Diatoms are what will consume the silica.
Cyano issues, help needed
- Thread starter bettababy
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Diatoms are what will consume the silica.
Yes, that's cyano for ya
Are you carbon dosing at all? Excess carbon in the tank has been linked to cyano. Most people believe excess nutrients to cause it. Nitrate and phosphate to be more specific. I had it in my tank for 1 month, and I had no nutrient issues (actually lack of). I was not carbon dosing or anything, but there's a chance my tank had carbon in it that needed to be consumed.
chenwon54
Active Member
I was thinking Maybee dinos... I know it's uncommon but happens this time of year. Have you tried lights out for a few cycles? I fought with them forever and really I feel water chem has little if anything to do with their presence/growth. Go dark for 24-36 hours.. But keep an eye on your ph... Run carbon and skim wet..
I would also suggest Dr. Tim's products, specifically Waste Away and Refresh...
Flow doesn't always solve the problem... cyano is very efficient and doesn't need a ton of nutrients to proliferate which is why it can be hard to get rid of.
Flow doesn't always solve the problem... cyano is very efficient and doesn't need a ton of nutrients to proliferate which is why it can be hard to get rid of.
chenwon54
Active Member
I put some cyano in a Dixie cup with nothing else.. Fresh Ro/di (6 stage) water.. Air stone and put it the fish room so it would get light.. It still grew with absolutely pristine water...
I haven't seen dino in person, but isn't it closer to the look of diatom? Usually a light film brown in color?
That is not diatoms or dinoflagellates (spelling?)
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chenwon54
Active Member
They look pretty close because cyano runs the gamut of colors... But you will notice that dinos tend to disappear at night and reform again with light. Are you dosing any amino acids or things of that nature?
Cyano will also recede at night...
+1...
I don't think so either. From what I understand dino and diatom are often confused
chenwon54
Active Member
Either way lights out, no more amino acids or other supplements, keep alk on the higher side (within reason), carbon, no more wc, and siphon should do the trick regardless of if it's cyano or Dino. You could also try prodibio bio clean/biotopmn . Watch your tank very closely during lights out.. Bad things can start to happen after 24 hours...
Bettababy I won't be able to tell u in detail for carbon dosing method. It will be too long.
I started vodka dosing to reduce no3 and po4 in my tank. It took me 2 week for nutrient to drop. Then cyano came ... Then I read some post on vodka causing cyano break due to single type of bacteria culture.
Thus vinegar came as a solution for another type of bacteria culture which help me eliminate cyano issue in 2 day.
Must take note that in carbon dosing. DO NOT overdose and vinegar dosing will caused ph to vary in your water. So u have to split the dose to at least 2 time a day so that PH is stable (ie morning and evening)
I started vodka dosing to reduce no3 and po4 in my tank. It took me 2 week for nutrient to drop. Then cyano came ... Then I read some post on vodka causing cyano break due to single type of bacteria culture.
Thus vinegar came as a solution for another type of bacteria culture which help me eliminate cyano issue in 2 day.
Must take note that in carbon dosing. DO NOT overdose and vinegar dosing will caused ph to vary in your water. So u have to split the dose to at least 2 time a day so that PH is stable (ie morning and evening)
just my .02 - I don't think there's any doubt that it's cyano. and it's a lot of it too 
has to be very frustrating for the op. My suggestion is to look at some bacteria as a solution...I think dowtish recommended microbacter 7 and another type. I've never used them, but Dr. Tim's products may be just the thing that may help.
has to be very frustrating for the op. My suggestion is to look at some bacteria as a solution...I think dowtish recommended microbacter 7 and another type. I've never used them, but Dr. Tim's products may be just the thing that may help.beaslbob
2500 Club Member
Just kill the lights and stop all feeding until it dies off.
the resume with less lighting and feeding and adjust up if not cyano or down if cyano returns.
The idea is that the cyano dies off and return nutrients for the corraline algae, macro algae, and corals in the balance they need.
By adjusting the lighting and feeding you prevent the cyano (or dinos or other uglies) from returning.
my .02
the resume with less lighting and feeding and adjust up if not cyano or down if cyano returns.
The idea is that the cyano dies off and return nutrients for the corraline algae, macro algae, and corals in the balance they need.
By adjusting the lighting and feeding you prevent the cyano (or dinos or other uglies) from returning.
my .02
OP
OP
bettababy
New Member
I appreciate all of the input offered here. I did scope some samples and confirmed it is positively cyano. I also discovered I was having a heat issue in that tank, caused by the pump we chose to use. (I will repeat, flow is NOT the issue. This is a 120 gallon tank and flow rate is 4950 GPH) The motor on the pump was running quite hot, raising the temp to 90F. I turned up the flow of the air stone and have been working to further vent the tank. Hubby replaced the pump with another brand pump, same flow rate, and between the 2 I have brought the temp down to 83 - 84 during the course of any day/night. This change has helped tremendously and the cyano is starting to die back. I scraped some of it the other night (again) and watched & waited to see if it would grow back within 24 hrs like it had been for the past 6 wks+ and for the first time, no regrowth after about 30 hrs now. It has been 3 days since I've had to scrape the glass. I was scraping it up to twice/day before these changes. We are by no means through the problem but we are making steady progress. I will continue to monitor the tank and hope it continues to recede until it's gone. I have halted water changes for the time being, not planning to do another for at least a week. If the cyano reblooms after the next water change then I will run some of the clean saltwater under the scope to see if there is anything present that may be contributing to or feeding the bloom. I have not ruled out the idea of using vinegar but I am hoping to beat this without having to use any additives if possible.
In answer to some of the questions that have been asked... I do not dose any chemicals or suppliments to this tank. The only thing that goes in there is food for the animals and clean water during water changes. I have no desire to start adding chemicals or other supplemental products unless absolutely necessary. I don't remember who it was commented about cyano receding at night, but this stuff does NOT recede at night. If anything it was getting worse during the course of the night. I would scrape/siphon just before lights out and by morning the entire tank would be covered in it again. I think my biggest issue has turned out to be heat related, which would also bring a lack of oxygen in spite of flow rate. I have been extremely busy this past week with my daughter's graduation from high school and her party coming up this weekend. Once the chaos around here has subsided I will continue to experiment with more options in ventilation to help reduce temp by at least another 5 degrees. I have some ideas on using pvc tubing for ventilation that I'd like to try but I have to sit down and figure out how to make it work. I'm doing my best to eliminate the issues of salt creep while still allowing for more ventilation. Running this tank as open top is not possible due to it's location and the amount of dust in my house. Open top would only make matters worse in other ways and destroy antique furniture at the same time. I'm not even willing to consider that.
Thanks again for all of the input. I will post new photos next week when I get a chance to show what progress has been made.
In answer to some of the questions that have been asked... I do not dose any chemicals or suppliments to this tank. The only thing that goes in there is food for the animals and clean water during water changes. I have no desire to start adding chemicals or other supplemental products unless absolutely necessary. I don't remember who it was commented about cyano receding at night, but this stuff does NOT recede at night. If anything it was getting worse during the course of the night. I would scrape/siphon just before lights out and by morning the entire tank would be covered in it again. I think my biggest issue has turned out to be heat related, which would also bring a lack of oxygen in spite of flow rate. I have been extremely busy this past week with my daughter's graduation from high school and her party coming up this weekend. Once the chaos around here has subsided I will continue to experiment with more options in ventilation to help reduce temp by at least another 5 degrees. I have some ideas on using pvc tubing for ventilation that I'd like to try but I have to sit down and figure out how to make it work. I'm doing my best to eliminate the issues of salt creep while still allowing for more ventilation. Running this tank as open top is not possible due to it's location and the amount of dust in my house. Open top would only make matters worse in other ways and destroy antique furniture at the same time. I'm not even willing to consider that.
Thanks again for all of the input. I will post new photos next week when I get a chance to show what progress has been made.
