cyano algae!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PufferGuy]

Ok so im getting OWNED by algae right now... last i posted on here, i had an ich outbreak and lost most of my fish. Ever since then i've had just a CRAZY ammount of algae growth. I even moved a powerhead right by the sand to have the water "graze" alongside the bottom. Ive reduced the time my lights are on... (only about 6hrs a day now, i dunno if thats good for my corals though) and have done a coupld 5gal water changes... what else can i do?? I dont have a test for phosphates so i guess i havent checked that but the water changes should have helped...

 

[ccCapt]

How did you treat the fish for ich?

Cyano is from high DOC's (dissolved organic compounds) and high nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, etc). What's your nitrate reading? Do you have a skimmer? Are you using RO/DI water for water changes and top offs? How often are you doing water changes?

 

[PufferGuy]

i havent treated the fish, the two that survived (6line and white ribbon eel) are doing fine and eating.

nitrates were at 0 when i last checked friday. I do have an octopus HOB, and i do use RO water for water changes. I do water changes i would say 1gal bucket every 2 weeks or so... should i do it more often?

 

[ccCapt]

You change 1 gallon every 2 weeks? That's not good enough.
You can change 10g/week for the next couple weeks and see how much of an improvement that makes.

 

[cthegame]

+1 Capt.

1 gal per week is not enough at all especially when you;re trying to beat algae.

I recommend doing 10% water changes twice per week until the alage dies off. Then you can go back to 10% weekly.

 

[stagofdoom]

yeah you should do 10% weekly atleast.

1 gal is nothing.

but they have you covered

 

[PufferGuy]

should i still keep down on light? or can i go back to 9 hrs a day??

 

[BigH55]

Three days without light, 25% water changes the next couple weeks and feed very very little. Also, point a powerhead at the area that are the worst. Also, work your way back up to 9 hrs a day on the lights. Cyano collects where nutrients gather and aren't circulated back into the main water column. I found this out when i set up my 110 which is 36" deep. I ended up adding 5 powerheads and even now i still get a little. This is the same process i used and it went away pretty quick. Also, when you do the water changes, suck out as much as possible. Low Flow+Food+Light= Cyano

 

[BigH55]

FYI, cyano is not an algae, its a bacteria. Its one of the oldest living creatures on earth. Being a bacteria, it can be treated with meds, but I dont recommend it. Biology, not technology.

 

[yote]

In addition to whats been posted above.Siphon out as much of the cyano as possible,then do at least a 20% water change and turn the light completely off for 3 or 4 days.Then the day you turn them back on,do another 20% water change,siphoning out any cyano you can still see.

 

[PufferGuy]

will my corals be alright without light for 4 days??

 

[yote]

The sun dont shine on the reef 365 days a year.There are days thats cloudy,and days that are flat out dark and stormy.Sometimes for a full week and sometimes even a couple of weeks.
Trust me,3 or 4 days without light aint gonna bother anything except the cyano and algae.

 

[BigH55]

Yeah. Remember sometime in the wild if there is a storm or something they may go days without light. Ive left the lights out for nearly a week and they do fine. Just slowly increase the photo period so you dont shock them when you turn the lights back on. Follow the above and you'll get good results. Also, take a good lookk at what may have initially caused it. Its probably the inadequate water changes. You'll be okay though. I had it so bad, my live rock look like the inside of a pimps car.

 

[mennazeher04]

I had it so bad, my live rock look like the inside of a pimps car.

Now thats some funny stuff right there......lol.....im a newbie here so thanks for the advice as well.....still learning

 

[parrotchute]

Hermits (tricolor) are a good way to attack cyano as well - it helped me knock down a bunch of mine. I'm also starting to run phosban to get rid of the rest of it...