Cad-Lights 50G Artisan Rimless Starphire Cube Build!

[Cliff]

By looking at the pics of your tank (first 2 pages of this journal), I'm thinking you might have some dead spots in the front of and behind your rocks

I would try setting you current powerhead to move water infornt of your rock and add a second one to move water behind your rock.

But keep in mind, it's hard for me to be accurate here as I can't actually see the water moving. This is just my best guess based on my experiances

[HeXoM]

By looking at the pics of your tank (first 2 pages of this journal), I'm thinking you might have some dead spots in the front of and behind your rocks

I would try setting you current powerhead to move water infornt of your rock and add a second one to move water behind your rock.

But keep in mind, it's hard for me to be accurate here as I can't actually see the water moving. This is just my best guess based on my experiances

I dont think I have dead spots because when I stur up the sand the debris is blasted all over the tank. I dont see anything settling to the bottom. My overflow also sucks water near the bottom of my big shelf rock.
I can try to point my returns near the back of the tank.
I might even buy another korallia today.

Is it a good idea to keep my lights off for a few days too?

[Cliff]

From what I've read, the three best things to do get ride of cayno is:
- ensure no deadspots & good water flow
- remove the food supply (nirates and phosphates)
- and clean it up

Just make sure you have no dead spots along with everything else you are planning on doing and you should be fine. You could point the one return next to the power head behind the rocks and leave the other one as is. That might be worth a try.

I would not cut back on your lighting yet as your coral my not like it

[hockeyhead019]

I'd say a blackout day could be needed if it's really bad... I'm talking like tank engulfing, but assuming you haven't reached anywhere near that point yet I'd just let it run it's path and make sure you siphon it out when you do WC's.

[HeXoM]

Just did a 10 gallon water change while siphoning everything up.
I also blasted the cyano off the rocks as well.

Also rinsed the cyano that was sitting on my cheato.
I will probably do another 10 gallon water change on Saturday.

I hope all this work will pay off.

I'm also going to buy another 1050gph Korallia.

[kaybee]

...Phosphate: undetectable with API Test Kit...

IMO this test kit brand isn't accurate enough for low range phosphate testing.

As I understand it, API's PO4 test kit only measure's phosphate down to 0.25ppm (it displays different colors for the following incremental levels: 10ppm, 5ppm, 2ppm, 1ppm, 0.5ppm, then 0.25ppm followed by 0.0ppm.

0.ppm-0.25ppm is actually a huge span (and to my eyes the colors on the API chart for 0ppm and 0.25ppm are very similar).

Readings as low as 0.03ppm are sufficient to fuel cyanobacteria. A PO4 level of 0.12ppm (4x the level sufficient to enable cyano growth), or any level between 0.05-0.20ppm will most likely appear as a 0ppm reading with API's kit.

You may want to try to find a test kit or device that can test levels that are lower than 0.10ppm but greater than 0ppm.

I personally use a low-range phosphate photometer which can detect phosphate levels down to 0.01ppm.

[Cliff]

I have found this test kit to be accurate and easy to read

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/revi...ct=423&cat=500

[HeXoM]

I wanted to get Salifert test in the begining but they are expensive.
I own 3 Salifert test kits for my calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. They are are great.

I'll definitely buy the Salifert nitrate and phosphate. I might even get the silicate kit as well.


So far I've had my lights off for 3 days, done three 10 gallon water changes (while siphoning the sand), repositioned my returns and powerhead to get more flow in low flow areas, and feeding once a day with rinsed out mysis.
I'll probably do one more water change and I will turn the lights back on. My corals are doing fine. They seem to be hanging in there.
I turned my light on today and the water was cyrstal clear. Looked like I ran ozone with a uv steralizer lmao. I have never seen water so clean and clear. My sand is pure white again.

I just hope, when I turn my lights back on, I wont have any of this algae growing back. My phosphate reactor has been running for a week now, so I hope it lowered my phosphates and silicate.

I also just bought another Koralia 1050gph powerhead from petmountain.com. Got it for $36 and 2 more things to make it $60 so I get free shipping : )
Great sale guys, sale is ending on the 2nd.

I'll keep you guys updated.
I'm fighting this thing hard and I just hope it pays off.

[hockeyhead019]

I think the extra flow will help and the phosphate reactor has probably been working non stop to get rid of all the extra since when the algae dies it re-releases phos into the water column... good to hear you got things cleared up though! Maybe some pics???

And hopefully they stay nice and cleared up for you!

[HeXoM]

Ya man, I just hope.


I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

I also raised my PH to 8.3. Read that nuisance algae can't grow as well in high PH. So I hope that helps as well.

I did 4 things to get rid of this without any meds.
I feel good : )