Cyano Question

[Jono]

I'm starting to get a good bit of cyano on my sand bed. I'm not alarmed by this as I am new and it seems like this is one of those "it happens to everyone" kind of things. I ran out of my hanna phosphate reagent so I can't test that right now, but they have never been high. I have more coming in the mail tomorrow or Thursday. Here is the kicker....we are leaving in 2 hours to go to the hospital to start having our first child (wife is being induced). I will obviously be away from the tank for a few days. Is it going to get bad enough to hurt corals in the next few days, or should I not worry and just let it be. (either way, I'm not going to worry, I'll be al little pre-occupied). I figure I could at least shut off the lights, but I don't know how that will be on the corrals. 

[WV Reefer]

1 hour ago, Jono said:

I'm starting to get a good bit of cyano on my sand bed. I'm not alarmed by this as I am new and it seems like this is one of those "it happens to everyone" kind of things. I ran out of my hanna phosphate reagent so I can't test that right now, but they have never been high. I have more coming in the mail tomorrow or Thursday. Here is the kicker....we are leaving in 2 hours to go to the hospital to start having our first child (wife is being induced). I will obviously be away from the tank for a few days. Is it going to get bad enough to hurt corals in the next few days, or should I not worry and just let it be. (either way, I'm not going to worry, I'll be al little pre-occupied). I figure I could at least shut off the lights, but I don't know how that will be on the corrals. 

 

Shut the lights and up the flow. You should be fine long enough for the kid to make it out. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Oh yeah,

 

congrats. 🎉 

[Aurortpa]

Congrats!

 

[Jono]

Well MOST importantly I have a beautiful healthy baby girl and my wife is doing great. We just got home. 


My parents were here taking care of my dogs and I think my dad turned the lights back on lol. I'm positive I turned them off before I left, but that is not the case when I walked in. Red Cyano EVERYWHERE. It's actually not as bad as I thought it'd be, but there is a lot. Reckon I'll siphon it all out and do a water change, and then start testing regularly for phosphate since the reagent came in. Interestingly enough, all of my corals look better than they have ever looked. Guess they like a dirty tank! 

[WV Reefer]

13 minutes ago, Jono said:

Well MOST importantly I have a beautiful healthy baby girl and my wife is doing great. We just got home. 


My parents were here taking care of my dogs and I think my dad turned the lights back on lol. I'm positive I turned them off before I left, but that is not the case when I walked in. Red Cyano EVERYWHERE. It's actually not as bad as I thought it'd be, but there is a lot. Reckon I'll siphon it all out and do a water change, and then start testing regularly for phosphate since the reagent came in. Interestingly enough, all of my corals look better than they have ever looked. Guess they like a dirty tank! 

Congrats!!

 

 

 

[Jono]

Alright so new question on the cyano....what is causing this? 

My ammonia, nitrites are at 0. Nitrates are a hair above 0. Phosphates are at 0 (I'd like them a smidge higher but I havn't been feeding as much since the fish are in a QT tank).  

With none of the "usual culprits", what would cause it? I test before a water change, after a water change, 1 day and 2 days after a water change. 

I have read that MH bulbs going out can cause it because of the light spectrum changing, but the cyano would still need nutrients...right? Maybe it's just the bulbs.

 

Edit to say: I understand stuff takes time to get rid of, but I'm just trying to understand the root of it all. I like learning as much as  I can, not looking for a "quick fix" necessarily. 

[Aurortpa]

I’m trying to work through this myself. I have gotten most of mine to “stay away” but there seems to be a tiny spot that pops up here and there.

 

I have been researching, and besides the typical reactions on what to do about it, some theorize it involves an imbalance between phosphates and nitrates as they are trying to level out, furthermore that actually trying to keep the water too clean can actually play a role in this. I have read where some even give up on nopox, as their tanks start getting cyano outbreaks because of such imbalance. Of course nutrients, flow, and other variables can play a role. Exactly what is that balance, I’m still looking—seems it comes with a list of factors people have been playing trial and error with.

 

Cyano is natural as it played a role in the natural development of environments. IMO it’s a matter of just not letting it get out of hand while your system finds it’s balance and matures.