Cyano?

[igoRluse]

Heya everyone. I just started up my 6g nano 11 days ago and up to now the cycle was happening normally. Yesterday I noticed a fine layer of an orangy-brown something (Cyano?) starting. Today, it is becoming ugly and worrying me. Life in the tank seems good as there are stacks of tiny thingys swimming around, a couple starfish, worms, and even a crab who hitched in with the rock. What do you think is going wrong and how should I correct it?

 

Here are my params:

6g tank started 11days ago with NSW and 9 pounds of rock

No water changes so far, just top up with brita water

Nitrates: very low between 0 and 2 ppm

Phosphates: around 0.03 ppm

 

I know I should not be using the brita, but for the moment I think it's ok as I am using NSW and I tested my tap water at 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates.

 

I have at my disposition tests for ph, kh, phosphates, calcium and nitrates. Unfortunately I don't have amonia or nitrites so I don't know where the cycle is at. I'm tempted to put in a hermit or 2 to stir the sand up a bit but the tank isn't cycled yet. What do you think?

[legionof1]

im still new but the board xperts have advised my to never spent the money till the tank cycles in case things die but the brouw stuff may be a alge sceape it off glass and let the filter pick it up then clean it out of your filter

[palaegic]

Use manual removal until you complete your cycle - then you can think about using one of the over-the-counter products to remove 'red slime algae'.

 

There are all kinds of theories about cyano - not all of them point directly to nitrates, some indicate silicates, other DOC's (before being broken down into nitrogen constituents), lighting - you name it.

 

Experience is going to have to be your guide here. If you keep getting red slime, then you will need to re-examine your water quality. Try obtaining some bottled distilled for top offs.

 

For now, just keep removing as much of it as you can, and monitor if it keeps coming back, perhaps even heavier, or if it begins to recede as your bacterial flora builds up.

[Tempest]

Get the nitrite and ammonia kits asap - you'll need them to know when the cycle is over and for future use with your tank. I wouldn't put any living things in there until the end of the break in period. Also, do NOT add buffers or chemicals until after the cycle is over.

 

The algae you described may not be cyanobacteria (red, black slimy looking). It could just be diatoms (orange-brown color) which isn't unusual during initial cycling of saltwater aquariums.

[rehren]

The algae you described may not be cyanobacteria (red, black slimy looking). It could just be diatoms (orange-brown color) which isn't unusual during initial cycling of saltwater aquariums.

 

i 2nd this.

 

Use manual removal until you complete your cycle - then you can think about using one of the over-the-counter products to remove 'red slime algae'.

 

i would suggest against manually removing anything - just let the tank deal with it. after several months you may have future outbreaks that will never go away if you don't let the tank recover from small things like this on its own. imagine it as the tank building it's immune system.

 

i would just leave your tank alone for another 4 weeks and let it finish cycling.

[palaegic]

Agreed.

 

I hope it is diatoms, and that you can distinguish between the two.

Red slime is just that, usually mat-like, and distinctly blankets the surfaces it is found on.

 

Diatoms generally also cover surfaces during the cycle, but have a more granular appearance rather than slimy. If it's diatoms, leave it be - it will pass.

[legionof1]

there you have it the masters have spoken and thats y im a newbie

[igoRluse]

Right, thanks for all that. From your description I am now certain it is diatoms and not cyano. So it's gonna go away all by itself huh? All good then.

[igoRluse]

Just an update, it's been a good week now that my tank is full of diatoms. Is there anything I can do to encourage them to go away?

[Tempest]

Check your water for ammonia, nitrite etc. If the water is good you could add a few snails and/or herit crabs and they should start chowin' down on the algae. However, it will probably just go away on its own as t he tank matures. Patience Daniel-san... let tank find balance.

[igoRluse]

Did that. Tank parameters were good so I chucked in a bunch of snails and crabs. Man talk about efficient. They changed my tank from an algae infested swamp into a sparkling clean reef in less then a day.

[SaltyMist]

I hope you didnt chuck in too many. My concern would be that they are so efficient that they have eaten all there is to eat, and then you'll need to start feeding them. I had this problem, I chucked in a redfoot moon snail and 6 margarita snails, and within 7 days they had 90% of all the rocks clean, though i didnt have the diatom algae in this one tank, more of a brown green algae that was just covering my rocks.

 

I was fortunate enough to have another tank that was far enough along in it's cycle to put the a couple of the marg snails in it to help clean it up, and once they are done with that one, the other tank should be far enough along in it's cycle to chuck them into that tank, to then balance out the load amongst all 3 tanks so that I dont have to get food just for them (whatever that might be).