Attacking Cyanobacteria

[Domboski]

Did anyone have cyano grow back after they went with the lights off for a few days?

 

[Bklynreefdude]

2 weeks

Well it's been 2 weeks and I thought I had a tiny bit coming back about a week ago so I just flipped the rock over and so far so good. The cleanup crew has been doing a great job, I'm running a new uv bulb, and I've been doing 15% water changes every week. So, whatever is working is working. Now maybe I can get back to stocking the tank. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FRAG SWAP!

 

[Cibo]

I know everyone will say find the problem and it will be gone! as far as I concerned the cyano is the problem I put in red slime remover ain a few days its all gone the skimmer will go nutzs for some time, I also do water changes to try to clalm down the skimmer, I had it in my sump its all gone now just waiting for the skimmer to go back to normal!

 

[basiab]

Well, my new 24 gallon came down with cyano. In my old 10 gallon I used Slime Remover by UltraLife and it worked good. I decided to try this method first on this tank. Today the lights went back on and I can see some residue of the cyano but it seems to be gone. We will see if it holds. The corals look fine.

I did see one improvement, I got lots of pods. I put in a portion of pods about 4 weeks ago but never really saw them in the tank. Now after 3 days of the fish not being able to see them they got a chance to proliferate. They are all over the glass.

So thank you Kathy for this thread.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Good luck and I'd most definitely stop feeding as well in the process. It would only improve water quality that would be deteriorating as the bacteria dies off. I've never had to battle cyano, there is some in the fuge but it has been there for a year and nowhere else. I guess it's the tap water the bacteria doesn't like.

 

[BZOFIQ]

... i stir up the water and let my canister filter do it's job before doing a good water ...
-john

ouch, I think you should get rid of the source rather than look for remedy. Canisters are a no-no with nitrate sensitive salt water organisms.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Also looking further into everyone's reply the chemiclean red slime remover will send your skimmer into the "going nuts" mode so if you have a hang on skimmer switch it off or you'll flood your floor as I have with my previous tank old tank.

 

[Bklynreefdude]

one month

Well it's been over a month and no cyano to speak of. Good husbandry seems to be doing the trick.

 

[Tangs Rule]

question, when you keep the lights off for 3 days, do you still dose your tank? I am dosing b-ionic, do I stop dosing when the lights are off or do I continue with the dosing?

 

[basiab]

Well I just tried it and it worked well. Hope it doesn't come back for a while. I did not follow it 100% because I had a starving fish and had to make sure he could eat so I had a bit of light for 2 hours a day. But right now it looks very good and my corals do not seem to have any adverse reactions.
I have an earlier post from a couple years ago where I used slime remover and it worked well. However this time it did not. Nothing got hurt but it did not get rid of it and I used it a second time as directed. After a few days it was back with a vengance and really looked bad all over the place.

 

[jerl77]

I have been using special bend working very well for me

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

I have been using special bend working very well for me

+1 just had a little and gone in one week with Special Blend, I always try to use every 2-3 months as maintance

 

[basiab]

I have been using special bend working very well for me

Where do you get it.

 

[Imbarrie]

Petco sells it.
If you don't have a large outbreak it's great stuff. It smells really really really bad for a few hours so best to dose it right before you leave for the day.
I also turn off the bubbles in my skimmer for a day to let this stay in the water column as long as possible.