Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[Katrina71]

Nobody call PETA. I'm kidding. She wakes me up every morning licking my arm and purring. I think I should get to wake her up in return.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Just curious about adding bio spira once a week with water changes? Should I?

A little dab won't hurt, maybe not needed but might help the bio filter in that young tank.

 

[Katrina71]

A little dab won't hurt, maybe not needed but might help the bio filter in that young tank.

Thanks. I have been wondering about that.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

How's your cyano plague?

 

[Katrina71]

Ninja star was eating it earlier. It's not too late for me to share if anyone's in need of some cyano.

 

[Katrina71]

Just curious we haven't had any algae growing on the glass or on the back of the tank since Monday. I'm hoping that is good. The cyano has changed from bright red to very dark. I hope that's a good sign too.

 

[cameronh]

Just curious we haven't had any algae growing on the glass or on the back of the tank since Monday. I'm hoping that is good. The cyano has changed from bright red to very dark. I hope that's a good sign too.

I prefer no algae to be on the glass haha.

As far as the cyano, the darker the healthier it is.
Is your lighting on a timer or is it on/off whenever you turn it on and off?
I would ask what your phosphates are but I don't think you know the answer to that yet haha, not a big deal.
Many things can come into play when cyano is present.
We can help narrow it down for you.
#reefsquad,

 

[Katrina71]

You'll be pleased to know I actually have the answer. Phosphate was 0. Added to bring it up to .5 on Monday. Our light is on a timer. Was at 8 hrs and I cut it back to 6. We don't overfeed anymore.

 

[cameronh]

You'll be pleased to know I actually have the answer. Phosphate was 0. Added to bring it up to .5 on Monday. Our light is on a timer. Was at 8 hrs and I cut it back to 6. We don't overfeed anymore.

Well I stand corrected lol. Please know that I didn't mean that in a negative way.

When I first started i was like what's that?!?! Lol
So probably leftover from over feeding.

 

[Katrina71]

Look I'm Reefing like a big girl lol I know you didn't mean it in a bad way. I can take it!

 

[Adam113]

I know cutting my lights back from 10 hours to 6 completely eliminated my cyano (after blowing it off and siphoning out) and green algae went from about an 8 to a 1.

 

[Katrina71]

I appreciate any tips and tricks you guys give me. I'm brand new. It sure helps to have somebody to ask. I don't mind criticism, as long as it's not just mean.

 

[cameronh]

I appreciate any tips and tricks you guys give me. I'm brand new. It sure helps to have somebody to ask. I don't mind criticism, as long as it's not just mean.

No mean here from me.
Lol only trying to help and want to.
When I had cyano (and I think we all did at least once in our reefing experience)
I cut the lights back, I cut the food back and I stayed on top of water changes till it slowly went away.
I know it can be annoying to look at especially when it gets in large clumps.
It's posiible that the rocks could be leaching something as well that's causing it to grow.
I would recommend chemi clean, but in a tank that small it might nuke it.
So brushing it off and siphoning it out might help out a good bit.
I forgot the lighting you said that you were using......but a nice kessil a80 with a gooseneck would be a GREAT option for that tank.
Really makes corals pop and the shimmer from the water is (in my opinion) the best that reef lights has to offer.
I paid 156 with gooseneck for mine and my corals and tank looks great (fingers crossed) lol.
I've got healthy quick growth. I really think you will like that light.
If you wanted you can look online and upgrade to a 14 biocube and if you buy just the tank (without hood) it's pretty cheap.
That way you can keep a good amount of corals and a few small fish.
But I highly recommend the kessil a80 and back it 110%.

 

[Katrina71]

I want to slightly upsize so I don't really want to invest in a different light on this tank. I'm on the right track now, but you guys might have to walk me through what is happening in the tank by my test results.

 

[Katrina71]

I do want a 14. Not sure I can handle husbandry on anything bigger until I figure things out more. Maybe in a few years a 29.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I do want a 14. Not sure I can handle husbandry on anything bigger until I figure things out more. Maybe in a few years a 29.

We were all in that kind of denial at first too. ;Facepalm

 

[Katrina71]

Lol. This cyano thing is kinda driving me nuts. The more I read, the less I understand. Now apparently it's happier than ever.I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.

 

[Adam113]

I do want a 14. Not sure I can handle husbandry on anything bigger until I figure things out more. Maybe in a few years a 29.

The bigger the easier actually... small fluctuations don't cause as much havoc.

 

[Katrina71]

Any references where cyano is explained in a very simple way? Or can someone draw me pictures?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Any references where cyano is explained in a very simple way? Or can someone draw me pictures?

I have crayons if you like.

I'll look for an article. But in short, it's been around for 4+ billion years and feeds on everything. Light, nutrints, co2, calcium and alkalinity(co2), particulates(rotting and becoming both a co2 source and n/p).

I find it best just to make friends with it.

So in a young tank you have new uncured rock that is now slowly dissolving releasing a carbon source (calcium) also the biofilter bacteria are not full up to speed yet so there's nutrints available to other organisms like alge and cyano.

In these cases many folks use a competing organisim to reduce the amount of cyano bacteria that grows by starving it a bit. Chato and a refugium are one. Corals are another. Agressive bacteria from a bottle are also good as long as they don't have a carbon source in the bottle like MB7 does. As the carbon source directly feeds all bacteria.

In some cases phosphates do bind to a Rick very heavily. I had a tank that was overcome With it. During the rehabilitation several rocks no matter how high the flow would grow big spots of cyano. But just in those spots.

So the unfortunate trick is figuring out what is fueling your particular cyano and systematcly reducing that element.

Do you vacuume your sand ? After the over feeding it may be holding both has an nutrints.
Or is just in spots. I.e. Bound to rock.