Making me crazy!! Freshwater cynobacteria

Marinemom

Marinemom

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Apr 8, 2006
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:help: O.K. I am just about at my wits end with this terrible freshwater cynobacteria that I have going on in two of my freshwater tanks. I have eight tanks with one being a saltwater reef and the others are freshwater in various sizes ranging from 2 gallons to 125 gallons. The 2 tanks in question are my 46 gallon discus tank and my 25 gallon tank that has my hatchets and my rummynoses. So far this problem is just contained and isolated to these two tanks. I am doing everything I can to make sure that I do not cross contamminate and get it into another tank. Anyways this problem started maybe a month ago in my 25 gallon and my 46 about the same time. I do not remember cross contaminating but somehow it is in two of my tanks. Both tanks are fully planted and have very close(about 2.8) to 3 watts of light on the tank. The light is t-5 lighting. The lights are on for around nine hours a day and are on timers so they always have the same schedule. Water changes happen in these tanks on a regular basis every week in the 25 and 2-3 times a week in the discus tank. I have this green slimey cynobacteria algae stuff growing mostly on the bottom of the tank where the eco-complete is and now is covering some of the plants especially in the 25. I am tired of looking at it. I have tried sucking it up with a syphon but it always comes back and seems to get worse. I am not that big on using chemicals but according to the freshwater manager where I work, she swears by a product called Algaefix to be used in the water at the same time as a product called Algone that is placed in the filter. I started to use that two days ago and still see no difference and this crap is growing like wildfire. How do I get rid of this stuff! Maybe I am just being impatient but I think it looks terrible although the fish do not seem bothered by it at all.

Please help!!

Marinemom
 
Cyano generally takes hold when your nitrates hit 0 for an extended period of time which happens easily in a well planted tank (im unfortunately talking from experience) I got rid of it by a 4 day total black out, which killed most of it, then added flourish excel in double doses everyday (some plants are sensitive to it) I don't know what if any ferts you are using, but cyano can fix N so I would add that if that is the problem. If that isn't the problem try the black out.. it worked for me.
 
The blackout is the cheapest route to go and chemical free. It's not necessary to use Flourish Excel against BGA at all.

BGA can show up for a couple of reasons. Low nitrate is the most common one and the reason it always shows up for me. A less common reason is lack of water circulation. Unfortunately once BGA is there, no amount of nitrate addition or manual removal of it will stop it from coming back. It needs to be eradicated first.

Before the blackout do as much manual removal as possible. After the blackout do a big water change and start adding nitrate to keep it from returning.
 
Unfortunately I too can speak from experience here. After battling Cyano with a 4 day blackout and more manual removal than I care to recall, I finally resorted to a five day treatment with Maracyn. I know you said you would prefer not to use chemicals, but Maracyn will definitely work if you get desperate.
 
I wasn't sure if a total blackout would work with cynobacteria or not. Will this really work? I can just unplug the lighting and the timers and cover the whole tank? What about feeding the fish? I am sure that the hatchets and the rummynoses would be fine but what about the discus? They are used to being feed more often and really like thier water changes. They are sub-adults so they are usually fed once a day. If I have to choose between the fish and the plants I like the fish better and will put thier welfare first. At some point I am sure that the fish will not like the cynobacteria either.

About the marycn. If you use that product will it kill the plants? I do like the plants too and would like to save both the fish and the plants. How much marycn do I need to use if I do decide to go that route.

Marinemom
 
I used Blue-Green Algae Remover by UltraLife. I had no adverse affects on my fish, plants, or snails and didn't have a spike related to beneficial bacteria.

This product is amazing. On the box it says it may affect ammonia and oxygen levels but I think that would mostly be due to the decaying algae.

Manually remove as much bga as you can and dose the specified amount. By the next day you ought to be clear.

It's not cheap though.
 
I removed the part of plants where mine was growing on, and after getting the ferts right, the BGA just vanished. Perhaps, I was just lucky.
 
Sammy7 and webcricket are right, Maracyn didn't hurt the plants at all. I just followed the treatment directions on the box and it completely killed the Cyano. Just be sure to remove the dead cyano as soon as the treatment is complete.
 
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