Cause cyno/algae outbreak?

[Nemo_0916]

Hey guys what is the common cause for these outbreaks? ANY helpful advice, referenced reading would be great! :)

[Mchava]

I think that the problem might be for bad ro/di water at least thats what I think. Iam currently have same problems in my tank. Now I did read an artivcle on Coral Magazine that said it might have someting to do with low nitrogen in the tank and verry low phospate. It was in first issue is this year. Vol2/Nunber1 which is feb/march issue. but incase you dont have here is the quote from the mag:
"Nuitrient limitations is relatively common in reef aquariums. For Exaple, it may occur when the water coantians too little nitrogen compated to phosporus. Nitrogen limitations it rarely lethal, and only the growth rate of corals and algae will diminish noticeably, and the usualy white growing points(tips) of SPS corals will turn brown. In addition,there may be a sudden outbreake of Cyanobacteria, which are not affected by the nitrogen limitations becuase of the ability to fix nitrogen gas."

Then it goes on the say how to fix the problem but i think the article is to long for me to type but I would recommend any one to pick up a copy or subcription of this book. It has alot of good info on reeftanks from europe and around the world. The new issue talks about leater corals. The nutrient cycle of a reef system.

[loc01]

Over feeding .

Loc

[bennyinca]

In my case it was low flow

[Mchava]

I think I had both. I fixed the flow issue now iam working on the Po3 issue. It seems that the place where I got my water from was not realy the clean for sps tank. I now started to buy RO/DI water from Tongs. I did ask to see the filter set up they use before I bough water from them. I will give it a month and see what happens

[yuhsuen]

Mario

I got the 6 stage 100GPD RO/DI from Aqua Safe systems for like $110 and they have packages for the filters and DI cartridges. When I first started I stocked up so for $220 I am set with the system and all the replacements to last me 2 years. So far I've changed out the cartridges once and TDS is 0 without any detectable levels of phos. Might be a good investment for you.

Steve

[reven]

When I have had it... its been the flow more then anything else. You could try to change the flow and shorten the photoperiod for a couple days to knock it out.

[Mchava]

Well i will get a RO/DI someday but iam alittle worried about the rejection rate of the filters. Its realy high from what I've read. Someting like 1/3-4gallon. Thats using 4-5gallon for only 1gallon of ro/di water. Or 75gallon for a single water change kind of high if you ask me. But i will get one someday.

[Mchava]

actualy this morning i noticed the alot of the cyano has gone away, and my polyp extension has improved dramaticly. I did dose a teaspoon of sugar in my tank to get the bacteria levels up and compete with the cyano. So far so good and my water is crystal clear. If it wasn't for the fact that I see my reflection on the acrylic i would not know there was anyting in front of me.

[Nemo_0916]

WOW guys! Thanks for all the input. I took a few steps to try to combat this (lighting, feeding mainly). W/o a test kit (i loaned it a a fewlloe reefer) hard to tell exactly what it is. I will wait for now but I htink it might be the feeding issue - thing that gets me is that I am currently (have been since the tank started) growing chaeto (light on the fuge runs 24/7) and I still get this problem - the chaeto doens't even grow that much now THAT is what gets me. maybe the bulb needs to be replaced - maybe that is the prob???? Let's look into that as well :) .....

Again, thanks for all the input thus far! :)

[NwG]

As a side note.... CORAL magazine is funny... I don't know if a lot of you guys read it but, you can tell really tell who makes it :) If you don't know it is the guys who make the Ecosystem sumps. You ca ntell because every issue has an article praising Ecosystem products.... I didn't buy into the low nitrogen/ low po4 article... dosen't make any sense to me... How can keeping higher levels of po4 than natural be good for corals? I read it, but don't listen too it :)

[Mchava]

Actualy you dont want to have higher levels of po4 what you want to have is a even consintration of both. See if you have to much po4 and not enogh nitrate then your nitorgen levels will drope cuasing the cyano to grow. Now if you had an even amount of nitrate in your tank then you will have nitrifing bactira in the tank which will compete with the cyano and other algea for nitrogen. And actualy the books is not made here its trancelated from a german magazine. But i know what you meen about them prasing ecosystems.

Just on a side not if you ever look into how the zeovit system works its the same as what they are talking about. When you feed the zeolites your are actualy feeding the nitrifing bactiera which will lower the amount of PO4 in the tank. Have you read the whole articles on Nitrients on the reef tank? If so thing will make it alot ez to understand it.