Cyano frustration

[cocoa_pleco]

zang pointed out another good point, alot of people battle cyano for a long time. One reef store i always go to sells corals out of a 300g long, and alot of the time they have cyano bits allover, and that tank has been set up ever since ive gone to the store, so about 8 years ago.

[gem]

Sorry, shoulda worded that better. I meant not using up all the nutrients via extended photoperiod. That may promote the growth of other nuisence algea like hair algea. Yes, starving the cyano is the best way to go, i'm just not a fan of extending the photoperiod.

I knew what you meant....was reiterating your point and suggesting other ways to use the nutrients. = )

Coco....Exactly. LFS often experience frequent cyano issues....not neccesarily because their water quality is poor, but mostly for lack of LR and things in the display tank to use up the excess nutrients and prevent pest blooms like cyano. With an lfs.....they simply syphon it out as needed rather than battle it, because they know it willb e back. It would not be productive for and lfs to add LR to their sale tanks, as then, they would never be able to catch the fish to sell them. An lfs tank is simply a holding tank between the wholesaler and your home.

[jaymz]

One thing I noticed that no one has mentioned. Yes of course nitrates, phospahtes and all that other stuff feed cyano. I think the real reason for leaving the lights on longer is to promote the growth of hair algea or coraline algea to compete for those nutrients.

BUT flow is the most important thing. cyano can survive on the most minimal of nutrient and light. But it is a slime bacteria it has no root to grab hold of anything. If you have enough power heads in your tank creating a decent amount of flow around the enitre tank the cyano can never grab ahold of anything and start to 'blanket' the fact anyone has cyano means their tank has dead spots of flow.

Just stick your hand in your tank and wave it at a blanket of cyano and watch it float off of what ever it is on.

Working at a lfs my experience is that flow is ultimatly the most important part. You could have filthy water and if you have good flow, no cyano, but you would be feeding the hair algae and that much harder to get rid of.

Flow+clean water = no cyano

[cocoa_pleco]

old thread

[jaymz]

Its only a month old and I was just trying to add something that has not been mentioned for people who are battling cyano..

cyano is too easy to get rid of