Cyanobacteria outbreak

[Shelby1317]

I added a DSB to my reef about 6 weeks ago and have started to getting a lot of red cyano popping up all over the tank. All parameters test normal with the exception of my nitrates which are at about 10 ppm. I have never had any cyano problems in the last 4 years the tank was set up as a berlin system. I have always battled to get my nitrates under 20 ppm and have never had a cyano problem even when nitrates were above 60 ppm. Is this bloom a normal progression of a DSB? What can I do to get this under control?

TIA
Shelby

 

[Anonymous]

Yes usually a little bloom is normal, stays localized to the sand and crashes in a week or two.

 

[Shelby1317]

This bloom is beginning to creep onto the liverock. Should I ride it out for another week and see?

 

[Shelby1317]

Are there any additives???? Or anything to put in the tank to help this problem???? I read on Garf that the mexican hermit crab eat the bacteria. Does anyone have success with this?? Anyone with suggestions??

 

[Jeff Hood]

Well I started a 75 gallon tank last year with a 4 inch sand bed and never had any nitrates.

I did have a nasty cyano bloom that lasted for several months. I was stupid and tried to kill it with the Slime remover which was erythromycin. It killed it but it came back with a vengence because I did not remove the cause. I continued very little water changes and rode it out. It did go away by itself. It seemed that stiring up the tank with a power head made it worse also. When I just left things alone and fed the tank it just was gone over a month or so.

Just be patient and work on controlling nutrients. It will eventually burn itself out. People told me the same thing also and I did not listen and got inpatient. I will someday learn.

Jeff