Pimba
Active Member
Hi OP @StinkyReefs
What direction did you go to reduce phosphates. I'm in the same situation - Hanna gives 0.9ppm po4 and would like to reduce that as my corals rarely grow and have a Dino outbreak.
Thanks.
Lowering phosphate
- Thread starter StinkyReefs
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What direction did you go to reduce phosphates. I'm in the same situation - Hanna gives 0.9ppm po4 and would like to reduce that as my corals rarely grow and have a Dino outbreak.
Thanks.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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IMO, cyano can appear in lots of nutrients situations.
As far as I know, at least in my case, I had cyano when my nitrates / phosphates ratio is so high.
For example, my planted tank is right now infested with cyano, I tested my nitrates and were very low, probably less than 1, and my phosphates where 0.30.
On my reef tank (no corals yet, but that's another story) I have small cyano patch, my nitrates were 10, my phosphates were 0.83.
I get small patches of cyano with both very low residual no3 and po4 levels - like .1 no3 and 1-3 ppb of po4. I just suck it out or it disappears in a few days or a week. For me, the cyano often appears in low flow areas and mostly in the same areas where one of my cucumbers laid a huge dump of clean, digested sand that is the perfect place for new things to take hold... and cyano is faster than most other things to colonize.
In most cases, Cyano and Dinos appear where there is sterile places for it to take hold since it is faster than other things to colonize. This is usually in new tanks. Then, people take a snapshot of parameters or something and think that this is the cause... often overlooking that real estate opportunity and speed of multiplication are the real issues.
In most cases, Cyano and Dinos appear where there is sterile places for it to take hold since it is faster than other things to colonize. This is usually in new tanks. Then, people take a snapshot of parameters or something and think that this is the cause... often overlooking that real estate opportunity and speed of multiplication are the real issues.
Not just low flow areas, also areas with high lights (close to windows, etc) get more cyanos.
My tanks are not new, my planted tank is about 4/5 years in its current position / size, and my reef is almost 3.5 years old in its current position / size.
In both cases, my cyano appeared years later, not at the beginning.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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I'm not doubting what you observed, just noting that it is not always the case. There are many factors that impact cyano.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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I do not claim to have all the answers of why some folks get cyanobacteria and others do not, but I believe that both organics and flow can play a substantial role, and there are plenty of counter examples to your hypothesis that low N and high P is a driver of cyano. We've had very lengthy discussions on the causes of cyano, and I, at least, am not convinced there is a simple nitrate/phosphate explanation that applies to most cases.
What are the root causes of Cyano?
I think to biggest problem is that most aquarist are looking for a quick solution. And cyanobacteria is an opportunist and do well when something changes in the tank(nutrients, light schedule etc). So IMO the best way to control cyano is to do everything slow, and if you change something, give...
www.reef2reef.com
" In my eyes it cannot be the N-availability only that causes cyano blooms. In my eyes it is more often P-deficiency and/or reduced competitiveness of corals and coralline algae that causes cyano blooms."
What are the root causes of Cyano?
Interesting, I have had a similar experience. My tank is running nitrate and phosphate limited (NO3 and PO4 not measurable on testing kit). I saw my sps were losing color. I also have cyano mats on my rock and sand. I decided to start dosing 2ml of sodium nitrate solution I mixed in an attempt...
www.reef2reef.com
" Once again it seems, high nutrient areas are contributing to cyano proliferation."
What are the root causes of Cyano?
I have to say that the more I look into this the more confused I am becoming. The article (and a few others I could link if you want) was definitely referring to CO2 since it was talking about carbon uptake. I think I need to do more studying on how other marine bacteria, like cyano, uptake...
www.reef2reef.com
"I usually see cyanos grow more when phosphate is low in the water and high in the gravel and rocks which usually means phosphate was high in the tank and has been lowered. "
What are the root causes of Cyano?
I finally have some cyanos and belive me , I have phosphates to spare. I am sure cyanos will grow under various different conditions. Food for thought. We are discussing Cyanobacteria. This is a very broad classification of "blue green" bacteria. We try to group them into one large category...
www.reef2reef.com
"Agree.. Low flow and too much food. I had it for a few weeks. Was not fun. But better power heads made all the difference."
What are the root causes of Cyano?
Yes, there are a lots of myths. High NO3 and lots of algae for example :) But thats probably too much off topic. Okey, this is a well working tank IMO: No cyano, no need to clean anythink more than the window(and pumps and skimmer etc), corals, algae(the wanted ones) and fish with good health...
www.reef2reef.com
"If you would start lowering the nutrient concentrations in your tank with organic carbon dosing you would drive your corals into phosphate limitation (and in my eyes cause a cyano bloom this way)."
What are the root causes of Cyano?
Yes, there are a lots of myths. High NO3 and lots of algae for example :) But thats probably too much off topic. Okey, this is a well working tank IMO: No cyano, no need to clean anythink more than the window(and pumps and skimmer etc), corals, algae(the wanted ones) and fish with good health...
www.reef2reef.com
"Yes, I agree on that. Limitation of PO4 also can trigger cyano. In our bamboo shark + coral tank(26000L) we had low PO4(not detectable by Hanna Checkers) and NO3 around 20ppm(Core7, no calcium reactor). And started to get small patches with cyano. In this case we started dosing KHPO4 and ethanol. The cyano was gone two weeks later and after 4 month NO3 was down to 2-5 ppm. We kept the PO4 at 0,01-0,05."
