Cynobacteria

[Ab_Bot]

Hi-

I have a new tank. It has been running for 8 and 1/2 weeks now. I have started to get cynobacteria. I have been doing water changes and syphoning it out. Should I be removing it or just letting it run its course?

I have had plenty of diatoms and a tiny amount of green hair algae as well.

 

[1WildBill]

What’s your water parameters?

 

[40B Knasty]

Just keep doing what you are doing. Exporting nutrients and keep that sand bed clean till it kind of works its way out the door.
I am not a fan of red slime remover. Killed a few things in my tank. Figured I would mention that before it is suggested.
You can check to see what kind of cyanobacteria you have. Take about 4oz of tank water. Place it in a white container. Use 1oz 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit for 24 hours. If the cyanobacteria turns green and the tank water will turns red tint. You have a spirulina bacteria. If it does not change color and the water does not tint red then you have a cyanobacteria. Which is harder to remove. Spirulina bacteria is easier than cyanobacteria to get rid of.
Also, nice bass! That thing is a cow!

 

[Ab_Bot]

What’s your water parameters?

Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Phosphate- .03
Calcium- 430
Alkalinity- 7.8
Magnesium 1515

I only have 10 snails and one cleaner shrimp right now. I have done 165 gallons worth of water changes since starting my tank because my nitrates were so high after the cycle. Most recently I did 35 gallons on the 11th and 10 tonight. Its 95 gallon tank with 20 gallon sump.

My readings are as accurate as I feel I can get them. The color scale leaves room for error obviously though.

 

[Ab_Bot]

Just keep doing what you are doing. Exporting nutrients and keep that sand bed clean till it kind of works its way out the door.
I am not a fan of red slime remover. Killed a few things in my tank. Figured I would mention that before it is suggested.
You can check to see what kind of cyanobacteria you have. Take about 4oz of tank water. Place it in a white container. Use 1oz 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit for 24 hours. If the cyanobacteria turns green and the tank water will turns red tint. You have a spirulina bacteria. If it does not change color and the water does not tint red then you have a cyanobacteria. Which is harder to remove. Spirulina bacteria is easier than cyanobacteria to get rid of.
Also, nice bass! That thing is a cow!

Thanks for the advice- might pick up some hydrogen peroxide and try it out. I really was trying to avoid any kind of remover- hate to add anything to the tank unless absolutely necessary, so i'm glad you said that. But I have been told to not let it get bad and then others have said leave it and it will get worse before it gets better. Guess I'll keep doing what I have been doing.

 

[reeferfoxx]

You can check to see what kind of cyanobacteria you have. Take about 4oz of tank water. Place it in a white container. Use 1oz 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit for 24 hours. If the cyanobacteria turns green and the tank water will turns red tint. You have a spirulina bacteria. If it does not change color and the water does not tint red then you have a cyanobacteria. Which is harder to remove. Spirulina bacteria is easier than cyanobacteria to get rid of.
Also, nice bass! That thing is a cow!

Actually, I think this is backwards. Spirulina is the more difficult to remove and would take extra dosings of red slime remover.

Thanks for the advice- might pick up some hydrogen peroxide and try it out. I really was trying to avoid any kind of remover- hate to add anything to the tank unless absolutely necessary, so i'm glad you said that. But I have been told to not let it get bad and then others have said leave it and it will get worse before it gets better. Guess I'll keep doing what I have been doing.

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

 

[40B Knasty]

Thanks for the advice- might pick up some hydrogen peroxide and try it out. I really was trying to avoid any kind of remover- hate to add anything to the tank unless absolutely necessary, so i'm glad you said that. But I have been told to not let it get bad and then others have said leave it and it will get worse before it gets better. Guess I'll keep doing what I have been doing.

I use a turkey baster to kick it up off the sand bed. A mysis net I swirl back and forth to pick up the chunky pieces. Then I put a piece of filter floss in the net to get the fines.
Clean your sponge out like 2x a day.

 

[Ab_Bot]

I use a turkey baster to kick it up off the sand bed. A mysis net I swirl back and forth to pick up the chunky pieces. Then I put a piece of filter floss in the net to get the fines.
Clean your sponge out like 2x a day.

Don't hang me for this but - I don't have mechanical filtration. I just have a skimmer in my sump. I wanted to make a refugium eventually so I did a little diy on my sump and don't have any place to put a sponge or filter floss now haha. But syphoning it out has been working really well, just returns in a couple days.

 

[40B Knasty]

Don't hang me for this but - I don't have mechanical filtration. I just have a skimmer in my sump. I wanted to make a refugium eventually so I did a little diy on my sump and don't have any place to put a sponge or filter floss now haha. But syphoning it out has been working really well, just returns in a couple days.

Haha that's cool with me. I don't have a sump. Just an HOB Fluval C4 with a sponge and marine pure, TETRA 10 to put chemical media in or a filter floss, HOB Reef Octopus, and an Old Sea Clone protein skimmer modified to a mini refugium.

 

[40B Knasty]

Don't hang me for this but - I don't have mechanical filtration. I just have a skimmer in my sump. I wanted to make a refugium eventually so I did a little diy on my sump and don't have any place to put a sponge or filter floss now haha. But syphoning it out has been working really well, just returns in a couple days.

Here you can see the cyanobacteria on my sand bed. That red slime remover killed my orange satosa, black and gold tip Octospawn, peppermint shrimp, and almost my dwarf flame angel.