Cyano bacteria

Robert59 · Oct 13, 2016

I trying to get rid of it the whole sand bed is red and looks like even growing on my rocks adjusted my flow of water feeding the fish less got nice nice clean up crew please need help !

Playa-1 · Oct 13, 2016

Make sure you have proper water flow in the tank. You might try a blackout period in the tank for a few days. It might go something like this. Water change and siphon as much out as possible. all lights off for three days. Keep the room dark too. Then follow up with another water change and siphon out what you can. Then see where you are at and go from there.

Duke4Life · Oct 13, 2016

Here ya go:

http://reef2reef.com/threads/cyanobacteria-questions-answers-and-solution.253823/

Broadfield · Oct 13, 2016

Cyano can live in virtually any condition, for quite awhile, without light, without nutrients, in high flow, in low flow etc. I have had zero luck with increasing flow to get rid of it... and I'm talking sand storm amount of flow. The only thing that seems to work VERY well is hydrogen peroxide. But first, you MUST identify it as cyano. Because spirulina will look identical to the naked eye... and spirulina requires a completely different treatment. The only way to distinguish them apart sometimes is with a microscope at the cellular level. But the peroxide test will determine whether or not it's cyano. If the test is positive, then you can proceed with the peroxide treatment. If the test is negative, then it's most likely spirulina, which can easily be treated with Chemiclean. Note: Chemiclean does not treat cyano... regardless of what the package says.

Click on this link, by @twilliard for the method to test for cyano: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/positive-identification-of-cyanobacteria.253287/

As for the treatment of cyano, this is from our member @twilliard :

“The best method for the common Cylindrosperum sp. Cyanobacteria is the use of 3% hydrogen peroxide dosed at 1ml per 10 gallons of tank volume every 12 hours for 14 days. There are other methods of treatment but this common form has been found to be resistant to other forms of treatment.”

Diesel · Oct 13, 2016

Broadfield said:
Cyano can live in virtually any condition, for quite awhile, without light, without nutrients, in high flow, in low flow etc. I have had zero luck with increasing flow to get rid of it... and I'm talking sand storm amount of flow. The only thing that seems to work VERY well is hydrogen peroxide. But first, you MUST identify it as cyano. Because spirulina will look identical to the naked eye... and spirulina requires a completely different treatment. The only way to distinguish them apart sometimes is with a microscope at the cellular level. But the peroxide test will determine whether or not it's cyano. If the test is positive, then you can proceed with the peroxide treatment. If the test is negative, then it's most likely spirulina, which can easily be treated with Chemiclean. Note: Chemiclean does not treat cyano... regardless of what the package says.

Click on this link, by @twilliard for the method to test for cyano: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/positive-identification-of-cyanobacteria.253287/

As for the treatment of cyano, this is from our member @twilliard :

“The best method for the common Cylindrosperum sp. Cyanobacteria is the use of 3% hydrogen peroxide dosed at 1ml per 10 gallons of tank volume every 12 hours for 14 days. There are other methods of treatment but this common form has been found to be resistant to other forms of treatment.”