|
06/22/2018, 11:01 PM | #1 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 364
|
Handling cyanobacteria in a macro tank
So I have macro algaes in both the DT and refugium, and I cant seem to keep cyanobacteria away. My macros in the DT dont grow that well and tend to get tons of detritus on them. However, in the refugium, its getting swarmed by cyanobacteria like every week and a half, some im constantly having to use chemiclean. I clean the algae and they do grow a bit in the refugium, but how do you guys keep cyano from coming, especially when the nitrate is above 5 ppm and phosphate at about 0.3 to 0.5? Its a losing battle for me all the time since when the cyano grows, its attaches to my plants and ends up killing them a bit. Do you have any pumps in the refugium to help blow the plants around bc its pretty calm water down there and I dont know if its just too calm.
|
06/23/2018, 01:00 PM | #2 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 1,882
|
Even in mature reef tanks, cynobacteria is alive and well. Even when phosphate is undetectable in water column, cynobacteria can convert inorganic phosphate in calcium phosphate substrate into organic phosphate using a biofeedback loop as discribed by Randy Holmes Farley. Cynobacteria is the “nitrogen pump” for planet earth my converting free nitrogen gas into ammonia.
With your situation, you must remove cynobacteria with siphon and vacume. Encourage your desirable macro by frequent pruning to encourage growth. Both macro pruning and cyno vacuuming will export nutrients. Why is there so much detritus? While I have used chemi clean, I will not use it again. Did you have much detritus before introduction of chemicals?
__________________
Laissez les bons temps rouler, Patrick Castille Current Tank Info: 10,000G. Greenhouse Macro Growout |
06/23/2018, 09:14 PM | #3 |
Registered Seaweedist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 5,807
|
Increasing current can help with cyano. It sounds like it has become chemiclean resistant now, in your tank. Try a thorough manual removal, then a four day black out. Keep favoring your macros as best you can. Eventually you'll win. I had cyano for three months before finally conquering it. It was hell.
__________________
As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018 |
06/24/2018, 09:09 PM | #4 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 364
|
Quote:
Heres what I think is happening. My macros in the refugium grow well under a new LED grow bulb. I then take the extras thats have been getting bigger and putting them in the top DT. My LEDs on the top DT have become bad (I think) so the LEDs just dont produce enough of the right kind of light and the plants grow/wither slowly. I have gracilaria hayi, bryothamnion, codium, gracilaria, Cymopolia barbata, red grape, and galaxaura in the DT. None seem to grow well. The bryothmion is at the bottom of the tank near high flow areas, and I cant tell its grown at all, it just get algae all over it so Im constantly having to scrub it (huge huge pain). The barbata kind of grows off and on. The red grape had all the grapes drop off and now is just started to produce more (its at the bottom too). The Hayi and galaxaura where higher up in high flow areas, same thing for them. So as the DT plants dont do well, the excess nutrients causes cyano to flourish in the refugium (it grows really close to the grow light). Eventually it starts growing on the refugium plants, they get choked off, die and add more nutrients. I then do the chemiclean and kill off the cyano and repeat for a week. I try removing the cyano in the refugium, I wipe it off the walls etc. It just starts growing on all the plants, and I cant vaccum it off. It seems doing a freshwater dip of the plants will kill it bc the bacteria is so sticky. |
|
06/24/2018, 09:10 PM | #5 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 364
|
Quote:
|
|
06/25/2018, 05:08 AM | #6 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 1,882
|
Quote:
__________________
Laissez les bons temps rouler, Patrick Castille Current Tank Info: 10,000G. Greenhouse Macro Growout |
|
06/25/2018, 01:05 PM | #7 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Beebe Arkansas
Posts: 421
|
Anytime you change light source suddenly you run the risk of throwing things into shock.
__________________
Live while you can or one day you will look back and regret it. |
06/25/2018, 07:23 PM | #8 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 364
|
Quote:
|
|
06/25/2018, 07:26 PM | #9 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 364
|
Quote:
Last night, I was even looking to see if I could supplement the light by adding an LED fixture on tip meant for planted freshwater. Something cheap though, like 40 bucks. Like this: https://www.marinedepot.com/Current_...LTFILD-vi.html |
|
|
|