Cyano

[iVgOnMaD]

Help, I have Cyano bacteria growing everywhere. I have tried Phosphate remover, Water Changes, Nitrate remover, skimming Wet, and nothing seems to help. What else can I do?

[jojo22]

Siphon out as much as you can and check your source water. It may be putting the phosphates back in the tank. Cut back on your feedings, up your water changes and maby cut the light cycle back by about an hour a day.

[Fatman]

You have a refugium?

2nd whats your flow usually your flow is not high enough.

3rd what are you feeting and how often?\

What type of Phosphate remover? Your regular off the shelf one or Phospan with a phosban reactor?

Remember light and nutrients is what it needst go grow stop one of those and it can not grow. You have to find where its getting its nutrients.

[Reptoreef]

It happens to the best of us... as mentioned, cut back on feedings, lower your light cycle, and do a big water change(syphoning as much cyano out as possible). Test your calcium and alk as there is a strong bond with calcium and phosphates that doesn't precipitate yet coats exposed coral skeletons and other calcium based materials.

[iVgOnMaD]

Well, I don't have a refugium, I do have a 60g tank with a flow of 920 gph provided by 4 Zoomed Power Sweep Power heads (2x 190gph + 2x 270gph). I also run a H.O.T. Skimmer rated for a 90g tank, I run Phosguard by Seachem in a micron bag on the bubble catcher for the skimmer. I also run my lights for 12 hours with a 3 hour break in the middle of the cycle. My aquarium get a little bit of indirect sunlight due to some windows that are near. My lights are Current's Nova Extreme T5HO Setup which are 2x54w True Actinic T5HO, 2x54w 10,000k Daylight T5HO, and 4x L.E.D. Moon Lights.

Don't know what else might help you help me.

p.s. I also have a bit of a problem with my skimmer's bubble catcher allowing some micro bubbles into the tank, I don't think it is related but who knows at this point.

[Fatman]

Whats your PH and Alklanity. A high combo of these two makes it difficult also for Cyano to grow. I forgot to add this

Maybe think of adding a refugium in the future to help export nutrients through marcoalgea. Just a thought. 12 hours seems a but heavy too, but not that big of a problem if your able to control the nutrients. Like i said consider a refugium for nutrient export.

[iVgOnMaD]

I also use R/O water for top-offs and water changes so I doubt it is caused by my tap water. Maybe the food, I'm feeding spirulina flakes and freeze dried plankton. Hmmm, maybe its the Spirulina, it would make sense since plants absorb Phosphates, and since I'm feeding that on a daily basis...

I'm going to try switching foods. Let ya know the results.

[jojo22]

Have you kept up on the maintenance of the ro/di unit??? If you filter media is old it could actually be raising the levels of phosphates and other things in your water.

[hummer]

good luck bud can we a pic of the tank?

[Fatman]

I also use R/O water for top-offs and water changes so I doubt it is caused by my tap water. Maybe the food, I'm feeding spirulina flakes and freeze dried plankton. Hmmm, maybe its the Spirulina, it would make sense since plants absorb Phosphates, and since I'm feeding that on a daily basis...

I'm going to try switching foods. Let ya know the results.

Thing is if you keep adding phosphates (which is normal in foods) you need to find a way to export them. Maybe consider having some macroalgea in your main tank. I feed a mix of dry pellets one day and frozen mysis others. Very little cyano growth.