Stupid Ferpin' Cyano

[Samhain]

Well, MW, I'm in the same boat you are. I had just a couple tiny spots of cyano, thought a couple of my turbos were taking care of it, and today *BOOM* cyano everywhere! :frustrat: I think my problem is about the same as yours is. Feeding mysis once daily (with its excess of phosphates) and leaving the lights on all day (cuz I love to look at my tank!).

So, lights are out, initial 20% change done, water mixed for 20% change day after tomorrow, and then another 20% planned for 4 days from now. I fed my fish tonight before the lights went out, but no noms until right before the second water change, and then again before the third. And I think I'll be changing to Rod's Food. I'm going to have to order it, but if it's better for my fish and my tank in general

As Lady Macbeth once said, "Out, damned spot!"

 

[reeftanker84]

well your phos must be up as well as your trates,if you put cheato in you may have better inprovement long term

 

[Samhain]

Unfortunately, I don't have a sump or a fuge to put chaeto in right now, so it would have to float in the main tank. Plans for a HOB fuge are in the works, and chaeto is definitely going in there! I do have some ulva in the tank, and it helps, but not enough, obviously. I think it too will be going in the fuge when I get it, since I would rather have that space for coral. I had originally thought macro in the main tank would be kind of neat and different, but i'm not digging it as much as I thought I would. Oh well. Live and learn!

 

[Marines_Wife]

Ill be honest, after the little bit of cyano I had it didnt come back. But I did a few things
Siphoned it all up
Turned on the power head to get the flow right again
Put my lights on timers, they are on at noon off at 8
Started using filtered water
Changed the bulb in my MH
Started feeding every 2 days. I have gone 3 days in between feedings right now and activity is very low in the tank, to low for my liking so every 2 days it is.

Other then that though, no return of cyano, good luck!! :)

 

[Marines_Wife]

Oh, also I put my chaeto in my main tank. My ruge pump died when the power went out, and I didnt want the chaeto to be doing nothing. Ill be honest I dont mind the look of it but I am interested to see what it does for my phospates.

 

[Samhain]

I think I'll be putting the lights on timers as well. I work 2-3 12 hour shifts per week, and I have an hour commute as well, so I flip the lights on as I'm heading out the door, and then I enjoy my tank for a while when I get home, so on those days it was sometimes getting 18 hours of daylight! For now I may get some chaeto and hide it behind some rockwork. As for flow, I think I'm going to change up my single 2200 gph powerhead for two or three smaller ones. The area where the cyano started was on top of my flat rock, which was actually in a fairly high-flow area, so I'm not sure what that's all about. I am using distilled water right now, and I got the green light from the hubby to get an RO/DI filter next month! So huzzah for that! :bounce: We'll just have to see how it goes.....

 

[felixfish]

You may want to get some auto timers for your lights. I set my'n up to turn on at 5pm when i get off, and turn off at midnight.