Cyano and Tropic Marin A and K..

[CHSUB]

~2 months ago did an ICP test and found some trace elements were low. Everything looked good, but decided WC was not enough and started adding these elements. Figured at worst it would help my mangroves. Now in two independent tanks I’m getting Cyano on the gravel. Not bad and stirring causes it to go away, but comes back after a few days. See a connection or no? Nothing else really changed except adding trace elements…

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Cyano needs trace elements just like corals and algae.

 

[CHSUB]

Cyano needs trace elements just like corals and algae.

Yes, haha…Cyano is there always but maybe this stuff is fueling it? Have a decent/good skimmer and use active carbon. Going to cut dosage by 1/2 and see what happens.

 

[geologeek]

Out of curiosity, what trace elements did you dose?

 

[CHSUB]

Tropic Marin A and K Elements. I cut the dose by 75% and was already at 1/2 recommended dose; in less than month no real difference in Cyano. It’s not bad and only on sand but still annoying. I have returned to my original dose. Im going to cut dosing Red Sea AB+ by 50% and see if that has any impact.

 

[geologeek]

Sorry, I had assumed you were targeting specific trace elements to the ICP tests.

As Randy says, cyano likes yummy trace elements too, and if this is truly the only difference you have made, then it makes sense to cut back on dosing and see how it pans out.

Have you tested nitrate and phosphate independent of the ICP testing and seen any changes?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Tropic Marin A and K Elements. I cut the dose by 75% and was already at 1/2 recommended dose; in less than month no real difference in Cyano. It’s not bad and only on sand but still annoying. I have returned to my original dose. Im going to cut dosing Red Sea AB+ by 50% and see if that has any impact.

I've found that supplementing trace elements where there is no demonstrated need can quite often have deleterious effects on a tank.

Keep in mind that an ICP showing a low trace element does not necessarily indicate a need for that element by any of the desired organisms in the tank - trace elements can be consumed readily by undesirables just as easily.

Most ICP vendors provide supplementation advice to bring tank water back to NSW levels - whether those levels are necessary for some organisms seems purely anecdotal.

 

[CHSUB]

Sorry, I had assumed you were targeting specific trace elements to the ICP tests.

As Randy says, cyano likes yummy trace elements too, and if this is truly the only difference you have made, then it makes sense to cut back on dosing and see how it pans out.

Have you tested nitrate and phosphate independent of the ICP testing and seen any changes?

I’m thinking it’s not the trace elements and more amino acids and carbohydrates in Red Sea AB+. I keep no3 @ 0 and po4 over .02; they have not changed since I started tank in April.

 

[CHSUB]

I've found that supplementing trace elements where there is no demonstrated need can quite often have deleterious effects on a tank.

Keep in mind that an ICP showing a low trace element does not necessarily indicate a need for that element by any of the desired organisms in the tank - trace elements can be consumed readily by undesirables just as easily.

Most ICP vendors provide supplementation advice to bring tank water back to NSW levels - whether those levels are necessary for some organisms seems purely anecdotal.

I was dosing 50% recommended, thinking my mangroves could benefit. However, I do agree with your assessment.

 

[rishma]

I’m thinking it’s not the trace elements and more amino acids and carbohydrates in Red Sea AB+. I keep no3 @ 0 and po4 over .02; they have not changed since I started tank in April.

This is interesting. Do you carbon dose? Those are low nutrients numbers.

I know it’s quite common for people see cyano associated with vodka dosing, for example.

 

[CHSUB]

This is interesting. Do you carbon dose? Those are low nutrients numbers.

I know it’s quite common for people see cyano associated with vodka dosing, for example.

No to carbon dosing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’m thinking it’s not the trace elements and more amino acids and carbohydrates in Red Sea AB+. I keep no3 @ 0 and po4 over .02; they have not changed since I started tank in April.

Organics like those will certainly encourage cyano.

 

[CHSUB]

Update: I’m back to adding trace elements and feeding corals Red Sea AB+ with Reef Roids, Reef Frenzy mixed in; don’t believe that was the cause. Cyano is nearly gone, kind of have to really look hard to find any. My solution was nothing, I did concentrate on targeted removal, both with weekly WC and twice used a canister filter to vacuum the sand. No raising this, adding that, or reducing something else; just manual removal. I wonder if I raised magnesium, for example, while doing my targeted removal and Cyano disappeared would what I call a hobby observation be, “raising magnesium fixes Cyano problems”?

 

[rtparty]

I have found having PO4 higher than NO3 to be one cause of cyano. For me, this happens when I let NO3 hit 0. Dose some ammonia to get NO3 up to ~10ppm and cyano usually slows down/goes away on its own

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have found having PO4 higher than NO3 to be one cause of cyano. For me, this happens when I let NO3 hit 0. Dose some ammonia to get NO3 up to ~10ppm and cyano usually slows down/goes away on its own

I don’t know how general that is, or if this explanation is the correct one, but it is sensible since cyano is the only pest we have that does not need nitrate, ammonia, or any other source of N except N2 from the air.

 

[CHSUB]

I have found having PO4 higher than NO3 to be one cause of cyano. For me, this happens when I let NO3 hit 0. Dose some ammonia to get NO3 up to ~10ppm and cyano usually slows down/goes away on its own

Interesting…. However, Cyano went away without intervention, except better aquarium maintenance.