pH uh ohs..

[Anonymous]

Well, I'm fighting against the cyano/nutrient problem, and for sh*ts and giggles I decided to test the pH, and seems to be a tad on the high side, the liquid is purple which is 8.4-8.8. So I'm wondering where this pH is coming from, I thought that bacterial blooms caused drops in pH not rises.

Anyways, what's the solution to fix it? I'd prefer some natural method (ie remove whatever is causing the high pH! .

 

[Anonymous]

I suspect it is the inaccuracy of your test kit. The best way to get rid of cyano is brisk water circulation (oxygenation) and aggressive skimming.

If that doesn't work, erythromycin will kill it pretty quickly and doesn't seem to hurt the biological filter (remarkably).

 

[Anonymous]

If you test for PH mid-photo cycle when you have a Cyano bloom you can expect a high PH. That's one problem with Cyano. It consumes CO2 at a rapid rate and can raise PH high enough to cause Calcium precipitation.

Remove detritus
Increase circulation
Bigger skimmer
phosphate remover

and of couse, vacuuming out what you see helps remove nutrients as well.

 

[Anonymous]

ahhh ok, so cyano works opposite of other algae blooms almost.

I did test it mid photoperiod.. and thanks for reminding me I'll test it right now before the lights come on in the morning

I'm trying to remove detrius, I'm trying to increase circulation, I have almost 4000 gph flow on my 135, and I'm waiting for a part for another pump back so I can throw another 1100 gph into the tank.

I think I"m going to get one of those coralife super skimmers, for a 220g tank, seems to be lots of happy reviews of that without having to spend euroreef type money

I have phosphate remover, chemiclean, but I'm really hesitant to use it, as the cyano is quite nice in that it tells me I have a nutrient problem, my thinking is once i tackle the nutrients then the cyano will be sure to go. Already I can tell I'm tackling it fairly well as I see it growing back less rapidly as after I suck a bunch of the sand & rocks.

edit: ok the pH is 8.1/8.2 this morning with only actinics on. I'll get a 30 gallon water change done today where I can suck some more cyano out.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to remove detrius, I'm trying to increase circulation, I have almost 4000 gph flow on my 135, and I'm waiting for a part for another pump back so I can throw another 1100 gph into the tank.

IMO you have plenty of circulation. This is not the problem unless there are dead spots in the tank.

I think I"m going to get one of those coralife super skimmers, for a 220g tank, seems to be lots of happy reviews of that without having to spend euroreef type money

Skimmers are good at improving water conditions in multiple ways.

I have phosphate remover, chemiclean, but I'm really hesitant to use it, as the cyano is quite nice in that it tells me I have a nutrient problem, my thinking is once i tackle the nutrients then the cyano will be sure to go.

I look at chemical fixes the same way. Last resort maybe but it's an option. This is a much better option than antibiotics IMO.

edit: ok the pH is 8.1/8.2 this morning with only actinics on. I'll get a 30 gallon water change done today where I can suck some more cyano out.

Keep us posted

 

[Anonymous]

I just remembered something. If your PH was over 8.5 for a significant amount of time then you could have a lot of Calcium carbonate built up.

Take a look at your heaters for any crusting. If they do have some crust on them then you should do you pump maintenance soon. Any powerheads or pumps could also have some crusting from the high PH.

Magnesium is also sometimes hit hard when Calcium precipitates. It's enough of a risk to warrant testing it. When Mg is depleted from calcium precipitation it exposes the tank to a serious precipitation event.

 

[Anonymous]

Normally I wouldn't recommend putting antibiotics in a fish tank, but erythromycin really does work, almost overnight, and I've done it 2 or 3 times (on 2 or 3 different systems) and never have had a negative side effect. It doesn't disturb the biological filter. If the cyano is harming corals, I think it is an appropriate response (in addition to the above).

 

[Anonymous]

I think you have to verify that your pH really IS that high using at least one other method before you do anything to change it.

 

[Anonymous]

Yah, I don't see any crusting on heaters at all. Could just be the fault of an old test kit (think it was one of the first I bought almost 2 years ago).

Skimmers are good at improving water conditions in multiple ways.

And I didn't mean to make it out as if I wasn't running a skimmer now, just a rather cheap and crappy one (although it still pulls brown goodness.

 

[Anonymous]

I always have a little bit of cyano in my refugium. It isn't the end of the world. If it starting to take hold in the main aquarium, however, it is a worrisome sign.

 

[Anonymous]

It's funny, it started (atleast to a noticable amount) in my main tank, ok not so funny but it first showed up when I switched from bluer bulbs (14kK) to more yellower (10kK). I have started seeing it growing on rocks & acrylic in the refugium (nothing in the sump though, only ambient light gets there though). Also the other tank that i have linked to the system is just now starting to show signs.. so I'm going to suck out as much as possible, do a big water change and then see where I am next week. Also swing on over and get another pH test kit, another brand.

I've basically cut back a lot from my corals. Moved all my zoanthids & sps/lps frags to a separate tank that has zero fish in it (a grow out tank if you will). So not a large issue of cyano over running corals. I have an open brain, large toadstool leather, a few other leathers, and some colt (other than some zoos & mushrooms that were attached to large rocks).

I think one of my issues is that many of my detritus eaters have died off over the past year and a half. I don't see hermits running around the tank anymore, and there's not a terribly large amount of snails either. Of course unsure which snails would be useful for taking care of detritus, everytime I hear of one that is good, end up finding out they're a colder water species.

 

[Anonymous]

The only snail I have ever seen that eats cyano is the Queen Conch Strombus gigas. But, your mention of bulb changes is very encouraging.

Cyano is so adaptable that it can go from day to day with each day being a different spectrum of light. It is extrordinarlily adaptable, that's why one of the Earth's first inhabitants is still with us.

Corals (specifically the Dinoflaggilate, Zooxanthellae) and algae isn't so adaptable. When spectrums change rapidly, corals adapt slowly, over weeks. Cyanobacter will adapt within hours.

So, just siphon out the cyano you see and your tank will recover all on its own in my opinion.

 

[Anonymous]

Well I just spent the better part of 3 hours today siphoning and doing a water change. I like the airline tube since I can get cyano and not so much water. Looks a lot better, but I'll let the growback rate be the final verdict.

 

[Mihai]

[...] that's why one of the Earth's first inhabitants is still with us.

That is, if Darwin's theory is correct. It can be that humans were really the first inhabitants, and they're still around.

:-(

M.

 

[Anonymous]

Save that type of back talk for the sump

 

[Anonymous]

[...] that's why one of the Earth's first inhabitants is still with us.

That is, if Darwin's theory is correct. It can be that humans were really the first inhabitants, and they're still around.

Would you accept "one of Earths most primitive inhabitants"?

 

[Mihai]

"one of Earths most primitive inhabitants"

Yup, that would be politically correct.

Save that type of back talk for the sump

You're right sfsuphysics, it does belong in the sump. I just couldn't help it: I'm just very upset with all this new gouvernment's take on science and I was venting off a bit.

Peace,
Chip

Errr... Mihai

 

[Anonymous]

damn you and your alias!!

Unleashed: The Alias Police.