# Cyanobacteria in tank...how to stop???



## Michelle9843 (May 19, 2011)

I am starting to see cyanobacteria in my 75 gallon tank. It has been up and running for almost a year, not sure why all of the sudden it has appeared. Any thoughts on it, and how to get ride of it?


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## noodle1123 (Aug 7, 2011)

I'm not an expert, I've just started in fishkeeping 
But what I do know is that cyanobacteria is probably the most primitive form of bacteria there is, it is in a way the start to a whole new biodiversity. It accounts for over 20% of the earths photosynthesis (that's why I'm so interested by this ugly and primitive bacteria ) 
I have never experienced it, but in my opinion, it may be easy to get out of your tank, but if not properly eliminated it will quickly come back, I read somewhere that it divides every few minutes and so spreads very easily. Even though it can in a way be regarded as beneficial since it can be important in the nitrogen cycle other cyanobacteria also produce toxins, which can even be dangerous to humans, well, obviously not in small quantities in a fish tank :roll:, but it just shows how damaging it can be. So it's preferable to destroy it in my opinion, but then, I personnaly don't know how, I've never encountered this problem before :-? Iread somewhere that you can kill it with antibiotics? But then you risk creating antibiotic resistant bacteria


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

explain your filtration please.


use RO/DI water only, pre-rinse frozen foods, and cut back your feeding.


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## Michelle9843 (May 19, 2011)

I don't think it's from over feeding as we only feed every other day, to help with those issues. Here is a run down of my tank. It's just strange that we didn't have it before and now all of the sudden it have made it's presents and quickly!

Size: 75 Gallon 
Lighting: Current Fixture- 4 x 48" T-5's (Blue), 2x 150 watt Halide's, 18 Blue/White LED's
Waterflow: 1- Osc. 600 Powerhead, 1-Standard 1200 Powerhead
30 Gallon Sump Tank

2 Clowns
1 Blue Damsel
1 Fire Goby
1 Yellow Head Sleeper Goby
1 Pink Spotted Watchman Goby
1 Coral Beauty
1 Harlequin Shrimp
1 Skunk Shrimp
1 Pink Cucumber
1 Pencil Urchent
Green Bubble Anenoeme
Toadstool Leather Coral
Galaxias Coral
Purple Star Polyps
Green Star Polyps
Armor of the Gods, Zooanthids
2 Feather Dusters
Blue Mushrooms
Green Brain Coral
Orange Montipora
Green Montipora
Orange Acropora
Torch Coral
Nassuris Snails
Turbo Snails
Red/Blue Leg Crabs

Water changes every 2 weeks 10-15%, all water levels kept at 0, and addatives added as needed based on readings.


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

:roll:

i just deleted what i typed.

what are you feeding? liquid phytoplankton? flakes? every 2 days sounds good.

old bulbs? no bioballs or lots of rock in your sump right?
hows your flow? maybe turkey baster as much as you can out then increase flow to start.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Flow, flow,flow. I used tap water for years and never had Cyano. Trates through the roof, and no Cyano. IMO, flow has 90% to do with this. And I don't believe that what you have is moving quite enough water.


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## Michelle9843 (May 19, 2011)

Nothing in sump tank. We could add another powerhead as the Maxi Jet 1200 is an older model and could be replaced with a newer model that osc. the water instead. It's just strange as we had less flow a month ago and we never saw cyano. only now...not sure what changed except maybe the chemistry in the city water???? I think we will try to clean it as much as possible and do R/O water for awhile to see if that helps....just strange I tell ya. I thought maybe some of you had an issue like this before where it just popped up.


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## Michelle9843 (May 19, 2011)

As for the food, we feed the tank a mix really.

Frozen Brine Shrimp
Frozen Mysis Shrimp
Sinking Pellets
Veggie Strips

Starfish Pieces (only give pieces every week or so-Harlequin Shrimp)

Octopus Pieces (small pieces to Anemone) 2-3 times a week as we are trying to nurse him back to help, he was in awful shape when we got him from the LFS, they didn't have anything right for him (no food, wrong lighting, etc)...he's doing MUCH better now! We honestly prob. give him more attention then others, just because of how sensitive he is.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Michelle9843 said:


> Nothing in sump tank. We could add another powerhead as the Maxi Jet 1200 is an older model and could be replaced with a newer model that osc. the water instead. It's just strange as we had less flow a month ago and we never saw cyano. only now...not sure what changed except maybe the chemistry in the city water???? I think we will try to clean it as much as possible and do R/O water for awhile to see if that helps....just strange I tell ya. I thought maybe some of you had an issue like this before where it just popped up.


 Yea, I ran into it before, when I removed a couple powerheads. Within 2 weeks it crept up. I put the powerheads back in, and it went away. Did you move the tank rock around at all and cut off flow to the certain area? Did you move the powerhead around? Did it pitch in a different area?


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## Michelle9843 (May 19, 2011)

We changed out an older less flow powerhead for the new Osc. stronger powerhead, so we actually increased the flow! We did have Power Compacts on it up until about 2 weeks ago, so maybe those bulbs were going out? I am going to try to get as much off as possible with a toothbrush and do another water change with R/O water and see what happens, maybe with our new lights it will help??? I will post an update next week and see where we are at with it. If you can keep tabs on this post I would appreciate it, good to get other's opinions on things...lol

THANKS!


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## Michelle9843 (May 19, 2011)

Still seeing the bacteria growing, and note sure why. We have changed to R/O water and added more flow and scrubbed off the rocks, it's not growing as fast but still growing. Feeding is only every other day so don't think over feeding is the issues. Any other thoughts???


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## JJ77 (Sep 1, 2011)

Reefing Madness said:


> Flow, flow,flow. I used tap water for years and never had Cyano. Trates through the roof, and no Cyano. IMO, flow has 90% to do with this. And I don't believe that what you have is moving quite enough water.


 
So Reef, you use tap water and I am assuming a dechloronater for your SW use?


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

JJ77 said:


> So Reef, you use tap water and I am assuming a dechloronater for your SW use?


 Used to. Not anymore. RO/DI now.


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## JJ77 (Sep 1, 2011)

Reefing Madness said:


> Used to. Not anymore. RO/DI now.


 
As you know, I will have a 30g tall bowfront. When I first start up my tank, and let it cycle a long time before adding soft corals, inverts, and fish (obviously not at the same time); would I be safe to use tap water and just add dechlorinate and let it cycle with carbon filter and live rock until everything reaches 0 (ammonia,nitrates)?


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## sankho (Jun 26, 2011)

How do u know it is cynobacteria or etc., have u seen under the microscope and identified it,or can u give some idea that how to identify cynobacteria.


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## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

JJ77 said:


> As you know, I will have a 30g tall bowfront. When I first start up my tank, and let it cycle a long time before adding soft corals, inverts, and fish (obviously not at the same time); would I be safe to use tap water and just add dechlorinate and let it cycle with carbon filter and live rock until everything reaches 0 (ammonia,nitrates)?


I'd have to say no. Have you tested your tap water to see what it contains? the fish won't have an issue with the water once its been dechlored but corals have a hard time with it. Some Softies will do ok because they like Trates and Phosphates. Unless I read wrong and your just going to use the tap water to cycle your tank, then by all means, that won't hurt anything.


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