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Post by Sean (90 reef, fw rack sys) on Feb 27, 2014 18:48:27 GMT -5
I have a nasty little problem I'm sure everyone on this forum has dealt with before. My reef has been going for a little more than 2 years now and no matter what I've tried, I cannot get rid of the cyano on my sand bed. All of the sand is live sand (no playsand). This is the only place it grows. I have 4 powerheads in the main tank plus the return from the pump. I have recently added a filter sock with kent phosphate remover (changing daily) and running only actinics for a few days at a time (read somewhere that cyano can't feed off of actinics?) This worked for a few days and the tank was beautiful. I figured that phosphates must have been the problem (I have using our well water) so I did a 20 % water change (cleaning sandbed) using supposedly rodi water from machines at hannaford. This made it worse. Skimmer is working good. I have to clean it every 2 days. Corals all look spectacular, but the cyano just makes the tank look nasty! Can anyone please help me? Lfs only wanna sell me something new everytime I ask for help. Not really crazy about using chemicals for a temporary fix. Please help!
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Post by jasonandsarah on Feb 27, 2014 19:24:45 GMT -5
Take as much out as you can daily till it gets better! I know it's a pain in the a$$ but it works.
Every time you take out the cyano and flush it your removing all the phosphates and nitrates that the Cyano has consumed. The next day you'll wake up turn your lights on and it'll be back! but do your daily routine and siphon it all out and eventually you'll beat it.
I had a cyano problem for awhile and I tried everything even slime away and they all worked temporarily. This is the only method I had work for along period of time.
I also run a gfo reactor now so it's a little easier to keep it gone.
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Post by ryansweatt2004 on Feb 27, 2014 19:52:01 GMT -5
Cyano needs nutrients to grow and survive. Find and correct the source of excess nutrients and the cyano will go away. Siphoning it out helps remove the cyano but doesn't fix whatever underlining problem that's causing it. Old bulbs putting out a lower kelvin spectrum can also help fuel cyano as well.
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Post by Pokahpolice on Feb 27, 2014 20:25:43 GMT -5
Your issue is the water you're using. No matter how you tackle the problem you continue to feed Phosphates back into the tank by not using a reef rated RO/DI unit. RO water from Walmart or Hannaford will still contain some Phosphates, there has also been some claims that recycled plastic containers leach Phosphates into the water. Spend the money on the RO/DI unit and your problems will most likely go away.
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Post by oceangirl2009 on Feb 27, 2014 23:27:59 GMT -5
+1 it's definitely your water, check out airwaterice.com for great affordable units (I could even find you a 10% off code if you wanted).
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Post by moulton712 on Feb 28, 2014 0:12:58 GMT -5
Your issue is the water you're using. No matter how you tackle the problem you continue to feed Phosphates back into the tank by not using a reef rated RO/DI unit. RO water from Walmart or Hannaford will still contain some Phosphates, there has also been some claims that recycled plastic containers leach Phosphates into the water. Spend the money on the RO/DI unit and your problems will most likely go away. +1 I had a friend who had an algae problem and he was about to buy a gfo/carbon reactor. We got talking more and to find out he was using RO/DI but the filters haven't been changed for over two years. He's on week 3 and his algae problems are on the retreat. |
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Post by jasonandsarah on Feb 28, 2014 6:03:57 GMT -5
+1 yes I'm sorry I forgot to say that. You definitely need an Ro/Di for your water.
I have a used 3 stage Ro unit if your interested?
I can't stress enough that it's just like having a fuge when your cheto over grows what do you do? Cut it back and throw it away? Because your removing all those nutrients the algae/bacteria has eaten. Thus more will grow back and repeat the process. You don't want to just wait till you get Ro/di water.
Your not only removing nutrients but your also trying to prevent it from spreading and taking over.
If it's your water that's doing it then it could be awhile before you start to make progress. If I was you I'd post on the forum asking for someone local to sell/give you some Ro/di water for water changes until you can get one.
If it wasn't for Josh (industry) helping me out and giving me Ro/di water till my ro unit came in, my tank probably would of been really really bad!
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Post by scoobnoob on Feb 28, 2014 7:16:53 GMT -5
I used to have it every summer. I cut my photo period and started using chemipure elite. I haven't had it in two years now.
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Post by Hack157 on Feb 28, 2014 9:47:00 GMT -5
I don't know what Bangor water is like, but here in the Greater Portland area all the water feed through the Portland Water District contains Chloramines. If you are going to move into an RODI unit check with your water district to see if they are using the same as it does require some different filters. Unless of course you are on well water, then never mind.
I also used Chemipure at one time, that is until I opened the bag to see what was actually in it. For GFO it was about two tablespoons. So I stopped using it and went to a GFO and carbon reactors. Far cheaper and more effective for me anyway. For emergencies I would recommend always having a Poly Filter on hand, which so far I haven't needed to use.
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Post by n00b- Ryan [Poland] on Feb 28, 2014 13:30:01 GMT -5
..As others have stressed... I felt my tap water wasn't an issue... I tested it for NH3,N03 and PO43... all read ZERO... didn't see a real issue until about a year in... then it was a fire storm.. just recently as Christmas I was lucky enough to have received a RO/DI unit... and I am amazed how quickly it has reduced my cyano, diatoms, allege issues...
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Post by Sean (90 reef, fw rack sys) on Feb 28, 2014 18:50:44 GMT -5
I really appreciate everyones help. I have a pretty good feeling is my well water. I've also got a good feeling that those machines don't get serviced hardly ever. I'm a chip salesman and I've never seen them serviced. I think it's time to make my next investment an rodi unit.
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Post by Sean (90 reef, fw rack sys) on Feb 28, 2014 18:53:31 GMT -5
+1 yes I'm sorry I forgot to say that. You definitely need an Ro/Di for your water. I have a used 3 stage Ro unit if your interested? I can't stress enough that it's just like having a fuge when your cheto over grows what do you do? Cut it back and throw it away? Because your removing all those nutrients the algae/bacteria has eaten. Thus more will grow back and repeat the process. You don't want to just wait till you get Ro/di water. Your not only removing nutrients but your also trying to prevent it from spreading and taking over. If it's your water that's doing it then it could be awhile before you start to make progress. If I was you I'd post on the forum asking for someone local to sell/give you some Ro/di water for water changes until you can get one. If it wasn't for Josh (industry) helping me out and giving me Ro/di water till my ro unit came in, my tank probably would of been really really bad! I just might be interested in buying that from you! I'll let you know |
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