but it just seems to grow back very fast...the nitrates just won't go down...i think my protein skimmer is a bad one...i need help FAST...what other ways can i lower nitrates/ remove cyanobacteria?? PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

--THANKS

 

[BrothaWolf]

How much and how often do you do water changes? Are you using RO/DI water? How heavily is your tank stocked. What do you feed, how much how often?

 

[andy12265]

I do about 20 percent every month....Don't know water RO/DI water but i use that already mixed saltwater at petco...my tank currently has 1 carki clown, 1 sgt. major damsel, 1 coral angel beauty, 1 bangai cardinal, 1 cleaner shrimp, 5 turbo/astrea snails, 2 scarlet hermit carbs, and 2 scooter blennies.
I feed them about a pinch of feeze dried brine shrimp and sometimes mix it up with a pinch of flakes or occasionally a pinch of freeze dried plankton. I feed them once a day mostly in the a.m.

 

[Dentoid]

As far as the nitrates go, have you removed the bioballs from your sump? Assuming you have enough LR. Also, an area that it offten overlooked is filter floss in filter sumps and filter socks. These things are nitrate producing havens and if present should be cleaned weekly or changed out regularly.

 

[Gibeon]

Did you say gravel?

I've read that Crushed Coral substrate can become a nitrate factory. And I know I grow cyano like crazy in my tank at work... crushed coral substrate. I imagine gravel would be similar. My "theory" is that the larger substrate particles allow alot more detritus to get lower into the bed of the substrate where it doesn't get eaten or siphoned out very easily.

I also do about 20% every two weeks in my cyano factory tank.

Just some thoughts... - Gib

 

[PhilOlsen]

I would def. upgrade the skimmer, do you have a sump or fuge? Live rock?Also I recommend you do more water changes and make sure it is RO/DI water, I do 20% weekly , more than most people do, but my livestock are happy and healthy and the parameters are always where they need to be.

 

[andy12265]

Well i do not have a sump but look to upgrade to one in the future...i have crushed coral substrate with undergravel filters underneath it but i don't use them..i dont know why i have them..must have been the heat of the moment when i bought it...can i remove the crushed coral substrate and fill it with live sand or something???

 

[PhilOlsen]

Loose the undergaravle filter, it is most likely the cause of your issue, even if unudes you will have lots of build up unders the plates that you cant get to in order to clean. I would do this:
1) remove all the crushed coral and undergravel plates

2) put down a sand bed, placing you rocks on pvc not on the sand

3) do a lot of water changes, at least 50% weekly until things get under control

4) put any livestock into a QT tank until the process is done.

5) turn your sump into a refugium

 

[andy12265]

Ok thanks so very much !!! should i put the liverock into a QT also?...and if i set up the sump and make it a refugium...can i still put all the things like the protein skimmer, uv sterilizer, heater etc. into it??

 

[DeepBlue]

No Andy, keep the LR n the tank as you need that to aid in the filtration process. It is the rock that will in time bring your system back under control. Yes, if you create a sump, provided it is large enough, you will want to put your protein skimmer, heater, etc. in the sump. Putting the protein skimmer in the sump, you will want either a series of 3 baffles (or a filter sock could also help) to remove microbubbles.

 

[DeepBlue]

Also Andy, what are your water parameters right now?

 

[andy12265]

pH--8.1......nitrates-- 40s.......salinity--1.024.....amonia--0....nitrites---0
Those are the only parameters that i can test for as of right now

 

[PhilOlsen]

I agree, I would leave the LR in the display, you may want to have a couple pieces in the QT just to give your livestock places to hide, but I would use some cheap base rock for that if you have any. As for the fuge, I would def. put the skimmer, filter and UV there, it will clean up the appearence in the display, you can also add some macro algae and live rock in the sump to add to the filtration capability and give mysis, copeods etc. a safe place to multiply.

 

[lcstorc]

Are you removing the cyano? If not please do. It is absorbing nitrates and phosphates and your parameters would be even worse if it was not there. Removing it will remove the nitrates and phosphates it has absorbed.

 

[fishheads]

i dont hear too many people giving chemical quick fixes....like chemiclean(for cyano)...or resin's...20%RO water change wkly should be an EZ fix.why is that??I have kept reefs for years and have gone through the trials & tribulations of chems. i for 1 would like to keep all foriegn chems. out of my tank if possible....but im not against using them when times arise...do i practice bad husbandry?I think it is alot less cost effecient than (for instance) going out and spending a couple of hundred $ on a new skimmer,& tearing down my whole system.......just my take on things since i dont have alot of money,& have managed to succeed in reef keeping

 

[lcstorc]

Well the chemicals are kind of like a bandaid. If you don't fix the source of the problem it will be back. Plus I for one hate to add any chemicals to my tank. With that said I have used Red Slime Remover. It did get rid of the cyano but drove my skimmer nuts for about 2-3 weeks. I doubt I will use it again because the slime came back since I had not fixed the root problem.

 

[BoomerD]

Because the chemicals only treat the symptoms, NOT the cause.

If this were my tank, I'd take all the rock and livestock out of the tank, and put it in a suitable container.
Remove all the crushed coral and u/g filter plates.
Replace the CC with a good quality live sand.
Put the rock back in.
Get rid of that Sgt. Major for sure...too aggressive IMO)
STOP using the Petco water, and invest in a decent RO/DI and make my own saltwater from one of the better mixes. You'll save a LOT of money on that alone!
Increase water changes to a minimum of 10% weekly.
Your skimmer isn't a great one, but is still better than some of the other inexpensive units out there.

 

[fishheads]

i'ts not that i dont agree....you are correct....petco has only filtered water not RO..it has plenty of nitrates...but continous water changes with RO in amounts of 20%weekly for a couple of weeks..right along with resins(inexpensive)should solve the problem.....am i correct?He should have never started using petco water.....i agree on RO and a quality salt,mixing your own........problem solved to the best of my understanding......reducing nitrates to a point where your system can equal out on its own.....after you remove visible traces of cyanoh:iI do stand corrected on live sand,he should definately get a quality sand:tongue:

 

[PhilOlsen]

i'ts not that i dont agree....you are correct....petco has only filtered water not RO..it has plenty of nitrates...but continous water changes with RO in amounts of 20%weekly for a couple of weeks..right along with resins(inexpensive)should solve the problem.....am i correct?He should have never started using petco water.....i agree on RO and a quality salt,mixing your own........problem solved to the best of my understanding......reducing nitrates to a point where your system can equal out on its own.....after you remove visible traces of cyanoh:iI do stand corrected on live sand,he should definately get a quality sand:tongue:

I would never add chemicals under his circumstances, first it is the wrong water, second the undergravel is prob the root of the issue, resins and 20% water changes will not resolve his issue in the long term, maybe a short term fix but nothing more than the equivelent of using colonge rather than taking a shower, it would just mask the real problem not fix it. Also I would recommend RO/DI water, not just RO for the water changes

 

[fishheads]

:explode: :winner:I STAND CORRECTED :smck: