What else can I do to reduce cyano?

[Draco]

I am having algae and cyano issues in my jbj 28 cube.

 

My phosphate is at .25.

Everything else, including nitrates is at 0.

 

So far I've done:

Water changes

Added chemi pure (I plan on replacing it with GFO and carbon once it's time to replace it)

Replaced skimmer which is in the break-in period still

 

I am currently keeping lights off for a few days

And I am almost done building a light box to host chaetos in the fuge compartment in the back.

 

Anything else you guys suggest to help reduce phosphate and algae issues?

 

All my corals are doing well except the colt.

[markalot]

I'm suspicious of the .25 phosphate, what test kit? Try a salifert kit if you don't already use one.

 

Best thing for cyano control is lots and lots of flow and then increasing exports and bacteria (supplements like Microbacter or BioDIgest) in the tank to compete with it. If this is a newer tank cyano is just part of the maturing phase.

[Draco]

thanks for the reply!

 

I have the API test for phosphates. It's hard to tell the color, but I feel its closer to the .25 range than to 0.

 

Because my colt isn't doing too well and the growth of algae and cyano, I feel like I do have phosphate issues, even without testing.

 

the tank's been running for about 5 months now. still fairly newish.

 

I am trying to locate my second hylor pump to add it to the tank. I know I have an extra somewhere! lol

[markalot]

API Phosphate kits aren't good enough for reef, you need a better kit. KH, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphates and Nitrates are your critical tests. Stable KH makes corals happy, but if you just have softies only it's not a big deal. How often do you change the water, how much, and with what salt?

[Draco]

I change about 5 gallons every week or two. I use the boxed water from Petco. I like to make sure the water will always be the same when using boxed- I feel like if I mix my own it would be trouble

 

I have only softies- no hard.

 

I have Red Sea kit for calcium, alk and magnesium. API for ph, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite as well as phosphate

[markalot]

Boxed from Petco? They make it, or a brand name?

 

Get a salifert Phosphate kit IMO, not a big fan of the Red Sea kits but they usually work.

Softies like dirtier water so I might remove anything except carbon and see what happens. More flow might fix the cyano issue.

[Draco]

http://reviews.petco.com/3554/11884/petco-petco-real-ocean-water-reviews/reviews.htm

 

Petco brand.. see the link. BTW, the online price is more expensive than in the stores. I pay $11 for the box. Sure, its expensive, especially if you have a bigger tank, but its just easier to use. I test the water before putting it in.. the salinity is usually a little high, so dilute it with distilled water.

 

thanks I can't find my pump, so I'll have to get another one. I have the stock wavermakers that came attached to the tank and one hylor (I tihnk thats it) pump. I'll add a second.. Im just afraid the softies won't like the extra flow

[CJJon]

I change about 5 gallons every week or two. I use the boxed water from Petco. I like to make sure the water will always be the same when using boxed- I feel like if I mix my own it would be trouble

 

Ahhh! Making your own water is not going to lead to trouble. To the contrary, relying on someone else for your water is going to lead to trouble. It might be you get a bad batch of water one day, you might need water in an emergency and the store is closed, etc, etc, etc,. I can't imagine how much of a PITA is would be if I had to run to a store for my water all the time.

 

Also, just looking at the dollar savings. You can make 200 gallons of Instant Ocean for $0.29 per gallon. That is $59 for 200 gallons. Buying your Petco water at $2.20 per gallon costs $440! The cost is without RO/DI, but as you can see, you can buy the best RO/DI unit out there for our purposes for $125. http://spectrapure.com/Refurbished-90-GPD-RODI-Systemand still have money left over for corals etc. Also, consider the cost of buying RO/DI for top off water (you do use RO/DI water for top off, right?)

 

Be the master of your own water. It is the most important factor in reefing, bar none!

[markalot]

Thats rebranded water so I think it should be fine. Look at my filthy 29 gallon. Lots of flow, softies dont mind, no cyano. Sorry, tablet keyboard sucks for punctuation.

[CJJon]

I'd wanna know what low phosphate, low nitrate means. Have you tested your fresh jug of the spendy water for phosphate and nitrate? I also wonder what they buffer the pH with.

 

 

Petco Real Ocean Water

Real Ocean Water is natural sea water that's already filtered, sanitized, and pH balanced for you. No mixing. No measuring. No adjusting. Just pour Real Ocean Water directly into your aquarium. It's the easy way to maintain salt water fish. Helps you maintain a healthier marine environment with cleaner, clearer water. Now, you can have natural sea water delivered right to your door. It arrives ready-to-use in a sealed bag inside a protective box.

Low phosphate, low nitrate and PH balanced. It is 100% ocean water

[metrokat]

Petco water is very good, and perfect for small tanks. I used it exclusively when I had my BC14.

[CJJon]

Petco water is very good, and perfect for small tanks. I used it exclusively when I had my BC14.

 

Indeed, it may be fine water--just expensive and inconvenient (at least for me in terms of not being able to obtain water after business hours).

[jabeuy]

I've gotten rid of cyano 2 times.

The first time, I simply increased flow.

The second time, I'm not too sure what made it go away b/c lots of things were happening around the same time. I lost my yellow tang so the bioload got lighter, I messed around with adding a bag of chemipure elite, I started skimming a little more wet and added a strawberry conch. The conch was/is a beast, it turns the sandbed over so well and I actually could see it eating the cyano.

 

Well, that's what I did, take from it what you will

[cjm3fl]

Some CUC animals can be really helpful.

Being careful not to overload with a lot of CUC by someone looking for the "quick fix".

 

My small tanks almost always had an outbreak within the first month. I've used higher flow by adding some airlines off a strong pump and water changes...25% every other day. Once the tank 'seasoned' my weekly 10% water changes were enough.

 

 

As for the "boxed water". I always make my own.

But I know plenty of folks who like it. I also know a number that don't and stopped using it.

I think it's a lot about personal choice and experience.

Same with lots of stuff, like that bagged live sand. You either love it or hate it.

[metrokat]

 

Indeed, it may be fine water--just expensive and inconvenient (at least for me in terms of not being able to obtain water after business hours).

It's called planning ahead. I always had more than enough for a 100% water change on hand.

[markalot]

The poison is in the dose.

 

For a softie only tank with minimal water changes investing in a refractometer, RO/DI, and then having the time to make the water might not be as economically reasonable as it is for some of us doing more frequent water changes. Anyway, I don't think the boxed water is the cause of the cyano.

[Draco]

Thanks for the informative replies, all!

 

I do test each batch of water I get from Petco. Once the alk was through the roof! They let me exchange it without issues. I make sure its close to what it was the previous week in all tests. Sometimes the salinity is high, so I just dilute the water down.

 

If I had a much larger tank, I'd for sure make my own water. For a smaller tank, the boxed water works for me. I thought about getting an RO/DI system, but I keep going back and forth to whether its worth it for me or not, for my size tank. Do I really need 90 gallons of water per day? Its excessive and I really have no place to store all the water (I live in a 800 sq foot 1 bedroom condo)

 

I finished my light box for the chaetos.. now no one seems to be selling them locally. I hope to find some soon!

[CJJon]

IMO water is the most important thing in reef keeping, bar none. Are you really going to keep using the Petco water even after you have tested it and the values are off? For that premium, I would expect perfection. Again, you can make your own water cheaper. At least buy good RO/DI water and mix your own--still cheaper and you know what is in it!

 

You seem to misunderstand how a RO/DI system works. You do not need to make 90 gallons of water at a time. You make what you need, couple a gallons is fine. The unit I referenced is portable, it hooks onto your sink or hose bib. You bring it out, use it, and put it away. It can be kept under your kitchen sink.

[aviator300]

You still haven't said what you use for top off water (which would be at least a gallon a week) for a 28gal tank)? If your using tap water, that may be your issue.

[Draco]

Sorry, I thought I mentioned that I used distilled water for top off. I guess I didn't!

 

Cjjon, I think I did misunderstand how the RO/DI system works- I saw the 90 gallon a day and that threw me off. that makes more sense to me. I need to do a bit more research to understand it more!

 

to be clear, I test the petco water. if it's off in the testing, I return it and get another. I've done that before. I would never use water that the measurements are off. I once got one where the Alk was through the roof, that was like once in how many boxes? lol. Again, I will do more research on the system

[B16acrx1988]

Chemiclean? I've used it when I had cyano problems in my old tank with great success and no I'll effects.

[HarryPotter]

To get rid of Cyano:

 

1. Find cause of excess nutrients

2. Increase overall flow

3. Continuously (daily) vacuum out any visible Cyano

4. Observe aquarium, decide if Carbon is necessary

5. If necessary utilize ChemiClean and/or CyanoBGone according to directions

 

If you do this, the tank should have ZERO cyano within a week. I have made a handsome profit saving local reef/ FOWLR tanks from Cyano using this method- it is foolproof.

[Draco]

thanks Harry!!

[HarryPotter]

thanks Harry!!

 

No problem! Let me know how it goes and if you have any questions