What eats cyanobacteria?

[bronxer]

Are there any fish that eat the stuff? My snails and crabs eat it sometimes, and I put them on the cyano to aid in destroying it, but they're nowhere near fast enough.

Ammonia - 0
Nitrates - 25
nitrites 0
sal - 1.025
temp 80

Using deionized water - 1 TDS

Just got a good hydrometer - will start doing water changes later this week.

So what fish eat the cyanobacteria? thanks for your input.

 

[EXPEDITION]

Not sure about fish eating it,but your PO4 is causing it.

Try good water changes,& a product called "Red Slime Remover" it works.

 

[bad coffee]

So what fish eat the cyanobacteria? thanks for your input.

erythromicin...

or, you could get your tds down to 0, And your NITRATES! down to 0.

also, when you're doing waterchanges, suck out as much cyano as you can.

I've been through it and it's not fun. you gotta keep out it and get as much out as you can.

B

 

[bronxer]

I've been fairly diligent so far

every other day I pick out the cyano and rinse off my fingers in clear water after each grab. I read melevsreef method of removing cyano, but thought that some fish might be able to speed up the process.

 

[aaron]

Nothing likes cyano, siphoning the cyano out is more effective than using your hands. Also, be careful of red slime removers, there are a few different ones out there and they all claim to be reef safe but few of them actually are. if you have any corals they will likely be affected.

 

[Deanos]

So what fish eat the cyanobacteria?

I know it's not a fish, but low nitrates and phosphates simply kills cyanobacteria dead!

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I would do the following:

Get yourself some phosphate removing tool like a Poly pad or a phosban reactor.
Run carbon.
Increase flow on the cyano covered areas.
Do water frequent water changes.
While you are doing all of the above you need to test phosphates and Nitrates and get them down as close to zero as you can.

Also you need to test your Alk Calc, and Mg to mag sure all those levels are in check.

If you want you could add cerith and nassarius snails to get the sand bed moving and churning.

 

[JRWOHLER]

I would do the following:

Get yourself some phosphate removing tool like a Poly pad or a phosban reactor.
Run carbon.
Increase flow on the cyano covered areas.
Do water frequent water changes.
While you are doing all of the above you need to test phosphates and Nitrates and get them down as close to zero as you can.

Also you need to test your Alk Calc, and Mg to mag sure all those levels are in check.

If you want you could add cerith and nassarius snails to get the sand bed moving and churning.

Chief has it perfect. You can get a bag of any of the PO4 and Silicate remover and hang it somewhere in the back. I had your problem started without using RO water :grumpy: it has taken maybe 2 months. You didn't say how much of a water change you do? I found 25% weekly gets the junk out fast. Another reefer said do 50% but that was overkill. Some snails are supposed to eat it. Also get a turkey baster and blast the area's off and then do your water change. You will get more out that way.

 

[aaron]

Also buy good quality carbon, some of the cheaper carbons leach phosphate which will just make everything worse

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Like Aaron said good quality carbon is a must. I prefer chemipure and kent reef carbon but there are others out there that are good as well.

 

[cybermeez]

A few months ago I bought a PhosBan reactor...best $40 I ever spent. No more slime and my corals are growing much faster.

 

[bronxer]

I put some phosban in a bag and put in a fluval and have that running as well. I plan on taking my old water deionizer and turning that into a phosban reactor. as for water changes, I will be doing them asap now that I have a working hydrometer.

thanks for all your help. Always knew this group was a smart one and could help me with my problem.

 

[Dj Orion]

if you want a good fish to help turn over your sandbed, the best choice would be a sleeper gobie. If you get 2 of them in a pair, they are like a powerhouse in your tank. You can couple that with the whole nitrate/phosphate reduction routines and increase flow towards the bottom of your tank. if that dosent help, god bless ya.

 

[waffen75]

sand conch do a fair job of it

 

[ryangrieder]

You put it in your fluval...as in that's your filter?
Putting a good brand carbon in a reactor is your best bet. Not a canister filter.
Also, flow needs to be spread better. Just because you may have a powerhead does not mean it's equal flow throughout the tank.

 

[mbg75]

Special Blend takes care of Cyano

 

[cowfish]

Certain species of "sea hare" will eat cyano... but you'd be better off fixing your water parameters as previously suggested.

 

[ryangrieder]

Certain species of "sea hare" will eat cyano... but you'd be better off fixing your water parameters as previously suggested.

The problem with different species of sea hares is, a FEW sea hares may be interested in cyno, most sea hares will prefer other algaes to munch on, and more likely slide past the cyno, which you may think they are eating it, but in reality just stirring it up. Not to Kenton besides sea hare and blue spot sea hares, there are not many others available on the market that much...

 

[DCG1286]

LoL ... I think before anyone gives more advice on this thread ... check the date of the original post. Hopefully nearly 4 years later he took care of his cyano problem ...

 

[ryangrieder]

Ehh good reference for others lol...