Unpleasant surprise

[DFD189]

Sprung up overnight.

What is going on? Cyno, algea, diatom or some other mutant life form? :)

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/05611.JPG

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/05412.JPG

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/0557.JPG

Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 78
pH: 8.4
KH: 15 dKH / 251ppm
Ca2: 460mg/L
PO4: .25
NO3: 0

[jojo22]

A picture would be most helpful.

[igot2gats]

Yes, pic(s) please. Also, what inhabitants do you have in your tank, how long has it been running, etc.

We'll help you get back on track.

[DFD189]

Pics are showing up on my end, I'll re-post.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/05611.JPG

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/05412.JPG

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/0557.JPG

80 Tank has been running since the beginning of July.

It has 10-12 Astria snails, 10-12 blue legged hermits, 3 peppermint shrimp, 1cleaner shrimp, 2 percula clowns, 2" hippo tang, and a large LTA. 3" sand bed and bout 60-70# of live rock with paly's, zoa's, leathers, polyps and xenia.

Run a wet/dry trickle filter, skimmer, and fluidized sand filter.

[Sir Patrick]

I dont see any pics still.

Did your sand bed get disturbed lately? Anything die recently in the tank? Both common causes of a cyno cycle.

[DFD189]

Fixed?:blackeye::confused::blackeye:

[DFD189]

I lost an emerald crab about a month and a half ago, (pretty sure he was on his last legs from the LFS I got him from) but it was taken out the day it died.

The sand bed hasn't been disturbed.

[jojo22]

You have Cyano in your tank. PITA but fixable.

[Sir Patrick]

I see pics! Its cyno. Fairly common in a tank that age.

For sure- PITA!

I have had good results with maracyn (erythromyacin), to get rid of it.

Normally I would sugest getting to the root of the problem, but cyno is one of those things that the root is hard to find, if nonexistant to be proven yet. Thats why I turn to the maracyn for this particular issue.

[DFD189]

Will the maracyn effect the beneficial bacteria in the tank?

[Sir Patrick]

I have heard the issue, both ways....I am not sure on the specifics, but there is somthing about gram negative and possitive bacterias????

I had no issues at all using it, and havnt heard of (personaly) anyone else who has either.

I left my skimmer running and dosed 2 seperate doses, 2 days apart. It left and hasnt shown up since.

[DFD189]

Cool, I'll give it a shot.

[DFD189]

Left the lights off for 48 hours, 20% water change, stopped feedings, raised my ph and as soon as my lights came back on, and the cyno came right back. It looked as if it was getting worse.

So I picked up some maracyn and have treated the tank for the past 2 days and I have enough for one more treatment. It looks as if the cyno is unaffected.

How long to see some results?

[graphixx]

how much flow do yo have in your tank... if not much that also helps the stuff grow easier as well.. if you have the means to increase the flow by adding a powerhead that might be of help also

[DFD189]

I've got 2 Koralia 3's (one in each corner) and a Rio 2100 as my return (3.5' from the sump). It's approximately 2100 gallons being circulated per hour. Stuff whips around in this 80 gallon pretty good. The majority of the cyno is in areas that have the most flow.

[jimsflies]

Myacin effects the gram-positive bacteria. Whereas denitrifying bateria in a reef tank are gram-negative and are not normally effected. With that said I would dose in very small amounts and give it a day to see if it worked before increasing the dosage. Your skimmer will go nuts when you turn it on. You may want to follow up treatment with a significant water change.

I don't think any amount of flow will completely keep the stuff from growing. There always seems to be some spot where it will grow regardless. I have had it grow right on the nozzel of my return pump.

[DFD189]

Yeah the skimmer is going crazy. I had to adjust it to skim very dry.

I am going to do a 25% water change tomorrow and try to siphon as much as I can.

The more I look as this stuff the more it looks like dinoflagellates.

Anyone every try Poly-Ox?

http://www.kentmarine.com/products/kent-poly-ox.htm

I just placed an order with reeftopia.com to significantly boost my CU crew as well.

I also have a gfo and a carbon reactor from bulk reef supply that should be here tomorrow.

God! This stuff is hideous!

[jimsflies]

Sounds like you are on the right path. I think dinos are brown and more spotty than the slime you show in your pics. You could have both.

[Sir Patrick]

It took my tank about a week to get rid of the majority of the cyno after dosing the marycin twice.

A little stuck around for about a week more, but finally gave up and left.

[DFD189]

It's definetly lightening in color and shrinking in size. Can't wait till this stuff is gone....