Is Chemi-Clean an effective long term solution?

[Ocean’s Piece]

So my tank is 6 months old. I have kinda given up on fighting the ugly phase, but recently I considered chemi clean. I have had a weird ugly phase for sure, but I feel that it’s almost over and I was wondering if chemi clean could be the “ultimate destroyer” of it. I had After a month, I had diatoms for a week or so, then brown cyano on the sandbed plus a few spots of gha on the rock for 4 months or so (It scares me even thinking about it, it was that horrendous), and now red cyano has decided it likes my sandbed. Red cyano is only on my sandbed, and not on my rock. Only algae on my rock is a green film algae, that I’m assuming will eventually be beaten by coraline or turn into gha later. I’m about to place an order for some things I need so I was wondering if I should get it or just wait it out and just be patient. Here’s some pics:

brown cyano. This was 4 hours after a water change with sand vacuuming, so just imagine.

cyano a few weeks ago. It since has gotten just a little bit more clumpy and big. Still long strands

Anyways, should I get it, or should I be patient?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would use it if I was you. I did use it at around the 6 month mark, it was the perfect last punch to get me through the uglies

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

I would use it if I was you. I did use it at around the 6 month mark, it was the perfect last punch to get me through the uglies

Thanks that’s good to know. Did it end up completely eradicating the uglies or was there any brief phase afterwards

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Thanks that’s good to know. Did it end up completely eradicating the uglies or was there any brief phase afterwards

I still get some tiny patches of cyano in 2 spots, but I brush it off and suck it up with my weekly water changes. Probably caused by low flow I suspect. I have not had to use the chemi clean again

 

[Jekyl]

I'm in the process now of using chemiclean on my 3 year old tank. Had an awful ugly phase that lasted up to a year of the tank maturing. IMO your tank is just young and going through its normal phases. I wouldn't have used it back then. I'm only using it now to get rid of some cyano here or there. There's nothing in a bottle that makes a tank mature faster.

 

[WVNed]

So my tank is 6 months old. I have kinda given up on fighting the ugly phase, but recently I considered chemi clean. I have had a weird ugly phase for sure, but I feel that it’s almost over and I was wondering if chemi clean could be the “ultimate destroyer” of it. I had After a month, I had diatoms for a week or so, then brown cyano on the sandbed plus a few spots of gha on the rock for 4 months or so (It scares me even thinking about it, it was that horrendous), and now red cyano has decided it likes my sandbed. Red cyano is only on my sandbed, and not on my rock. Only algae on my rock is a green film algae, that I’m assuming will eventually be beaten by coraline or turn into gha later. I’m about to place an order for some things I need so I was wondering if I should get it or just wait it out and just be patient. Here’s some pics:

brown cyano. This was 4 hours after a water change with sand vacuuming, so just imagine.

cyano a few weeks ago. It since has gotten just a little bit more clumpy and big. Still long strands

Anyways, should I get it, or should I be patient?

Your first picture is not cyano. That looks like diatoms which quite often appear after a water change because of silicates in the new water.

The second pic does look like cyano. But you can beat that kind with an increase in your flow. I dont use Chemiclean until it starts forming blanketing mats on things.

These things never end either, There is no getting rid of them and being done with them. They can and do come back over and over again.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

I'm in the process now of using chemiclean on my 3 year old tank. Had an awful ugly phase that lasted up to a year of the tank maturing. IMO your tank is just young and going through its normal phases. I wouldn't have used it back then. I'm only using it now to get rid of some cyano here or there. There's nothing in a bottle that makes a tank mature faster.

Truth

Your first picture is not cyano. That looks like diatoms which quite often appear after a water change because of silicates in the new water.

The second pic does look like cyano. But you can beat that kind with an increase in your flow. I dont use Chemiclean until it starts forming blanketing mats on things.

These things never end either, There is no getting rid of them and being done with them. They can and do come back over and over again.

When I got an ID on here a few months back, they said it was a mixture of diatoms and cyano, but the cyano was more in clumps. It became more clumpy over time and this was the beginning phase of my that phase. But who knows, who cares, it’s gone and out of my life….for now.
There are two low flow spots in my tank, and that’s one of them. Everywhere else though it’s a light dusting of cyano. I’ll try to increase my flow and see.
that last part I know but when I say getting rid of, I mean minimizing it as much as possible

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Anyone else?

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

I think I’m just going to get this for now because I’m not going to make a big order for a while and I’d say it’s probably a good thing to have in the “arsenal”. If anyone sees this though, would you recommend me using it based off all the details I provided?

 

[Jekyl]

The chemiclean I used was for cyano only I believe. Won't help what you have going on there.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

The chemiclean I used was for cyano only I believe. Won't help what you have going on there.

I just have that cyano. That brown stuff is gone

 

[Shirak]

Anyone else?

Do you notice it gone in the morning after lights out but before the lights are back up? Maybe Dino's and not cyano if so. If it is long stringy cyano then you can just up the flow and it should go away. Try vacuuming the sand too.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Do you notice it gone in the morning after lights out but before the lights are back up? Maybe Dino's and not cyano if so. If it is long stringy cyano then you can just up the flow and it should go away. Try vacuuming the sand too.

No it does not go away much more at night. I stir the sand every three days or so. Also just increased my flow

 

[Jekyl]

@vetteguy53081 is that cyano?

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081 is that cyano?

Yep - Cyano. Although this cyano is one that is developing and easily siphoned for removal, there are things to deal with such as light-nutrients and water flow (when increased, helps)

 

[vetteguy53081]

I just have that cyano. That brown stuff is gone

Cyano blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations go haywire. Just like when you eat too much sugar and your waistline starts to bloom, the same happens in your tank when concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with tiny air bubbles. As bubbles form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it rests as skimmate
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured which acts like a breeding ground for red slime algae
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank beautifully clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is like rolling out the welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for pervasive red slime algae development

I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 5-7 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check.

After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

 

[Shirak]

No it does not go away much more at night. I stir the sand every three days or so. Also just increased my flow

Stirring will help but only if you have a particle filter to catch the detritus and cyano strands to remove them. Gravel vac is a better option to remove that stuff when you do weekly water changes.

 

[Ocean’s Piece]

Stirring will help but only if you have a particle filter to catch the detritus and cyano strands to remove them. Gravel vac is a better option to remove that stuff when you do weekly water changes.

I have been but I read a thread recently saying that it also gets rid of all the good bacteria in the sand as well. But I think detritus is more important to eliminate after considering this.

 

[Jekyl]

I have been but I read a thread recently saying that it also gets rid of all the good bacteria in the sand as well. But I think detritus is more important to eliminate after considering this.

Extreme measures are needed to remove the beneficial bacteria. The amount in the sand is minimal anyway.

 

[CanuckReefer]

Chemiclean worked for me last year, but then brought on a host of other problems. Try and stick it out imo...