Recurring Cyano

[pesto]

I have a recurring cyano issue in my refugium. Every eight weeks I get a serious breakout of cyano isolated to my refugium. I use the "Red Slime Remover" and it clears it up ...then eight weeks later it is back. My main tank does not seem to be affected (most likely because I treat it), it seems to only be located in the fuge. Here are some specifics:

1. DSB Refugium with Cheato
2. In 90 Gallon main display I have two Maxi-jet 1200's and on Maxi-jet 900
3. I feed one cube of frozen per day
4. I have a well stocked cleanup crew

Can anyone lead me in a direction to solve this problem once and for all?

 

[s_kelley]

Im tagging along with this one I get it like that also.

 

[sumpmonkey]

Not enough flow bad lights to high of a tds in ro water .Need more system specifics to be able to help you out sorry

 

[wrassefan]

the red slime remover is only a "band aid"...unless you find the source of your problem, it will always come back. The fact that you are having outbreaks in the fuge...I would start there. I guess the question I ask is why do you have a fuge? Is it keeping your nitrates under control? Fuges are usually low flow and maybe you need to put a powerhead in there to keep things moving and suspended in the water. I've never had luck with a fuge and it always caused me problems. Maybe your sandbed is loaded and needs to be switched out. Are all the food you feed getting trapped in there? Those are questions I would start with.

 

[pesto]

I use the fuge for food production for my mandarin's. Also, use it for all of the beneficial reasons around water quality.

I do have low flow in the fuge.

My TDS reads 001 to 002 out of the RO/DI filter. My water parameters are:

Nitrite = 0
Amonia = 0
Ph = 8.4
Nitate = 0
Phosphate = .25
Hardness = 9 dkH
Calcium = 480
Salinity = 1.025
Magnesium = 1300

I daily dose Alk, Cal and Mag with the two part recipe.

 

[Reef_Wizard]

Cut down fuge light and/or change bulb if it is old. Add a small powerhead in fuge to agitate water. You should also rinse frozen food to reduce phosphate and/or run GFO.

 

[pesto]

What size power head? Won't it get continually clogged with Cheato?

 

[Reef_Wizard]

Any small powerhead will work. I use pieces of rocks to prevent ball of chaeto from floating near powerhead and clean loose chaeto debris from powerhead intake every now and then.

 

[63vette427]

I also put a power head in my refugium.. The cheato will get caught in it if your not careful. I have plenty of rocks that can keep the power head away from the cheato. I would say that staying away from the red slime remover. I used it in the past and the cyano only came back shortly after. I only had a small amount but was told only to use it if i really had to. It only kills it for a short while and will come bback stronger each time.. I think adding more flow will help...