Thoughts on massive water change?

[Anonymous]

Go for it, i've done three 100% waterchange in a 29gal bio cube before without any issues. I do 100% waterchange all the time in small tanks.

NSW or artificial mix?

 

[Len]

Any thoughts on why Rob always seems to have issues with algae and cyano? He's had this problem for years. First with his old tank (numerous threads) and now with his new tank.

Good question. Rob's got all the right gear and seems to be doing what he's suppose to, but something is obviously causing algae/cyano problems.

 

[dirtysumpguy]

Maybe he has an old, deep sand bed or old LR...maybe a fish died and in a small tank it caused a mini cycle. I would also check parameters - make sure the alkalinity and magnesium are up (I've seen problems in my tank from slime algae with alk being off).

Most of my problems with algae have always been because I've tried to do things cheaply so I never had decent flow and would let the bulbs go longer (I know these don't necessarily lead to cyano) than they should - it only takes on minor oversight/mistake and bad things happen quickly. Then you start to fiddle with things and sometimes make it worse.

 

[Anonymous]

My old tank had hair algae not cyano.

The new Biocube has cyano only - everything new. We moved houses that's why the old tank is gone.

 

[Anonymous]

I would turkey baste the crap out of the rocks daily, run a fine filter pad/floss and pull it out and rinse it twice daily. I would also siphon out all the sand, especially underneath the rockwork. Suck it out of the tank, rinse it really thoroughly in a bucket with seawater, and replace it. Last resort would be to pull out all the rocks, swish them around in 5 gallon buckets of seawater, and siphon the entire bottom of the tank. The idea is to get rid of all the detritus and gunk in the tank.

I think a simple 50% or even 100% water change won't do much at all. Cyano will grow even in really low nutrient water.

Also, don't listen to beaslbob.

 

[Anonymous]

are your nitrates below 5ppm?

 

[Anonymous]

My old tank had hair algae not cyano.

The new Biocube has cyano only - everything new. We moved houses that's why the old tank is gone.

What was the source of the live rock? New live rock can often have nutrients bound in it that fuel growth of undesirables.

 

[Anonymous]

LR is from the LFS. I kept it in the tank dark for 8 weeks before adding anything. The Niitrates measure 0.

 

[Len]

LR is from the LFS. I kept it in the tank dark for 8 weeks before adding anything. The Niitrates measure 0.

Nitrates in solution read zero because the cyano is using it all. Same with PO4 (likely reads zero or very low). Utilize steps to limit both and the cyano will starve. I know GFO is hard to plumb in your tank. It has, however, fixed my dino and cyano problem after 2 weeks. I have a little cyano left and no dinos left. FYI: during my bad blooms, my NO3 and PO4 all read zero.

 

[Anonymous]

Just out of curoisity any phosphates at all (even very small amounts?).

 

[Len]

Rob, can you get your hands on some chaeto? It could rob the tank of nutrients the cyano is using. I'm sure some local hobbyists has some for free or cheap.

 

[Len]

Here's something else to try. Turn off the lights and add a lot of polyfilter into your filter compartment. This should absorb the DOC, nitrogenous product, and phosphate of the dying cyano.

 

[Anonymous]

I am letting the tank run its course and see if the cyano fades. I am considering getting rid of the tank in a few weeks.