Shallow sandbed stir for cyano?
- Thread starter Bolicks
- Start date
Bolicks
Supporting Member
Current plan is to stir only the top 0.5 inch - but still a little nervous. Did you blackout the sides of the tank too?
No blackout.
BleepBloopMunchMunch
Supporting Member
I’ve both siphoned out sand that had cyano and used a turkey baster to sort of blast the top layer without noticing any ill effect, but I would say use caution and be ready to siphon out in case you accidentally stir up too much, especially if you haven’t touched the sandbed in a long time
xCry0x
Supporting Member
In my experience stirring, blowing, siphoning really does nothing to fix cyano.. at all.
The wrapped tank lights out for a few days can definitely kill it off.
But for me, it's almost always been caused by a nutrient imbalance.
Most recently I was running biopellets on my tank without enough nutrient load to really need bio pellets.
Mild cyano for months. Removed bio pellets & increased bio load.. cyano gone within a week or two.
The wrapped tank lights out for a few days can definitely kill it off.
But for me, it's almost always been caused by a nutrient imbalance.
Most recently I was running biopellets on my tank without enough nutrient load to really need bio pellets.
Mild cyano for months. Removed bio pellets & increased bio load.. cyano gone within a week or two.
Bolicks
Supporting Member
I don't quite follow - are you talking about N/P Redfield ratio type of nutrient imbalance, or just not enough nutrient (Nitrate and phosphate levels)?
Anecdotally, my N/P is 16:0.24 - far from the NSW 16:1. I've also noticed that adding chaeto (Thanks Ashburn!) has reduced the issue - I wonder whether it's soaking up something that I'm not testing for.
The most common imbalance that promotes cyano is zero nitrate but plenty of phosphate, since cyano can use N2 from the air to compensate, whereas other organisms in the tank cannot. Cyano grows fine when all nutrients are up too, but that specific scenario gives it an advantage over the competition.
H2OPlayar
Supporting Member
If cyano is your only issue, I am a fan of Chemiclean, but used in a wet skim fashion to get rid of the high surface tension water, leaving cleaner water behind. I put some details in my tank journal about it, but since starting CC, I have not seen any cyano breakouts (just bryopsis).
I would consider doing this in conjunction with a sand stir, so the skimmer can go into overdrive to pull out things that are stirred up. Also, only stir up 20% of your bed at a time, so the nutrients stuck in the sand aren't all released at once, and your filters have a chance to deal with the nitrates etc.
I would consider doing this in conjunction with a sand stir, so the skimmer can go into overdrive to pull out things that are stirred up. Also, only stir up 20% of your bed at a time, so the nutrients stuck in the sand aren't all released at once, and your filters have a chance to deal with the nitrates etc.
Tip: Use turkey baster jet to clean rocks, wait for crud to settle, THEN siphon sand.
Siphoning sand is far better than stirring.
Truly removes detritus/cyano, instead of just moving it around.
Protein skimmers only remove certain types of crud.
Plus it encourages water changes, always a good thing.
+1 that it will not fix Cyano.
My typical Cyano fight:
First, you need to reduce it down to reasonable levels.
1) Siphon out as much as possible.
2) Hit it with chemiclean one time.
3) Lots of large water changes.
Then, you need to keep it from coming back.
1) Maintain sand bed. Critters, siphoning.
2) Maintain correct N / P ratio. Raise N, lower P.
3) Get a large clean up crew.
All that said, recurring Cyano fights were one of the reasons I ended up going bare bottom.
Siphoning sand is far better than stirring.
Truly removes detritus/cyano, instead of just moving it around.
Protein skimmers only remove certain types of crud.
Plus it encourages water changes, always a good thing.
+1 that it will not fix Cyano.
My typical Cyano fight:
First, you need to reduce it down to reasonable levels.
1) Siphon out as much as possible.
2) Hit it with chemiclean one time.
3) Lots of large water changes.
Then, you need to keep it from coming back.
1) Maintain sand bed. Critters, siphoning.
2) Maintain correct N / P ratio. Raise N, lower P.
3) Get a large clean up crew.
All that said, recurring Cyano fights were one of the reasons I ended up going bare bottom.
Bolicks
Supporting Member
Any tips on selective N/P correction? Would prefer "ecosystem friendly" ones, i.e. not a huge fan of phosphate precipitating chems.
Bolicks
Supporting Member
Perhaps that's why chaeto's been helping. Any major differences in phos. content between frozen foods?
Chaeto results vary. At times it helps, but if Nitrate is really low, it will not do well, plus make N/P ratio even worse.
GFO in a sock in high flow area of sump is an easy and safe phosphate remover.
Suggest smaller amount replaced weekly, not larger amount monthly.
Quality frozen food is definitely better.
But frozen/pellet/flake depends a lot on which brand and type, so it is not that simple.
You can add nitrates (calcium nitrate or potassium nitrate).
That works well in combination with Chaeto/Algae nutrient reduction.
(Sometimes adding iron is needed)
GFO in a sock in high flow area of sump is an easy and safe phosphate remover.
Suggest smaller amount replaced weekly, not larger amount monthly.
Quality frozen food is definitely better.
But frozen/pellet/flake depends a lot on which brand and type, so it is not that simple.
You can add nitrates (calcium nitrate or potassium nitrate).
That works well in combination with Chaeto/Algae nutrient reduction.
(Sometimes adding iron is needed)
RandyC
Supporting Member
Phosphates from rinsing frozen food is negligible and probably not worth the time.
Aquarium Chemistry: Phosphate And Math: Yes You Need To Understand Both
Foods are by far the most important source of phosphate in most aquariums. In considering whether sources of phosphate other than foods are important, one must carefully look to the actual amounts involved to determine whether other sources are even worth trying to minimize.
reefs.com
Bolicks
Supporting Member
Great resource. Looks like frozen mysis is the way to go, protein to phosphate wise.Phosphates from rinsing frozen food is negligible and probably not worth the time.
Aquarium Chemistry: Phosphate And Math: Yes You Need To Understand Both
Foods are by far the most important source of phosphate in most aquariums. In considering whether sources of phosphate other than foods are important, one must carefully look to the actual amounts involved to determine whether other sources are even worth trying to minimize.
xCry0x
Supporting Member
Yup that's what I was referencing.
I'll also add a vote for chemiclean. I used it years ago on my first tank and it worked really well.
The chaeto will probably help!