Best Cure For Cyano Algae

[hurrifan]

I think it is cyano. I know cyano is commonly red, but this is green, and slimy. However, it is only covering the sand and glass. Not much on the rocks. Oxygen bubbles from the water are getting caught in and staying there. The tank is only a few months old and I run my halides for 12 hours a day. All other levels are in range.

I spoke with Another Golden Teapot a while back and she suggested Erythromycin. I have not been able to find so the questions are: 1) Where can I get it? 2) What is the best LFS product containing erythomyicin to alleviate this problem?

I know not everyone advises using this in a reef tank, but I have no corals as of yet. It is taking over my tank and I am having to clean the glass daily. PLease help.

 

[EmilyB]

It's all colors. Go here, some good stuff.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm

 

[fishfarmer]

This is what I would do, siphon as much as you can, increase circulation in the affected areas, improve protein skimming. Also, check your water parameters, use RO/DI water or at least a source of water that won't fuel it's growth. Have patience it should go away on it's own. It took my first tank about three months for it to disappear, but it pratically disappeared overnight. The second tank I set up has just about finished it's cyano phase, have had it for about three months.

 

[pez]

Please, please, please do not use antibiotics to kill the cyno. It will work, but unless you find the source, it will come back. Everytime you kill it with antibiotics, it will come back more resistent than the last time. Eventually the antibiotics will no longer work. Follow the advice given here. There is no easy way to get rid of cyno and most of all there is NO magic bullet.

-Tom

 

[fishnbarefoot]

Chemi-Clean from Boyd Enterprises. Kicks butt and won't harm a thing. KILLS IT. It's not an antbiotic. It's a antbacterial. It works and it will not come back unless you add more cyno to the tank. Safe for reef tanks, inverts, desirable macros, etc. I gave up on syphoning and cleaning after battling for ever. I was totaly impressed. I was skeptical but finally gave in and now wish I would have done it when I first had problems. Most LFS here in Fl carry it. Boyd Enterprises, Miami, Fl. Also fishfarmer is correct about current,R/O D/I etc. Add a couple of powerheads,make sure you have no dead spots, use R/O or D/I water. Wash your food before you feed your fish - all the basics.

 

[hurrifan]

I use ro/di water and have powerheads pointed at my DSB. Improve skimming???? My valve on my skimmer is open all the way all the time. Cannot increase, so I guess that is not an option.

I will try the wait it out approach, since you guys says it will go away. Was not aware of that reagrding cyano. Worst case scenario I will try the anti-bacterial.

 

[AnotherGoldenTeapot]

There are two schools of thought.

Both agree that you need to make sure you remove the reason you had cyano in the first place. A good place to start is to make sure you have very low phosphate - if you aim for 0.03ppm total phospahte then you'll be okay.

The divergance is on whether to use an antibiotic. This is my favoured approach. I've never had a second outbreak in any tank.

 

[esmithiii]

Time. That and RO/DI water, a good sand bed, a good protien skimmer, kalkwasser and more time. That is my solution, and it works for me. Any time your sand bed is seriously disturbed expect an outbreak.

Ernie

 

[freedom75]

Hurrifan

DO NOT USE chemicals. I tried it and it cost me a candy coral. It got rid of the cyno but I could have acheieved the same thing by adding additional circulation and using DI water . which I have started doing and have had no more cyno out breaks since. Please think About this issue very hard before doing anything like adding chemicals.

John
http://home.triad.rr.com/jwwray/reef.html

 

[Roach]

I had a nasty bout with red cyano about a month ago. It was right on the bottome front of the glass between the sand and the glass. What I did was push back the sand and the fixed a couple powerheads to blow right in that area. Also added some seachem phosguard to the filter. After about 3 days I could tell it was starting to go away. A month later and it was clean. Too bad I now have a new tank and moved everything over

Oh well at least I know what to do with it now. I think the thing to keep in mind is water motion and lots of it. If you see any kind ov cyano forming, aim a powerhead at it and start throwing some kind of phosphate remover in your filter. It works much better if you have a canister filter to put it in as opposed to a sump because the water can be forced through it. I run my fluval on my new tank for that very reason now. All I put in it is carbon and phosphate remover. Hope this helps.

 

[davelin315]

I have found that it is also a byproduct of poor lighting or improper lighting cycles. Are your bulbs old? This is not the only cause, and cyanobacteria is not dependent on lighting problems, but it can be a major factor. Other than that, try decreasing your temperature, increasing water flow, and removing phosphates and other nutrients (high calcium causes phosphates to precipitate out of the water column).