How long can corals stay in the dark?

[sun1914]

So I'm battling a small case of cyano. None on the sand bed just random spots on the live rock. I've increased the flow to what use to be the trouble area but it seems to be spreading now. Debating on leaving the lights off for 2 to 3 days and seeing how much of it dies off...but as the title ask, wondering will this 3 days of darkness effect my corals (mixed reef/softies, zoaz, lps,sps) and how much?

 

[bkstang]

This is what I did about a week ago due to cyano outbreak. The lights were off for 48 hours and the tank was blocked from any ambient light with a black cardboard. After 48 hours I turn on only the moonlight and this was the only light for next 24 hours. After 72 hours I started the regular lighting cycle but I decreased the power by about 20% for the first day. After those 72 hours all cyano was gone completely. Water was crystal clear. No stress on fish or any corals or maxima clam. I have mostly LPS, zoas and 3 SPS's.

 

[Arati]

it doesn't fix the root cause of the problem, but the answer is 3 days.

it will just come back though. just vacume it out with a 3/8 id hose and do a big water change? . why do you have cyano?

 

[jackson6745]

Some guys have done up to 7 days in mixed reefs with no ill effects. I did 3 days in a full blown SPS reef with only slight color loss. IMO 7 days is too much but 3 days might still leave a little cyano, it did for me. I would do 4 days in a mixed reef.
On top of the blackout, clean things up a little and it is a permanent solution. Once cyano starts growing it takes several weeks if not months to get rid of simply by reducing nutrients.

 

[sun1914]

If I had to blame something, I would say my sand bed but in all honestly don't know the key cause.
I feed once every 3 days, my water quality is good. usually do a 5g water change every week but I''ll do 10 this week see how it goes. It's a 29g BC so 10g is almost 50%. Light is on for 8hrs...

Like I said I have no slime on my sand bed just a bit scattered on the live rock. I would rather not have to remove my rock work to vacuum the sand bed and brush cyano off of rock. Especially since I have coral on them. But I''ll try a few 10g water changes 1-2 times a week for the next 3 weeks and see how it goes. If that doesn't work...LIGHTS OUT!!!



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[Tonyscoots84]

make sure if you brush the cyan off you are sucking it out at the same time. 3-4 days lights out is the most i would go.. I just recently did 3 days and it did wonders. probably going to do another 3 day lights out this week, i just feel real bad for the fish.

 

[piranhapat]

Don't think doing more water change helps. I find it to make it worst. You are adding more nutrients. And taking out good bacteria that is off balancing with cyano. Siphon cyano out and filter the water through sock. And replace same water you just siphon. Less water changes and see if that helps.

 

[sun1914]

Don't think doing more water change helps. I find it to make it worst. You are adding more nutrients. And taking out good bacteria that is off balancing with cyano. Siphon cyano out and filter the water through sock. And replace same water you just siphon. Less water changes and see if that helps.

I'm not sure what you guys mean by "siphon it out" since I have no slime, just patches of red fuzz on the rock. I have tried blastering it with a baster but no go. Only thing I can do is scrub it off with a brush. I've been using strong bristol toothbrush which works well but it requires either taking out the rock.

I guess I could try it in the tank and then sucking out the water and passing it through a sock. Is that what you meant by siphon?




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[bkstang]

Sorry Piranhapat but your statement is only partially correct. Large water change will not help him, this is true however, the water change will not add more nutrients and will not remove beneficial bacteria. Bacteria live on the substrate, rocks, sendbed, pumps, etc.
I would go with lights off.

 

[bkstang]

I've tried to use a turkey blaster and then siphon the cyano out with a plastic tube. It looked it works right after I did it and then 1-2 hours later, everything looked the same.

 

[sun1914]

I have noticed that when lights go on there is very little to none cyano noticeable but after an hour of so of lights on, the rocks begin to fuzz up.

And as far as causes, I've been reading more on it and I do run a high nutrient tank but I've cut down/stopped dosing anything besides a bit of Purple Up I've been trying out.

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[sun1914]

Seeing how I have no slime, wondering if it is necessary to go completely dark for 3 days or can I possibly get away with just not turning the lights on or maybe just leaving the moonlight on...what do you guys think?

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[prattreef]

Are you sure you have Cyano? When you say it isn't slimy and you can't blow it off the rocks it makes me think that something else is growing. Can you get a pic?

 

[sun1914]

Are you sure you have Cyano? When you say it isn't slimy and you can't blow it off the rocks it makes me think that something else is growing. Can you get a pic?

It's more of a fuzz than slime but I will try and post a picture later day when lights come one.

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[sun1914]

Sorry no pics yet decided to just go ahead and go dark for 48 hrs and see what hapopens. Will keep you posted for who ever cares.

Feel bad for my fish though...hope they''re okay in the dark for so long.
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[Tonyscoots84]

do at least 3 days. It starts to die off at the end of the 2nd day. good luck bud ... I felt bad doing it to my fishes but they all survived and are happy as well.

Remember on a reef they can get many days with no light because of a storm. Just give some flakes everyday to keep them happy and fed. (maybe turn the light on in the room so they can see when they are eating) thats what i did.

 

[jackson6745]

Scoots chill with the flakes!!!! Rinse yourself some PE frozen mysis

 

[Tonyscoots84]

lol or feed them something. I just think that frozen mysis will put so much more crap in the water thats why i don't feed mysis alot :lol2:

 

[sun1914]

Gave them a bit of pellets. Gave them a bit of room light while they ate and covered it back up. My poor corals were all shriveled up. Lol
I have some frozen brine shrimp but I use it to on the days I feed the corals as well which would have been tomorrow but I guess it''ll wait until Tuesday when I turn the lights back on.

Question, will this process work if I just leave the moonlight on? (Small 3 blue/purple led's from the stock Biocube hood)

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[bkstang]

I would personally cover the tank completely without any light, including moonlight. I read that some people noticed some cyano after 3 days of darkness in the areas where the room light reached the tank. Don't worry about the fish, they will be OK even if you don't feed them for 3 days.