My first Cyano outbreak on week 4

[fishyfishyfishy]

I have had my aquarium for 14 almost 15 years and this is my first experience with this stuff. I refuse to use any chemical cleaners etc. I just can bring myself to do it. I have been doing 15% water change weekly. All parameters are great! Aside from ph being a little low by 2 points sometimes. TDS on RO is 0, skimmer runs 24/7 . I do not utilize a sump I use a 150 gph and 75 gph canister filter. Lightning is a T5 6 bulb 3super daylight 3 actinic replaces every 6-8 months. 2 weeks ago I introduced pyrigen to the 150 filter. I’m about to pull that and run phosguard for the week. Even though phos isn’t showing in test I believe it’s thriving in the bacteria. If anyone has any non chemical related advice I would appreciate it. I left out the uv sterilizer but I don’t think it actually has a roll in this

 

[sfin52]

You sure it's just cyno? What's your no3 and po4

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

I’m not sure unfortunately but here are this weeks readings

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

I’m not sure unfortunately but here are this weeks readings

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

And a closer look at the nasties, I have not had much experience with bacteria or algae issues apart from GHA. I went on vacation a few months back and my mother in law didn’t listen when I told her not to mind the begging fish since then it’s been a battle

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

Another thing I should add When I got home I sold my 20” LTA and clownfish that I had for a very long time. I wonder if I just need to add more fish? The LTA waste equals about what 4 medium fish would. I only have 2 small fish now and 4 clams, coral and large clean up crew. Could that change have messed up the balance I had going? I read now that no3 and po4 should not be zero however I have been at that for so long I don’t understand how all of a sudden it’s wrong. Mass confusion on my end perhaps someone can clarify. 125g , 3” crushed coral bed , 4 emerald crabs, 3cleaner clams, 15 small hermits, 15 small snails, 4 turbo snails, plethora of coral frags, 1 gold maxima clam, lightning maroon and little pink and yellow fish lol I do have copepods and my turbos have been spawning sorry but I’m just trying to give the full picture

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

I believe it was only this big because it has consumed over 1000$ of fish which is why I sold it

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

I don’t seem to be getting responses guess due to the holidays. Was about to scrub bad rocks in a tub of tank water. Perhaps add 1/3 cup of phosguard to can filter.

 

[sfin52]

You need to increase the nirtate and phospate. Bottoming those out could lead to dino. I think you may have both at this point.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

Read the first post.

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

I did over feed this morning my with my sis shrimp. I took the heavier infected rock and scrubbed in tank water rinsed well with fresh tank water and replaced. Moved my frags to front of tank ramped up on flow. About to proceed with a 20% change or should I just top off? ,feed again and keep my super daylights off tomorrow leaving only blues on. I’m confused how I have kept nitrates and phos at zero since the beginning how it is just now an issue. I will not add phosguard, Is heavy feeding the correct way to boost those naturally

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

Also turned off uv and pro skimmer

 

[Matt Carden]

What is LTA? I am too new to give advise just watching and trying to learn.

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

What is LTA? I am too new to give advise just watching and trying to learn.

Long tentacle anemone

 

[sfin52]

Leave uv on. Some strains go into the water colum at night. Others burrow into the sand. I don't like to overfeed it could lead to more issues than not.
If you are useing anything that reduces po4 or no3. Stop. Do run activated carbon. Seachem makes a great phospahte product.

New salt mix can fuel dino growth. I filtered through 10 micron sock into a bucket and poured back into the tank. Before you start all of this confirm you have dino. The thread I attached above has several ways to id dino. I always left my skimmer going

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

Leave uv on. Some strains go into the water colum at night. Others burrow into the sand. I don't like to overfeed it could lead to more issues than not.
If you are useing anything that reduces po4 or no3. Stop. Do run activated carbon. Seachem makes a great phospahte product.

New salt mix can fuel dino growth. I filtered through 10 micron sock into a bucket and poured back into the tank. Before you start all of this confirm you have dino. The thread I attached above has several ways to id dino. I always left my skimmer going

Thank you so much! I will update in a week or so

 

[acabgd]

This does look like a green cyano/dyno combo. Need to stop water changes. sfin52 above gave good advice. Follow it.

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

I will thank you again, oh how I love the challenge of this hobby

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

Both tests confirm Cyano and dynos, sterilizer is back on and skimmer. Purigen removed

 

[sfin52]

Run activated carbon. Dino will release toxins that will wipe out inverts. I lost two prized Duncan's all pods and snails.

This is beatable just takes time. Get those numbers up and test often. I was up to 5 mil twice a day for like a week before I started getting po4 numbers. Lr absorbs some po4 and is used quickly by inhabitants. Test in the morning and night to get numbers up.

After you beat dino don't let number get to zero. And be prepared to go through new tank uglies. You may need to resend the tank as well. I had to. Keep your chin up you will will win.

 

[fishyfishyfishy]

I just replaced carbon, I will have to order the sea chem flourish phos since I don’t have a lfs that has it. Still looking into best route for increasing nitrate. I’m not worried that much this has been a solid system and given its age I’m sure it will work out just fine it will just take time. What did you use to raise nitrate? I don’t want to go with the stump removal stuff