Cyanide Question

[Mr. Wiggles]

Hi everyone,

I’ve currently got cyano popping up around my 3 year old tank. This has been an ongoing on-off thing since the beginning. I’m now dosing microbacter clean and nitrates, as it has always been a very low nutrient tank. Given that starving the cyano hasn’t worked, I’m theorizing that my tank never really got the chance to go through the “uglies” since it never had enough nitrate to do so. As a result, the micro biome of my tank isn’t established enough to handle the cyano. Anyways, I’m testing that approach now. My real question is:

Why is my cyano getting BETTER as the day goes on? I’ve heard of it getting worse, then disappearing over night, but mine seems to get better by the time the lights go out. Not all gone, but much lessened. My refugium is on a reverse cycle to my DT, so I have to imagine nutrient uptake is higher at night than during the day, but maybe I’m wrong? Anyways, any insight would be much appreciated, as it may just help me figure out what this cyano doesn’t like.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

Mis read

Bump

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

It gets better because your lights are going off. Cyano needs light to flourish.

Hit reply too fast. Ok you need to have better flow as cyano is usually caused by poor flow, dirty water, and your skimmer not working correctly or not set correctly.

Cyano is high nutrients, so don't dose nitrates unless you've measured them and know they're low.

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

It gets better because your lights are going off. Cyano needs light to flourish.

I’m saying it’s getting better throughout the course of the day, as the lights are on.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

I’m saying it’s getting better throughout the course of the day, as the lights are on.

I see, your nutrients change based on uptake and need. Do you have a picture of your tank?

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

I see, your nutrients change based on uptake and need. Do you have a picture of your tank?

No3 was .75 this morning and this evening. Po4 was consistently .025

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

An example: this patch of cyano on the old coral skeleton was blanketed this morning.

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

It gets better because your lights are going off. Cyano needs light to flourish.

Hit reply too fast. Ok you need to have better flow as cyano is usually caused by poor flow, dirty water, and your skimmer not working correctly or not set correctly.

Cyano is high nutrients, so don't dose nitrates unless you've measured them and know they're low.

Regarding flow, I’ve got an octopulse 4 aimed directly at some of the problem spots. I do in fact know my nutrients are low, I test them every day. I promise you, I understand the standard suggestions for dealing with problem algae and Cyanobacteria after a decade in the hobby

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

No3 was .75 this morning and this evening. Po4 was consistently .025

Thanks for the Pic. Ok, then you do need some Nitrates. I would want them around 15 for your corals.

The bane of reefers everywhere is the peninsula aquarium! Beautiful tanks, but very hard to get flow correct. I would try to place a powerhead closer to the bottom and blow the Sandbed or just above and mount it higher and point it down.

From the hair algae on your overflow, I would say your phosphates have been higher at one time or the other.

How's your skimmer doing? In short, more flow and maybe more frequent water changes. I love your system, it's very nice.

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

Just realized my phone corrected to “cyanide” in the title lol. Oops

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

Thanks for the Pic. Ok, then you do need some Nitrates. I would want them around 15 for your corals.

The bane of reefers everywhere is the peninsula aquarium! Beautiful tanks, but very hard to get flow correct. I would try to place a powerhead closer to the bottom and blow the Sandbed or just above and mount it higher and point it down.

From the hair algae on your overflow, I would say your phosphates have been higher at one time or the other.

How's your skimmer doing? In short, more flow and maybe more frequent water changes. I love your system, it's very nice.

Of course! Ok cool, I will keep bumping those nitrates up.

Hmm, I have been considering getting another gyre style pump and mounting it vertically along the side of the overflow. Think that would help?

Skimmer is pulling lots of gunk these days!

Thanks!!

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

Regarding flow, I’ve got an octopulse 4 aimed directly at some of the problem spots. I do in fact know my nutrients are low, I test them every day. I promise you, I understand the standard suggestions for dealing with problem algae and Cyanobacteria after a decade in the hobby

Might be time for some chemiclean, but you might have tried that too.

PH drops also adds to cyano so in the day your PH is higher and keeps it at bay. At night, pH drops and cyano increases because it feeds on CO2.

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

Might be time for some chemiclean, but you might have tried that too.

PH drops also adds to cyano so in the day your PH is higher and keeps it at bay. At night, pH drops and cyano increases because it feeds on CO2.

Yeah I have, I just don’t feel good about harming the biodiversity of the tank when it keeps coming back.

And that could be it! Ph gets up to 8.4+ during the day.

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

Well, I just ordered two gyres! I was considering that already so thanks for the extra push haha