Cynobacteria/Red Slime Algae: A Success Story (Long)

[Bobby Bhamra]

Well, I spent years fighting what seems like a loosing battle with
consistent Cynobacteria battles (I always seemed to have perfect levels of
nitrite, ammonia, phosphate etc.). It used to get everywhere in my tank
spreading like wildfire. After 3 years its seems to have finally gone. Heres
how I done it, hopefully it may help some of you out!

The following seems to have made no difference:
- Cleaning; Removing the rocks and scrapping the crap off. Helped but always
returned within hours
- Frequent water changes; Even though I used RO and a gravel cleaner, it
never seemed to help
- Silica/Phosphate remover; complete waste of money
- Good water chemistry and quality

What I believe had no affect to significantly reduce the problem (but helped
a little):
- Different lighting; every combination of T8 lighting tubes
- Live sand bed; added at an expensive cost. Had to remove more then three
quarters of the sand.
- Increased water circulation; added 2 power heads
- Aggressive cleaning to remove all traces of it in the tank.
- Using a poly filter and high retention carbon

So what I believed helped most:
- A powerful skimmer; I bought a Deltec MC500 ... absolutely awesome. The
crap it took out of the tank absolutely stank! (its been in there for 2
months prior to the tank being cured)
- Better water circulation and increased water drain/return through sump;
Add a second drain pipe to my overflow box and adjusted the powerheads.
- Washed the food (after defrosting in tank water) with clean fresh water
i.e. not putting in the tank the water that had defrosted with the food (the
fish dont seem to mind)
- purchased a sand shifting goby

the above seemed to help alot, but it still came back in small patches.

So ... What finally got rid of the stuff?
Using different salt!

I had read about this and finally tired it. I always used TMC salt and
pretty much swore by it. What really changed my mind to try something
different was when I went to my LFS one day and saw that their tanks had
outbreaks of Cynobacteria (and had never had before) . They used to sell a
couple different salts but had recently changed to TMC only (so you have to
assume that's what they used in their system). I managed to source some Reef
Crystals salt. First water changed made no difference and I could see my
sand taking on that familiar tint of pink. I made a second water change
after a week or so and the stuff hasn't returned since (and every day I
could see it reduce). I also read that changing the salt mixture every 6
months should help it as well (something about the bacteria not liking
change!)

So in summary, if your having problem with Cynobacteria try ...
1. Get yourself a better skimmer
2. Wash your frozen food
3. Use different salt (and change brands every 6 months)
4. Significantly increase water circulation and flow
5. Do frequent water changes with RO

Trust me with a little patience it will go!

HTH

Bob

[John N. Gretchen III]

Great post Bob! I have been contemplating adding a second drain pipe to
my overflow box. Thanks

Bobby Bhamra wrote:
> Well, I spent years fighting what seems like a loosing battle with
> consistent Cynobacteria battles (I always seemed to have perfect levels of
> nitrite, ammonia, phosphate etc.). It used to get everywhere in my tank
> spreading like wildfire. After 3 years its seems to have finally gone. Heres
> how I done it, hopefully it may help some of you out!
>

John N. Gretchen III
Port O'Connor TX
http://www.tisd.net/~jng3

[[email protected]]

Ditto, Great post, I'm looking at getting a better skimmer, and some
Tunze Turbelle's (if I can ever get some in stock)

home.comcast.net/~fish.tank


On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 20:54:46 -0500, "John N. Gretchen III"
> wrote:

>Great post Bob! I have been contemplating adding a second drain pipe to
>my overflow box. Thanks
>
>Bobby Bhamra wrote:
>> Well, I spent years fighting what seems like a loosing battle with
>> consistent Cynobacteria battles (I always seemed to have perfect levels of
>> nitrite, ammonia, phosphate etc.). It used to get everywhere in my tank
>> spreading like wildfire. After 3 years its seems to have finally gone. Heres
>> how I done it, hopefully it may help some of you out!
>>
>
> John N. Gretchen III
> Port O'Connor TX
> http://www.tisd.net/~jng3



http://home.comcast.net/~fish.tank/

[Phil O'Connor]

Always had cyano problems, and more recently dinoflaggelates. The cyano seems
reduced, but the dino is going strong.

-I've always run an excellent skimmer (AquaC Remora, on my 46 bowfront)
-I alwasy thaw frozen food in fresh RO water, never tank water
-Always use Instant Ocean.
-Have tons of water current.
-Frequent water changes with RO.

So the only recommendation I havent tried here is the salt. And I gotta say,
I'm skeptical. I'm not saying you're not right, I'm just saying I see no basis
for that doing anything. Who knows, tho.

One thing that made my blood go cold when reading your post is about your sand
bed. I'm planning to switch from crushed coral to DSB shortly, and I was under
the impression cyano wont adhere to sand. You cant vaccum a sand bed so how
in blazes do you clean it?!?!? Now I'm thinking I'm just gonna be buying into
more hassles of having a sand bed thats 10 times harder to clean than my CC.
*sob*

You didnt mention what your nitrates have been thru this. All recommendations
on helping my tank (none of which have worked) are geared towared reducing
nitrates. But,ya know, my nitrates are around 20-40ppm. Thats not excessive.
Although I will say my dinoflaggelates showed up shortly after my nitrates
tested off the scale when I noticed erratic fish behavior, so I did a quick
emergency 30% water change. (and nitrates have held at 20-40 ever since).

Well, maybe someday, I'll get to post a success story like this myself :-)

Bobby Bhamra wrote:

>
> So in summary, if your having problem with Cynobacteria try ...
> 1. Get yourself a better skimmer
> 2. Wash your frozen food
> 3. Use different salt (and change brands every 6 months)
> 4. Significantly increase water circulation and flow
> 5. Do frequent water changes with RO
>
> Trust me with a little patience it will go!
>
> HTH
>
> Bob

[Kelly]

Have you found salinity or water temperature to effect the cyno at all?

[Bobby Bhamra]

Like I said Phil it was the only thing I was skeptical about too ... and it
took me 3 years to change my mind. I do truely believe that it was a
combination of a few factors, however the change of salt seemed to be the
only thing that finally stopped it coming back. I would say its well worth a
try (but it took a couple of water changes to take effect).

my nitrates tend to be in the 20-40ppm as well ... it doesn't really bother
me that much as i dont keep any inverts (or plan to) ...

I still plan to switch back to a live sand bed ... during my Cyno attacks, i
ended up "peeling" the stuff of the sand using a tank vacuum. Needless to
say, a layer of sand would come up with it. there was nothing i could do
about it! Very expensive!

"Phil O'Connor" > wrote in message
...

> So the only recommendation I havent tried here is the salt. And I gotta
say,
> I'm skeptical. I'm not saying you're not right, I'm just saying I see no
basis
> for that doing anything. Who knows, tho.

John I would strongly recomend this! And you dont need to clamp the starter
line as the water flow keeps it going (smart!). I've got a Eheim 1060 which
I am able to use without "shortening" in my sump

"John N. Gretchen III" > wrote in message
...
> Great post Bob! I have been contemplating adding a second drain pipe to
> my overflow box. Thanks

[Happy'Cam'per]

Hello Reefers
FWIW
I have not got a marine tank (yet) but I do have experience with planted
tanks and Cyanos. According to a plant mailing list I'm subscribed to it
seems that cyano appears in tanks that are nutrient defficient. There is a
tight bond between NO3 and PO4. Phosphate is needed in order for plants to
take in Nitrates. If either of these falls below a certain level thats what
opens a window for the BGA to thrive, high DOC coupled with low nutrient
levels can be disastrous. I have tested this myself and with optimal levels
of NO3 & PO4 (and excellent water quality) the BGA is 99% gone. Maybe you
reefers can apply this same principal to your setups?? Just a thought :)
I really doubt that Cyano is related to bad salt mixes.
--
**So long, and thanks for all the fish!**

[Marx]

Many belives, that exccesive PO4 causes cyano, and there are advices to
put DI filter after RO to reduce it (?)

[_]

I am personally convienced that water circulation lighting is the main
cause.