The Cyanobacteria can be caused by poor or old light?

[Brian]

Hi friends. My tank is infected with cyanobacteria and I dont know the cause.

I make 50% water change 4 days back
water temp 27-30C (extremes)
old spiral bulbs 9 months old
I use Excel overdose
I have CO2
I use Cycle (the tank was alredy cicle but I add Cycle after that)
The substrate is 2 weeks old Eco complete
Plants healty, I use flourish
The only algae is cyanobacteria

I wonder what is causing cyano.

[trenac]

Usually low nitrates are the cause of BGA, which is actually a bacteria.

[Brian]

I will take the test tomorrow. It can be caused by fish food?

[goalcreas]

I find it grows in low flow areas (still water) more then high flow (moving water) areas also.

[Brian]

But my aquarium have good water movement i think. Mi filter is 500 GPH.

The food is Hikari Discus bio-gold. The food can cause the algae? I have 1 corydora for clean. the only posibility of cyano that I think is water temp, old spiral bulbs, food and pphosphate. I need to fert potassium? I think that high phosphate in water and low potassium can lead to algae???

[waterfaller1]

In my experience overfeeding & inadequate flow is the biggest cause of cyanobacteria. Another thing that will bring it on is damage to your biological filter..ie: meds..chemicals...etc.
Old lighting can also lead to cyano{in low flow} and/or hair algae{in high flow}

[Brian]

I think that is lightning because I has hair algae before cyano but died in 3 days and cyano apears.

water test:

NO3: 5 mg/l
PO4: 1 mg/l

the same as the water that I introduce in W/C

I think that it is the old light

[Wildcat03]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian
I will take the test tomorrow. It can be caused by fish food?

Hi'

I had some cyanobacteria in my 53 gal tank...It was too hard to see my tank in poor condition and I didn't know what to do against it !

But after a 4 day Blackout and a serious reduction of frozen food, cyanobacteria never came back.
My water parameters were normal (NO3=10mg/l, PO4=1~1.5mg/l, Fe=0.1mg/l, CO2=25mg/l, I add Traces elements with TE mix by Greg.W), my fishes were well and don't seems to be ill. My rams often spawn...But cyano still here !

I think frozen food (everyday like I did) cause cyanobacteria and don't increase fishes condition !

I hope this helps

Regards

Wildcat

[Brian]

WildCat thanks for your reply and waterfaller1. The food not is frozen is Hikary Discus bio-gold. I do the blackout and cyano die very fast in 2 days but it come back more fast!!! I descarted all possible reazons and the only thing that it can be is the old light. I going to change all the spirals and tubes for new ones. and see what happen

[Wildcat03]

> WildCat thanks for your reply > Ok

> Cyano die very fast in 2 days but it come back more fast >

Do you make water change after blackout ?
A W.C is higly recomended after a blackout, because algae dead during it leave some waste in water column...You must remove this !
Then, if cyano stay in your tank, it's maybe due to over Fert ?

It was probably my problem too...so I have proceeded like that :
50% Water change > 4 day blackout > 50% Water change > light reduced to 8 Hour > Begining Fert normaly.

give us news,

Wildcat

[Brian]

Do you make water change after blackout ?

Yes, 25% every week, Today I start a 2-3 days blakout and do 50% W/C and tomorrow I going to change the light for new fluorecents and put a fan on it.

[Fikus]

I agree with Trenac that a low Nitrates are the major cause for BGA. Anyhow, now when BGA is in your tank, having in mind that Cyano is not a true algae but a bacteria, try to use of Erythromycin combined with blackouts. Recently, I had a same problem with one tank and there are a few steps in order to solve a problem with a slime one...

The procedure was as follows:

1st day 25% WC including sucking of all infected areas in the tank.
4-5mg/l Erythromycin, 3 days blackout without filtration (just be patient so much)
4th day 25% WC




Rgds,


Filip Todorovic

[Brian]

Where I can buy Erythromycin?

[goalcreas]

Most pet stores (online or walk in's) have it in the medication section.
It is sold under that name or other names with that being the product.
Things like Maricyn and others are up to 100% Euthromyacin?
Typically they come in tablets that look like Alka-Seltzers and you put one per 10 gallons of water for the first treatment, then one a day for the duration of the treatment.

I have never done this and/or actually used it, so I might be a little off in the method, but it is the right idea.

[Fikus]

In addition, I'm sure that every pharmacy has that antibiotic available in the stock. If not try to find it under some different brand names: show all 18 brand names.

Just keep in mind that needed dosage should be 4-5mg/l.


Filip Todorovic

[Guillermo]

I made the 4 day blackout procedure with erythromicin... bye bye BGA, I ran some activated carbon after the treatment for 2 days just to be safe, and a big W/C as well.

Just my 2 cents.

[Wildcat03]

Originally Posted by Guillermo

I made the 4 day blackout procedure with erythromicin... bye bye BGA, I ran some activated carbon after the treatment for 2 days just to be safe, and a big W/C as well.

Just my 2 cents.

Good thing ! Happy to read that...
Now you can enjoy your tank !

keep update,

Wild

[Guillermo]

Hi Wildcat, thanks. Sorry I forgot to mention this treatment was made a long time ago (maybe 3 years) I was just giving input for Brian´s cyano.

Regards

[Brian]

I finally encunter the problem,

0 nitrates

I bought KNO3
and making a great cleaning the algae stop growing