Best treatment for spirulina

[l8_apex_it]

Update:

• I performed the 2nd treatment using 2x chemiclean about 2 to 3 weeks after the first treatment
• I did a 20% water change about 3 days after dosing and vacuumed the sandbed pretty well
• Based on a suggestion for cyano from another reefer, I started dosing Brightwell Aquatics Microbacter7 (MB7) using the suggested higher dosage. I have been turning the skimmer off in the morning and dosing before work. I come home and turn the skimmer back on
• I have done this for the last week

Now it may be purely coincidental but my acan is looking better than it ever has. My kryptonite candycane is actually looking puffy for the first time. Frogspawn is actually looking decent too. I hope that this new trend continues!

 

[malacoda]

Any further updates? We you able to finally conquer the spirulina with your last chemiclean regimen (outlined above)?

 

[becks]

Does vibrant clear spirulina? Might be worth trying that?

 

[l8_apex_it]

Any further updates? We you able to finally conquer the spirulina with your last chemiclean regimen (outlined above)?

After my last round of chemiclean, I followed it up with starting MB7. Since October I have been Spirulina free. I still add the MB7 once a week or so. The addition of MB7 was based on others and their experience.

 

[l8_apex_it]

Does vibrant clear spirulina? Might be worth trying that?

Based on what I have read from the Vibrant thread - yes it should go after the spirulina. There is a progression of algae that it goes after. I'm not sure where spirulina is in the order though.

 

[twilliard]

So far through testing I am not seeing any direct impact to cyanobacterium with that product.
I do believe the claims of cyanobacteria removal is due to reduction of specific nutrients and not directly attacking bacterium cells as none is noted using microscopy.

 

[TheEngineer]

I have been fighting back what I thought was cyano but turned out to be spirulina. In the past, I have dosed chemiclean at the instructed levels and been able to beat it back. A few times I did three rounds back to back with a 20% water change after each. It still came back. I'm going to try two rounds back to back at 1.5x the dosage with a 20% wager change at 72 hours. Thanks as always go to @twilliard

 

[BlueCursor]

I had a nasty outbreak of red spirulina in my refugium. Did H2O2 test and it definitely was not cyano. Funny thing was, it was coating everything in my fuge but there was none to be found in my DT.

I finally figured it out. I had switched from 2 100 W 38 PAR 5000k LED bulbs to 2 75 W 32 PAR 5000k from a different manufacturer. Once I went back to my original 2 bulbs, the stuff started dying and cleared up.

 

[becks]

So far through testing I am not seeing any direct impact to cyanobacterium with that product.
I do believe the claims of cyanobacteria removal is due to reduction of specific nutrients and not directly attacking bacterium cells as none is noted using microscopy.

You may be correct because all I had in my tank was cyano and vibrant did not seem to impact it, well it looked like it initially receded but then grew more a few days after

 

[TheEngineer]

Less than 24 hours after putting carbon back in the tank the spirulina was back. Doing another round of chemiclean now.

 

[StrangeDejavu]

Any further updates? We you able to finally conquer the spirulina with your last chemiclean regimen (outlined above)?

Chemiclean wrecks it. I ID'd mine as spirulina months ago and, with the advice of Twilliard, treated my tank. Within 2 doses it went from red to green and then gone.

 

[TheEngineer]

Mine is apparently a stubborn strain. Did a second dose and it was still there. Did a 10% water change, no carbon and immediately dosed again. Less than 24 hours later and it is starting to grow back again. I'm dosing 85 drops for a 50g tank, so that's more than 1.5x the recommended dose.

 

[coralbeauties]

Is spirulina caused by higher nutrients like cyano? I performed the peroxide test last night and it was unaffected so it is indeed spirulina. I would like to attack the root cause if I can.
thanks
Jeff

 

[Omgitsjoe]

Update:

• I performed the 2nd treatment using 2x chemiclean about 2 to 3 weeks after the first treatment
• I did a 20% water change about 3 days after dosing and vacuumed the sandbed pretty well
• Based on a suggestion for cyano from another reefer, I started dosing Brightwell Aquatics Microbacter7 (MB7) using the suggested higher dosage. I have been turning the skimmer off in the morning and dosing before work. I come home and turn the skimmer back on
• I have done this for the last week

Now it may be purely coincidental but my acan is looking better than it ever has. My kryptonite candycane is actually looking puffy for the first time. Frogspawn is actually looking decent too. I hope that this new trend continues!

Bringing this back from the dead....

What is the " Suggested higher dosage" for Microbacter7?

 

[Biochemophiliac]

Spirulina is a type of cyanobacteria. Look up Arthrospira platensis.

 

[Reefrats]

I’m also battling spirulina. I followed the protocol of running Chemiclean 72 hours, dosing again and running 48 hours, then water change. I will be doing a water change this am. So far no improvement. I’m inclined to double dose Chemiclean this am after my 25% water change. Frustrated.