Could use some help from the pros

ChaseBurke · Sep 18, 2018

Hey guys so im running out of ideas here. As you can see I have what I think is a bad cyano problem. The tank is a 15 gal column that i set up in February. This started about 4 months ago and seems to be getting worse. Tank parameters are all stable. ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate are all at 0. I run a GFO reactor, dose .2Ml of vodka per day and 1 drop of iodine per day. I have a refugium with chaeto, and a decent skimmer. I thought it might be a flow problem so i went out last friday and bought another 650 Gph power head. Did a water change on sunday and within 24 hours my sand bed is back to what is in the picture. any recommendations? I could use some help. The pictures don't show it that well but it is a lot more red in person than brown.

Brew12 · Sep 18, 2018

ChaseBurke said:
Hey guys so im running out of ideas here. As you can see I have what I think is a bad cyano problem. The tank is a 15 gal column that i set up in February. This started about 4 months ago and seems to be getting worse. Tank parameters are all stable. ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate are all at 0. I run a GFO reactor, dose .2Ml of vodka per day and 1 drop of iodine per day. I have a refugium with chaeto, and a decent skimmer. I thought it might be a flow problem so i went out last friday and bought another 650 Gph power head. Did a water change on sunday and within 24 hours my sand bed is back to what is in the picture. any recommendations? I could use some help. The pictures don't show it that well but it is a lot more red in person than brown.

Why are you dosing vodka if your nitrates are at zero?

My first goal would be to try and get nitrates over 5ppm.

ChaseBurke · Sep 18, 2018

I just hit 0 last night and am now finished, sorry. Started dosing on 9/10 nitrates were at 30ppm.

VB313 · Sep 18, 2018

Hmmm..... could be your water supply are you making your own saltwater maybe check/replace your RODI filters
also what test kits you use for phosphate nitrate?

Subsea · Sep 18, 2018

Brew12 said:
Why are you dosing vodka if your nitrates are at zero?

My first goal would be to try and get nitrates over 5ppm.

+10. Cyno and most nuisance algae’s will prosper during low nitrate conditions. Eliminate the advantage by increasing nitrate. Their is little point to dosing organic carbon to grow bacteria to get skimmed out of the water. If nutrients are zero, why carbon dose?

Flippers4pups · Sep 18, 2018

I would discontinue dosing carbon, take the GFO offline.

You need your N03, as @Brew12 stated, at 5-10ppm, P04 at 0.02. (Hannah checker works well for p04)

Brew12 · Sep 18, 2018

ChaseBurke said:
I just hit 0 last night and am now finished, sorry. Started dosing on 9/10 nitrates were at 30ppm.

I believe the best way to combat cyano is to grow other stuff instead. I've got a bit in my tank right now due to some testing I have underway. I just picked up some phytoplankton so I can use it to help clear the cyano when my testing is done. Lots of CuC members will eat cyano, including copepods, amphipods, some snails and some hermit crabs. Phytoplankton and other good algaes can help outcompete cyano for nutrients also which is why I like dosing it.

Another thing you can look at is to look at your lighting schedule. I like to keep my peak lighting period down to 6 hours or less.

ChaseBurke · Sep 18, 2018

Rodi TDS is at 0. Just replaced 3 out of my 4 stages about a month and a half ago. GFO, Carbon will stop. @Brew12 any recommendation on phyto? And any tips on getting my N03 back up to 5-10 PPm? Just dont do a water change for a while?

Subsea · Sep 18, 2018

Pardon my timing on the above post.

With respect to timing, when did organic carbon dosing begin?

When did you first observe Cynobacteria?

Understand this about organic carbon dosing, it grows bacteria. You could be feeding your Cynobacteria

Brew12 · Sep 18, 2018

ChaseBurke said:
Rodi TDS is at 0. Just replaced 3 out of my 4 stages about a month and a half ago. GFO, Carbon will stop. @Brew12 any recommendation on phyto? And any tips on getting my N03 back up to 5-10 PPm? Just dont do a water change for a while?

For now, I would just stop the carbon dosing and see what happens. If that is what dropped them, they should come up naturally which would be the best way.
Any reputable source of live phyto would be good. Your LFS may even carry it and save you some shipping charges.

Subsea · Sep 18, 2018

Besides gravel vac cyno out, you could dose ammonia to kick start chaeto growth. This will compete with cyno growth.

ChaseBurke · Sep 18, 2018

Cyano First observed i would say mid June. First .1Ml dose of carbon on 9/10.

Flippers4pups · Sep 18, 2018

Once your N03 and P04 dropped out, the carbon dosing then was feeding the Cyanobacteria. It may have been too low for sometime.

I agree with @Brew12, stop the carbon and see if your nutrients naturally come back.

Subsea · Sep 18, 2018

ChaseBurke said:
Cyano First observed i would say mid June. First .1Ml dose of carbon on 9/10.

In my 25 year set up, I occasionally show cyno. For me, it is a bioindicator for phosphate.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/2...m-on-top-with-30g-ecosystem-mud-macro.421526/

ChaseBurke · Sep 18, 2018

Alright guys game plan is stop dosing, remove GFO, maintain N03 at 5 to 10 PPM, Double check photo period, water change and try to remove as much as possible, order some phyto was thinking AlgaeBarn Ocean Magik.

Subsea · Sep 18, 2018

ChaseBurke said:
Alright guys game plan is stop dosing, remove GFO, maintain N03 at 5 to 10 PPM, Double check photo period, water change and try to remove as much as possible, order some phyto was thinking AlgaeBarn Ocean Magik.

You mentioned chaeto in refugium. How did that grow for you?

ChaseBurke · Sep 18, 2018

It has been sluggish. I Removed some about a month ago and have not noticed much new growth. Its still alive but not growing like it used to. Probably from carbon dosing.

Flippers4pups · Sep 18, 2018

You got it! Right track. It will take some time, but it will turn around.

Happy Reefing!

ChaseBurke · Sep 18, 2018

Thank you everyone for your help. I really do appreciate it. R2R community is amazing

Subsea · Sep 18, 2018

ChaseBurke said:
It has been sluggish. I Removed some about a month ago and have not noticed much new growth. Its still alive but not growing like it used to. Probably from carbon dosing.

All macro, as well as photosynthetic coral, gets its carbon from carbon dioxide.

If your chaeto used to grow ok, consider that a trace mineral is depleted. Iron is a good thing to dose for macro growth, if you are doing partial water changes it should come in that way. Because everything needs iron to grow, I dose iron & iodine. Both GAC & protein skimmer remove iodine from the water.

PS: I don't subscribe to using phosphate resin (GOF) 24/7, but I highly recommend using activated carbon to reduce DOC.