Nasty Cyano

dtbradly · #1 10/24/2006, 08:57 AM

I believe i have a case of cyanobacteria (reddish marroon color on my sandbed). What is the best way to get rid of it? I have a pretty small cleanup crew of 6 snails , should i get more? Any other kind of critters that would help with this?

joeycadre · #2 10/24/2006, 10:18 AM

check for phosphates and add more flow!

dtbradly · #3 10/24/2006, 10:45 AM

I will check for phosphates, I have about 700 gph on my 29. Do i really need more or should i be fine if i redirect it better?

neuroslicer · #4 10/24/2006, 03:10 PM

One word for the red slime: Mexican red legged hermit crabs....

er.... that's 5 words....

joeycadre · #5 10/24/2006, 04:42 PM

cyno will only grow where there is low flow. or at least that's what i've always read and heard.

Codeman00 · #6 10/24/2006, 05:00 PM

I had a bout of cyano that was around for about 6 weeks. I tried everything I could....more flow, water changes, etc. Almost nightly, I would pull the stuff out in sheets. It apparently just ran its course naturally and finally went away.

teena · #7 10/24/2006, 07:54 PM

i have the same thing in my 29g, i suck some of it out with a small hose when i do a water change but most of my sand goes with it, and the next day its back on the sand, if i get that crab he will get it off the sand, should i use my mag to get it off the glass?

dtbradly · #8 10/25/2006, 09:07 AM

From some research i have done, there is not much you can do about it but wait for the tank to go through its phase (mine should be a phase since it is still early on). I got some more snails and some blue leg hermits to try to stay on top of it. i also read somewhere else not to disturb it by cleaning off the glass and what not because that supposedly just spreads it. So i guess it is just matter of waiting. I can't really change my flow too much, because if i point the flow towards the sand anymorethere is going to be a storm.

Codeman00 · #9 10/25/2006, 09:15 AM

I totally agree except for the disturbing part. My theory was to keep removing it in sheets off the sandbed and sooner or later whatever was feeding it will be removed from your system. I did a lot of things to try to get rid of it and none of it helped. It's just part of the tank cycle.

grahammcb · #10 10/25/2006, 11:02 AM

I have had the same problem in the past and agree with everything that has been said. However one thing that did help me the most was adding a dragon goby to my tank. He is constantly sifting through the sand and I have not had a problem with it since.

nam2212 · #11 10/25/2006, 03:29 PM

I used a product called Chemiclean. It is sold at Kermit's and works really well.

Blindside · #12 10/25/2006, 04:29 PM

The "RED"

Do you have a UV sterilizer?

dtbradly · #13 10/26/2006, 08:15 AM

No UV Sterilizer. I added some more snails and blue legged crabs, they have taken a pretty good chunk out of it.

Blindside · #14 10/26/2006, 11:22 AM

I dont know a whole lot still learning but I was having all kinds of problemsuntill I got one. Knock on wood but Haven't had any problems since last Christmas.