My battle plan for cyano

[wantvws]

I have red slime starting in my tank so here is my battle plan. I have put Pura Phoslock in my canister filter (my phosphate level of my tap water in .25ppm) and have rearranged my powerheads to increase flow to the center of the tank, where most of the red is. I am going to cut my light cycle down to 4-5 hours a day. I put a wad of chaeto in the tank also, hoping this might choke out the red menace and the little bit of hair algae. I am going to cut the feedings back a little also (my chromis will be sad ).
I have another Magnum 350 canister filter that I might try and run charcoal in...is this a good idea? Also, does it matter if I run the lights for 5 hours straight or can I run them in two 2 1/2hr cycles a day?
As far as the slime that's in the tank, do I have to vacuum it out? It's difficult to vacuum because I suck up too much sand (sugar sized aragonite). If I leave it will it make it that much harder to get rid of? What if I just stir the sand and kinda "bury" it?
Thanks in advance!!!!
Robbie

 

[Max]

If you reduce your phosphate level ,"for good" and reduce your light level for a while you should deal with it nicely. Your plan sounds pretty good but, in the long run it would be far less expensive and more reliable to go with ro or distilled water. If you decided to go with distilled though make sure the still is non metalic or uses stanless steel as the heat source!
hth
Max

 

[archer772]

Well I think your idea is good but do you have corals and what kinds do you have because you might be able to leave the lights off for a couple days straight. I would hook up the other magnum with charcoal, and I would get a turkey baster and use that to suck out as much of the cyno as you can. DONT stir up the sand bed that could make it worse, and do 25% wc each week if at all possible with ro water

 

[wantvws]

Well I think your idea is good but do you have corals and what kinds do you have because you might be able to leave the lights off for a couple days straight.

No corals...just 5 chromis, a blenny, a clown, and a herd of hermits. Maybe I could just run the lights for and hour or so at feeding time(s).

I would hook up the other magnum with charcoal, and I would get a turkey baster and use that to suck out as much of the cyno as you can.

Turkey baster...cool. I'm going to hook up the other Magnum tomorrow.

DONT stir up the sand bed that could make it worse,

Oops.

and do 25% wc each week if at all possible with ro water

I am doing a water change this coming weekend, but I don't have a RO unit yet. It's coming, but not for a little while. I hope the Phoslock will hold me over until I get one. Buying RO water is also tough, as I would have to get 35g per wc, and 1-2g per day for top offs. So I hope to limp along with Phoslock and tap water for now.
Thanks for the quick reply...AC rocks!
Robbie

 

[Reefscape]

As you have no corals, get the lights off...at the moment they maybe doing more harm than good...and i agree with your plan of attack on this...Have you read our srticle in the Marine article section regarding issues such as this?

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=60

Niko

 

[wantvws]

I did read the one "red tide in marine tanks".
I will turn the lights on for feedings only.
I'll keep you posted!
Thanks!!
Robbie

 

[Max]

I sooooooo hope it's not red tide ! I really mean that if it is it will call for a drastic treatment regamin.

 

[wantvws]

I sooooooo hope it's not red tide ! I really mean that if it is it will call for a drastic treatment regamin.

It doesn't look like it to me. It looks identical to the red cyano in other threads.
I can post a pic if you want.
Thanks!
Robbie

 

[wantvws]

Well, it seems to be working:headbang2:. The red menace has started to retreat...although there is a large-ish section in the sand bed right in the center of the tank that is holding it's ground. I moved a powerhead so that it's getting more flow and I expect this bit to give up the fight soon enough.
I'd post a pic but I don't have a card reader with me.
Robbie