Cyano

[tabblet15]

Just wondering if cyano can be brown? I have a 10 gallon setup for about 2 months and i'm getting this stringy brown algea growing on the sandbed.

[reefBoyDc]

Yep, most likely cyano. Watch your imports (feeding), maximize your exports (skimming, water changes) and run carbon and a phosphate remover if you can. It should go away in a couple weeks.

[reefBoyDc]

Originally Posted by reefBoyDc

It should go away in a couple weeks.

if your tank is not overstocked. WHat's in there?

[tabblet15]

I dont have much and i've been doing a lot of WC. I have a Bicolor Blenny, 4 snails,4 hermits,yellow polyps,button polyps,and green shrooms. I hardly feed cause the blenny picks at the algea(not the cyano) and stays fat.

[tabblet15]

Oh yea, i don't have a skimmer, i would regularly do 2 gallon WC's a week with R/O water but i bumped it up to about 1 gallon every other day cause of the cyano.

[tdwyatt]

Originally Posted by tabblet15

Just wondering if cyano can be brown? I have a 10 gallon setup for about 2 months and i'm getting this stringy brown algea growing on the sandbed.

Brown, purple, blue-green, bright green, red, black, almost yellow, and brown depending on the specie.

[Loverotties]

Yep ,usually with a new tank.Keep doing WC and it will go away!

[whatevva]

Mine was a nice shade of purple. Kinda pretty actually. Even prettier as it was travelling through a siphon tube

[tabblet15]

lol well i'll just keep up w/ the water changes, but do yall recommend any kind of carbon or something like purigen,chemi-pure,etc. i am not running anything currently.

[Doug1]

1 gallon WC on a 10 gallon tank is only going to drop nutrient level by 10% max, meanwhile you have biological processes that are ongoing and adding to the battle
A series of larger WCs say 50% will accomplish more in a shorter time

[tabblet15]

So Doug, you say large WC in a series of 2-3 in 1 or 2 weeks will be better? Than 1 gallon WC once a day in a week.

[tdwyatt]

Originally Posted by tabblet15

So Doug, you say large WC in a series of 2-3 in 1 or 2 weeks will be better? Than 1 gallon WC once a day in a week.

you do need to maintain your normnal 10% water changes with the system in balance. With systemic issues where large water changes may be necessary, 50% of temperature-, salinity-, and pH-balanced water is necessary to effect significant change, whether the system is 10 gllons or 300 gallons TVol. Performing these in series over several days will drive the drops in nitrate and phosphate needed to see positive effects on the system. Then you can return to your normal husbandry schedule.

Originally Posted by unknown author

...the answer to polution is dilution...

One your system gets to the nutrient level you desire, maintenance is a matter of exorting nutrients at the rate you are adding them. This usually means taking every opportunity possible to remove nutrients that may be accumulating, and limiting your inputs of sources of nutrients (feedings, poor quality carbon, additives, etc.) to only those absolutely necessary as well.


HTH