Soaking sand and rock in bacteria?

[Moe K]

I’m working on getting to that 100-1 ratio. Right now the rock is covered with algae so I am siphoning it out and running gfo.
It seems to slowing it down.
I was just going to try soaking the MB7 on a small amount of sand to see if it would help keep the cyano at bay.
I have NoPox but I heard that can fuel cyano?
Maybe I’ll check on the Tropic Marin
Thanks!

Because I love experiments and you plan on just a small spot, I say go for it but I dont recommend MB7. Use either PNS bacteria or Prodibio bacterkit soil specifically for substrate.

 

[jmcdona6]

Here are a few photos. I’d say more than a few spots but it’s kinda mixed in with the gha too.
Yes it did start covering a few chalice corals and the side of a torch but I brush it off when doing water changes.
My guess for root cause it over feeding, maybe… not sure.
It’s like it just exploded out of nowhere.
I usually feed 2-3 frozen cubes a day,

Looking at all that GHA I would say you have a larger algae problem you need to evaluate...once you get your nutrient/algae/micro balance issue under control I suspect the cyano will take care of itself with time.

 

[tobster]

I completely agree lol, just trying to that figured out first then maybe it will clear up too

 

[jmcdona6]

I completely agree lol, just trying to that figured out first then maybe it will clear up too

Asking about using MB7 to fix your cyano problem with everything going on in that picture is kinda like this person asking if baking soda will help whiten their teeth. The answer is maybe...but hold up lol

I would reapproach the community with a general nuisance algae problem. Which they would ask what your nutrients are and have been trending. How old is the tank. Regimens (lighting, feeding, dosing, water changes, etc). But ultimately just like those rotten teeth GHA and Cyano don't appear for no reason...at least not long term. Always comes down to tank maturity, import and export.

 

[tobster]

Asking about using MB7 to fix your cyano problem with everything going on in that picture is kinda like this person asking if baking soda will help whiten their teeth. The answer is maybe...but hold up lol

I would reapproach the community with a general nuisance algae problem. Which they would ask what your nutrients are and have been trending. How old is the tank. Regimens (lighting, feeding, dosing, water changes, etc). But ultimately just like those rotten teeth GHA and Cyano don't appear for no reason...at least not long term. Always comes down to tank maturity, import and export.

Yeah that’s a great analogy
I was asking mainly to get rid of cyano so I could try dosing NoPox because I heard that NoPox just fuels cyano?

I’ve asked about the algae before and was told I need snails and yes I completely agree it’s a nutrient problem one way or another.

Just surprised it came on this strong with tank being year and half old.
Thanks

 

[malacoda]

That’s a good idea, I never thought about adding live sand from TBS.
Nitrates were 8 and Phosphate was.02 but like I said there is a lot of algae so I’m sure that is messing with the numbers.
I’ve never heard of the Pacific mud? Where would that go in the tank? Sump?

It goes your display the tank on the rest of your sand.

Indo-Pacific Sea Farms (IPSF.com) is out of Hawaii, run by a guy named Gerald Heslinga. Part of an auquaculture and research facility.

Their 'wonder mud' is simply a small bag ... about 1/4 cup's worth ... of silt/sand/mud from their sea farm tanks. Great for a preventative addition to a tank, but if you're already battling a problem like cyano, I'd suggest more volume of sand or rock from TBS or KPS.

The other thing about IPSF is that you can't buy individual items. Instead you have to put together 'packages' of stuff like the mud, snails, hermits, amphipods, algaes, etc.

Looking at your pics, I'm going to guess that you started your tank with dry rock and dry sand...

It can take a loonnggg time for such tanks to reach a balance. Especially for inexperienced hobbyists.

(I started my first tank, a 20g, with a 'Package' from TBS. Tank was so easy to maintain right from day 1. My second tank, a 120g, was bagged dry sand with live rock from Walt Smith. A little bit of dinos and cyano at month 3, but gone very quick and smooth from there. Still have it. Tried a 10g nano next from dry rock and dry sand. Horrid. Sterile and messy for a year before I took it down due to a move. This march I'll be setting up a 180g. Going to use live Aussie rock from TankStop, and live sand from TBS mixed with some dry bagged sand ... since I have no desire to work through a potential 4-18 month 'ugly' stage.)

You're PO4 and NO3 don't look bad at all to me ... although, yes, the GHA may be messing with them a little.

If it were my tank, I'd definitely add at least a few cups of true live sand and some true live rock ... something like a 'pico package' or 'sand and rox box' from TBS.

It may not be the whole solution, but would be a very good first step.

Then just watch and maintain the tank for 3-4 weeks.

At that point adjust or continue your plan of attack based on any changes you've seen.

 

[tobster]

It goes your display the tank on the rest of your sand.

Indo-Pacific Sea Farms (IPSF.com) is out of Hawaii, run by a guy named Gerald Heslinga. Part of an auquaculture and research facility.

Their 'wonder mud' is simply a small bag ... about 1/4 cup's worth ... of silt/sand/mud from their sea farm tanks. Great for a preventative addition to a tank, but if you're already battling a problem like cyano, I'd suggest more volume of sand or rock from TBS or KPS.

The other thing about IPSF is that you can't buy individual items. Instead you have to put together 'packages' of stuff like the mud, snails, hermits, amphipods, algaes, etc.

Thanks for the info! I may check that out if I can get algae under control.
I think I’m going to try TBS or KPS and see what happens.
I appreciate all the feedback from you all.

 

[tobster]

Thanks for the info! I may check that out if I can get algae under control.
I think I’m going to try TBS or KPS and see what happens.
I appreciate all the feedback from you all.

Well, I have been pulling algae for the last month, using GFO, started a refugium and used Livesand from TBS.
I’m still dealing with cyano. Not sure what else to do. Any suggestions?
Nitrate 5ppm
PO4 .03
CA 450
ALK 8.6
MG 1560
PH 7.8
Sal 35ppt

 

[JTP424]

What's your clean up crew like? What/how often do you feed?
Is it near a light source other than your tank lighting?
Have you been adding more livestock lately?

 

[tobster]

What's your clean up crew like? What/how often do you feed?
Is it near a light source other than your tank lighting?
Have you been adding more livestock lately?

4 large turbo snails- 3 the size of a golf ball.
Several Cerith snails, Urchin, fighting conch, hermit crabs.
No ambient light near tank.
No new livestock over 6 months.
I feed 2 cubes a day- some pe pellets every other day.
I also checked rodi and it reads 0 tds.

 

[Pistondog]

Have not read the whole thread.
Is the cyano in area of low flow?
Maybe get a small power head and experiment.

 

[tobster]

Have not read the whole thread.
Is the cyano in area of low flow?
Maybe get a small power head and experiment.

No it’s in high flow areas, so much so that it moved the sand.
I did buy another power head but it didn’t help either.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Suggest checking out Telegraham's Instagram channel. Has tested most "bacteria in a bottle" products. None had actual bacteria that would be found on a reef. In fact if I remember correctly the product you are suggesting contains bacteria found in the human digestive tract.

 

[tobster]

Suggest checking out Telegraham's Instagram channel. Has tested most "bacteria in a bottle" products. None had actual bacteria that would be found on a reef. In fact if I remember correctly the product you are suggesting contains bacteria found in the human digestive tract.

Yeah I gave up on the bottle bacteria. It didn’t work at all.
That’s why I ordered the live sand hoping it would work.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

My bet would be a flow issue. I know you mentioned you tried a pump and it blew out the sand originally. If you can access each of your powerheads with a piece of dosing line and blow air into them, you should be able to see where your flow is going. Sometimes a slight angle, rock, coral, can change everything dramatically. This is where I would start.

 

[tobster]

My bet would be a flow issue. I know you mentioned you tried a pump and it blew out the sand originally. If you can access each of your powerheads with a piece of dosing line and blow air into them, you should be able to see where your flow is going. Sometimes a slight angle, rock, coral, can change everything dramatically. This is where I would start.

I’ll give it a try. Thanks for suggesting.
Also, should I be siphoning the cyano out or just leave it?
It comes back either way and when I siphon it out it removes a lot of sand also.