Nothing seems to work

[czoolander]

So I’ve had varying degrees of this junk on my sand and rocks for months now and I’m pretty sure it’s red cyano algae because I did treat with chemiclean and it improved after treatment. However I would rather not keep treating with chemiclean and fix the root cause

the problem is I don’t know the root cause and it’s becoming very frustrating

I feed 3x a week
I have 2 - mp40s flow should be sufficient
Red Sea lights at 35% intensity

what am I missing here ?? Help please

 

[ying yang]

Ive been pretty lucky with the ugly stage on my tank at just over 7 months in.i not had anything very concerning but i just added appropiate cuc members when something showed.so if on sand i added conchs and nas snails .
I am aimimg to keep it natural as i can without adding chemicals to my tank as i see often add chemicals = solves or helps a certain problem,only for another problem to occur so i just get the livestock to help me with the tank.so far so good but as i said im only early days at 7 and bit months so we shall see but still waiting for this ugly stage to come but im pretty easy going so that helps

 

[N.Sreefer]

Tap or rodi? Have you checked the tds of your rodi?

 

[czoolander]

Ive been pretty lucky with the ugly stage on my tank at just over 7 months in.i not had anything very concerning but i just added appropiate cuc members when something showed.so if on sand i added conchs and nas snails .
I am aimimg to keep it natural as i can without adding chemicals to my tank as i see often add chemicals = solves or helps a certain problem,only for another problem to occur so i just get the livestock to help me with the tank.so far so good but as i said im only early days at 7 and bit months so we shall see but still waiting for this ugly stage to come but im pretty easy going so that helps

I really can’t see it being ugly stage my tank will be running for 2 years in November. Is that possible? I thought uglies were in new tanks?

Tap or rodi? Have you checked the tds of your rodi?

RODI and it’s been zero TDS most times occasionally it’s 1 TDS but I would assume that’s not the end of the world

 

[Screwgunner]

No its not! How's your peramiters. Anything high.

 

[ying yang]

I really can’t see it being ugly stage my tank will be running for 2 years in November. Is that possible? I thought uglies were in new tanks?

RODI and it’s been zero TDS most times occasionally it’s 1 TDS but I would assume that’s not the end of the world

Was saying about my apparently ugly stage i meant to have,and just reminding you of cuc can sometimes eat or disturb some problems some have ( possible) i wasnt sure how long your tank up so didnt know.just saying my ugly stage probably not as bad because cuc and maybe if yours is low then could try get more,ovbiously need work out whats on your sand first then see if anything eats it.
Good luck

 

[brandon429]

You’re missing this:

Algae/Cyano Issue Not Improving, Help Please?

Hi all, I have a Red Sea Reefer 250 that has been up and running for 8 months now. My issue is a strange black algae\cyano growth that has plagued me for the last two months+. I have been treating as follows: cleaning gravel twice weekly 20% water changes twice a week Addition of beneficial...

www.reef2reef.com

the method above directly addresses the cause too. The cause of your issue is directly permitting a condition you don’t like, while a clear easy fix is listed. You’d be amazed how many people actually want to be invaded, while posting that they don’t.

it only follows that reef tank invasion is amazing psychology long before it’s biology or chemistry.

 

[czoolander]

You’re missing this:

Algae/Cyano Issue Not Improving, Help Please?

Hi all, I have a Red Sea Reefer 250 that has been up and running for 8 months now. My issue is a strange black algae\cyano growth that has plagued me for the last two months+. I have been treating as follows: cleaning gravel twice weekly 20% water changes twice a week Addition of beneficial...

www.reef2reef.com

the method above directly addresses the cause too. The cause of your issue is directly permitting a condition you don’t like, while a clear easy fix is listed. You’d be amazed how many people actually want to be invaded, while posting that they don’t.

it only follows that reef tank invasion is amazing psychology long before it’s biology or chemistry.

Thanks was an interesting read but I don’t think I’ll be dismantling and cleaning the entire tank .

 

[brandon429]

agreed, that’s the most common thought process. Most aquarists will lose animals and replace them over and over before they’ll take complete responsibility for the system.

 

[PeterC99]

Three things got rid of my cyano naturally and I never cleaned any Cyano out of my tank.

1) Strong UV light
2) Started an Oxydator (look for threads on this site)
3) Phytoplankton every other day

Before and after pics (also have since increased the light point intensity by 15% on my Radions - up to 75%)

PO4 .05, NO3 2

 

[brandon429]

Show a post of you fixing it in someone else’s tank, that’s where things get fun

 

[PeterC99]

Show a post of you fixing it in someone else’s tank, that’s where things get fun

Too many unknowns in someone else’s tank.

But always interested in what other Reefers have done successfully!

 

[czoolander]

agreed, that’s the most common thought process. Most aquarists will lose animals and replace them over and over before they’ll take complete responsibility for the system.

Think you are confused. Nothing is dying in my tank all my fish are happy and healthy .

I think your suggestion is overkill for my small issue but thanks for the reply

 

[Greybeard]

When my tank was 2 years or so in, I added sand to what was a bare bottom tank. A few months later, cyano bloom. Started to get fairly bad.

I don't care for chemicals... especially antibiotics. Can have lots of unintended consequences.

Bacterial additives? I have used several that work well... but I've learned to start slow. A bacterial bloom can itself do serious damage to your system.

I tried Dr. Tim's Waste A Way. Directions say to start with half a dose... I started with a quarter of what was recommended as a full dose. Did that for two weeks, increased to a half dose, and within a month, no more cyano.

Been cyano free for several months now.

Don't know that it'll work for you, but I was very happy with my results.

 

[czoolander]

When my tank was 2 years or so in, I added sand to what was a bare bottom tank. A few months later, cyano bloom. Started to get fairly bad.

I don't care for chemicals... especially antibiotics. Can have lots of unintended consequences.

Bacterial additives? I have used several that work well... but I've learned to start slow. A bacterial bloom can itself do serious damage to your system.

I tried Dr. Tim's Waste A Way. Directions say to start with half a dose... I started with a quarter of what was recommended as a full dose. Did that for two weeks, increased to a half dose, and within a month, no more cyano.

Been cyano free for several months now.

Don't know that it'll work for you, but I was very happy with my results.

I can give that a try thank you