Weird Cyano problem

[RobertoVespucci]

beaslbob, I'll admit that I'm very new to the hobby. My tank isn't even filled with water yet. And, I'll offer that I'm not a very intelligent person. But look at what you've just said in rock-paper-scissors fashion:

Skimmer beats plants

Cyano beats skimmer

Plant beats cyano

That just doesn't make sense. Who wins when they're all in there together?

 

[Anonymous]

the real question is how each handles nitrates and phosphates. Plant life consume both. cyano takes nitrogen from the air but need phosphates from the water column.

Based upon the observations here, it appears a skimmer removes DOCS, lowers nitrates but may be less effective against phosphates. Possibly because the nitrates are more tied in with the wastes of the bioload whereas phosphates area more direct input from additions such as food. I have also heard dripping kalk to precipitate phosphates at the input of the skimmer helps lower phosphates.

So there is an interaction between between the three. I just use plant life but then when I don't harvest the plant life to keep it growing, small patches of cyano does show up.

 

[RobertoVespucci]

So you're saying that cyano get their nitrogen from dissolved gaseous nitrogen and not nitrates/nitrites? Searching the forum here didn't get me any sources for that, do you have one? The implications of that are huge.

 

[Anonymous]

So you're saying that cyano get their nitrogen from dissolved gaseous nitrogen and not nitrates/nitrites? Searching the forum here didn't get me any sources for that, do you have one? The implications of that are huge.

From what I understand it is fairly elementary botony. But one that I was no aware of until a few years ago. But here is one link: http://www.copernicus.org/EGU/bg/bgd/2/ ... -261_p.pdf

That link states:

cyanobacterial n2-fixation supplies the vast majority of biologically accessible inorganic nitrogen to nutrient-
poor aquatic ecosystems. The process catalyzed by the
heterodimeric protein complex, nitrogenase, is thought to predate that of oxygenic phtosynthesis. remarkably, while the enzyme plays such a critical role in earth’s
biogeochemical cycles, the activity of nitrogen as in cyanobacteria is markedly

(the quote is not necessiarly accurate because of pdf to clipboard problems. look at the link to be sure)

You could try a google search with something like nitrogen marine cyanobacteria for more information

 

[RobertoVespucci]

Did you read the whole article by chance? Having not heard this before, it's one of those WOW kind of things. Probably like saprophytic plants, eh?

I might go back and look through old posts again for a correlation between cyano outbreaks followed by nuisance green algae outbreaks. Off the top of my head that seems to be the coming scenario for setting up a new tank with live rock. And that this seems to be the explanation why.

Makes good support for wet skimming and macroalgae export, too. I think it adequately explains why increased flow 'cures' cyano outbreaks.

Cool, thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

Did you read the whole article by chance? Having not heard this before, it's one of those WOW kind of things. Probably like saprophytic plants, eh?

I might go back and look through old posts again for a correlation between cyano outbreaks followed by nuisance green algae outbreaks. Off the top of my head that seems to be the coming scenario for setting up a new tank with live rock. And that this seems to be the explanation why.

Makes good support for wet skimming and macroalgae export, too. I think it adequately explains why increased flow 'cures' cyano outbreaks.

Cool, thanks!

And even replacting light bulbs also. the plant life starts growing faster with brighter lights.

the nuisance algae breaks should come first. then as they slow down the cyano shows up. Because the algaes became nitrogen limited which slowed down the phosphate consumption by the algaes. then you have more phosphates less nitrates and the cyano bloom.

Even happens if Fw also. Cyano comes after the plants are established.

 

[Anonymous]

Have you considered that when you disconnected the skimmer, there was now more nutrients for plant life. And the more active plant life also consumed the phosphates and therefore starved the cyano?

Once you removed the nutrinents again, the plant life slowed again and more phosphates were available for the cyano?

Yeah.. and we've seen your cesspool tank too. :roll:


~wings~