Chemiclean used... left Carbon in...

bsfmaximus · Jun 17, 2016

Anyone ever use chemiclean and accidentally forget to take out their carbon? I am using chemipure elite and obviously forgot to take it out before adding my chemiclean. I did my water change after two days and rinsed my chemipure. Any insight on negative effects on my tank? Is the chemipure still usable (its only a month old)?

twilliard · Jun 17, 2016

Carbon will absorb the chemiclean. That carbon may be done.
What was the target for using chemiclean?

bsfmaximus · Jun 17, 2016

Guess I will order some more chemipure.

The target was to eliminate (assumed) cyanobacteria. I posted a thread a while back... I've been battling a light brownish substance on my sand bed. I've used the chemiclean a few times and it helps, but doesn't eliminate the stuff completely. If I vacuum my sand bed the substance is back within a couple hours.

twilliard · Jun 17, 2016

Have I tested for you?
Sorry I do so many I can't remember all the people
If it was spirulina it would have been gone on the first round.
If it is cylindrospermum it will come back as chemiclean does not readily work against it.

bsfmaximus · Jun 17, 2016

Nope, you haven't tested it. The determination (best guess) of it being cyano was from replies I received on a previous post. I believed it after my first time using chemiclean... the stuff disappeared and stayed at bay for a few weeks. My recent use of chemiclean has resulted in a lesser amount of it, and slower spread, but its always still there.

twilliard · Jun 17, 2016

For peace of mind I would suggest this

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/positive-identification-of-cyanobacteria.253287/

bsfmaximus · Jun 17, 2016

twilliard said:
For peace of mind I would suggest this

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/positive-identification-of-cyanobacteria.253287/

That looks like a great post from someone who knows what they are talking about!

Here is the deal though... If I try to gather a "clump" of the stuff in my tank, it is going to just dissipate into the water like a powder. Also, it light brown in color - not red at all. It tends to look yellow in pictures but in person it looks brown. I haven't had much luck getting up close pictures of it but here is a picture I took recently.