Red carpet........But not for VIP's

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Angel Fin

Member
While everyone in the tank is doing well..........so is the the cyanobacteria......While overfeeding is no doubt partly responsible.......I expect that the light spectrum is also contributing.
After water changes with a light vaccuuming the substrate looks sooo much better but within 24 hours the red carpet is back!!!
Going to cut down on the feedings a bit as I expect that DOC's are partly responsible but.........lighting!!!
My 65 Gal tank has 2 - 48" actinic & 2 - 48" life glow T5's -------actinics on for 10 hrs daily & the life glows on for 8.
The life glows run up to about 680 mn
Power Glo bulbs on the other hand run up to 720 with much greater red spectrum percentage.
Wondering if switching to Power Glo might help with the unwanted cyano but fear for the macro algae that is nicely taking hold & fear other ramifications!!!
Everybody else in the tank is very happy, nervous to rock the boat for asthetics!!!:coffee2:
 
Rhodes19

Rhodes19

Active Member
If you are having cyano problems then it usually means you have a lot of excess nutrients. If thats the case, reducing feeding would help but I would also check for the presents of nitrates and phosphates. Over feeding, using tap water, and no nitrate export can lead to cyano. Are you using RO/DI water? How often do you do water changes and how much do you change out? If you can, post all your water parameters and information on your tank equipment, ie filters, live rock, skimmer.... Lack of flow could also lead to cyano buildup.

As for the lights, if they are in the 6500 K range, that would increase algae growth. I couldn't find any K info on them but it sounds like the Power Glo bulbs may be in that range. I'll let someone else with more lighting experience tackle that one.

I used to have cyano in my earlier tanks but when I switched to RO/DI water, cut back on feedings, and started using a better mechanical filter, it cleared up. HTH. :)
 
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Angel Fin

Member
Thanks Rhodes19 for your input!! Yes, I think I am on the right track. I'm afraid I do not perform regular testing on the tank any more. I do use R/O water & I perform about a 10 percent water change weekly plus I top up with RO for evaporation about every 2 days.
I have cut back the feeding quite significantly & I do regular cleaning without disturbing the sand bed too much.....
The most recent readings I have done were some time ago & both nitrates & phosphates were not detected.....but I understand that while the cyano is feeding the numbers may not be reliable.......otherwise all parameters have read optimal ,,pH, SG, salinity, etc.
This 65 Gal. is a very simple system with no sump, refugium, etc.
The other thing that you mentioned is "flow".....now there is an avenue that I am exploring also!! I have felt that I am operating with minimum flow as I nearly lost my Riccordia after making a minor change in flow direction not long ago!!! I have the power heads in the back corner of each end of the tank & directed toward front center. Between them there is a cyclone 100 & the Fluval 400 outlet. This 65 Gal is 4 feet in length. Therefore, I feel that I have not perhaps quite "dead spots" at the ends of the tank but at least "poorer" circulation in that area. Also, thinking back, I think that those areas are where I first noticed the cyano.
Sooo.....
I have cut back the food some for a start, will check out better circulating equip. soon.
The "life glo" bulbs I am using provide 6700K & the "power glo" T5's that are available provide 18000K. My Halimeda macro algae is doing very well at present & I wonder how it would respond to the lighting change. Also have various shrooms, a leather, a sun coral, all which may be affected by the lghting change. ANY ADVICE I CAN GET IN THIS AREA WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED ALSO!!! I feel after 4 years that I am now just "starting" to see!!!!
 
Rhodes19

Rhodes19

Active Member
Hi Angel Fin,

I would recommend doing a 25-50% water change for the next couple of weeks and test for nitrates and phosphates. The reason for the bigger water changes is to decrease the nitrates. The decrease of nitrates is proportional to the percent of water change. 10% water change = 10 decrease in nitrates, 50% water change = 50 % decrease in nitrates. That would be the quickest and easiest way to reduce the nutrients the cyano bacteria is feeding on. Keep playing with the flow, that will help as well. As for the life glo bulbs, I would change them out with a 10K or higher. From all that I have read, your corals and macro algae will still do fine but it should help reduce the cyano as well. HTH
 
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Angel Fin

Member
Thanks again, good plan I think!!! I'm doing a water change today......will crank it up a few notches!!!
Next time I'm in town (Halifax), I'm going to pick up a heavier power head & do a little revamp on the rock structure.
Will also add 1 power glo bulb into the lighting.
Will hopefully have some photos posted before long......the tank has come a long way over the past year!
 
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Angel Fin

Member
Water change done yesterday was approx. 30% as low on buckets so will do another tomorrow. Adjusted flow slightly again but now making much more specific changes in that area 'cause "targeting the flow" for circulation & to approach 'shrooms, etc. from a specific direction;... at least until I upgrade.
Amazing how I can spend so much time gazing at the tank & still miss such details!!!
Perhaps I need a more systematic approach ie. check electrical equip. that everything is operating properly, check temp., check salinity, check glass & water, check population, check rock & sand.
At any rate, as long as the tank is moving toward greater health, I will try to gently guide it!!! It's certainly an ongoing education!! Must say though....each problem has led to greater understanding & greater success!!
Perhaps the day will come when I find that I must deal with the plumbing & set up a refugium or at least quarantine tank but not for now.
Have thought about what I am calling a "Maritime Tank" to display local marine life. Have gone so far as to check out availability of chillers from LFS but they do/can not supply. It would be a must. Also wonder about the health of a migrating fish in captivity......but I'm talkin' small fry!! (with later release).
Also thinkin' LED for my reef tank.........pie in the sky.....if I'm thinkin' LED, why then wouldn't I want to first protect my display tank with at least a quarantine tank??? This is bad when you argue with yourself!!! ha
 
cbrownfish

cbrownfish

Well-Known Member
Everyone always preaches about high nutrients (NO3 & PO4) when discussing Cyanobacteria but I am here to tell you that organic matter is more to blame in the case of Cyano. I have run GFO/Purigen/media until my SPS corals turned white and Softies started to die from lack of N & P.....yet Cyano remained. I firmly believe that excess organic matter, like common detritus, is one of the primary things to look at when trying to pinpoint the cause. Whenever my rocks and/or sand start to take on cyano, I begin to religiously stir up the surface of the sand and blast off the rockwork. Everyone always says "increase flow", "avoid dead spots" and that is good advice. To my point, these dead areas and holes in the rock are places where organic matter will collect and modest flow will allow the organic matter to settle there.

I submit that the cyano "blankets" the organic matter and absorbs nutrients directly from it. The only thing that has ever been truly effective for me is: manual removal, stirring up the sand, blasting rockwork, siphoning detritus, increasing flow to keep organics suspended so your filtration (skimmer, mechanical) can remove it. You always need to be mindful of nutrient byproducts like NO3/PO4 but high levels more often lead to green algae IME.
 
Rhodes19

Rhodes19

Active Member
cbrownfish said:
Everyone always preaches about high nutrients (NO3 & PO4) when discussing Cyanobacteria but I am here to tell you that organic matter is more to blame in the case of Cyano. I have run GFO/Purigen/media until my SPS corals turned white and Softies started to die from lack of N & P.....yet Cyano remained. I firmly believe that excess organic matter, like common detritus, is one of the primary things to look at when trying to pinpoint the cause. Whenever my rocks and/or sand start to take on cyano, I begin to religiously stir up the surface of the sand and blast off the rockwork. Everyone always says "increase flow", "avoid dead spots" and that is good advice. To my point, these dead areas and holes in the rock are places where organic matter will collect and modest flow will allow the organic matter to settle there.

I submit that the cyano "blankets" the organic matter and absorbs nutrients directly from it. The only thing that has ever been truly effective for me is: manual removal, stirring up the sand, blasting rockwork, siphoning detritus, increasing flow to keep organics suspended so your filtration (skimmer, mechanical) can remove it. You always need to be mindful of nutrient byproducts like NO3/PO4 but high levels more often lead to green algae IME.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I've never heard it explained that way before.
 
GrendelPrime

GrendelPrime

Well-Known Member
that makes sence cause if u ever pealed a mat of cyano off of the rocks if u look at the under side its all gunk and crud that the cyano used to grow from
 
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Angel Fin

Member
Certainly all food for thought......& truly thanks for the input people!! What I can see at present is a slowed return of the cyano after doing a larger volume water change & I added in 1 brighter light to the T5 unit. Also note that the lower areas of the glass are remaining clearer longer.........this I have noticed in just the past 2 days.
But let me tell you, it has been thriving up til now. After just 24 - 48 hours since adjustments & the water change.......I can make that observation!!
I know I need to be a member of the OFA but I have made myself cut back on the food somewhat also!!:hammerhea
 
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Angel Fin

Member
Got a Koralia 750 today & added it to the mix! Kranked up the flow a notch!!
(And a toadstool frag & another peppermint shrimp!)
And if my husband asks.....it was all 50% off & no tax.....I had to buy them!

Hope the little toadstool frag will settle in ok!! Tips greatfully accepted!!....
 
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