# cyano problem: will turbo snails help keep it away?



## littlereefer

as title says, or any other suggestions?!?!?!


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## Ron99

No. Most snails don't eat cyano. Some conchs and sometimes tuxedo urchins will. Best is to increase flow and figure out why you have cyano. Overfeeding perhaps?


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## Rogue9

chemiclean works amazingly.


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## Rastapus

Chemi clean is simply an antibacterial. We agree with Ron99. You need to determine why you have Cyanobacteria. The most common reasons are old lights or wrong spectrum, excessive nutrients, insufficient flow and or low hardness.


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## littlereefer

I think it might be overfeeding lol because I don't do any of the others and Red Slime Remover from J&l would that work?


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## Ron99

I would use red slime remover as a last resort as it will kill beneficial bacteria in your tank as well. Best way to deal with it is to decrease the feeding, do water changes and siphon as much out as you can in the process. Maybe reduce your lighting period a bit too. What lighting do you have and how old are the bulbs? Have you measured your alkalinity and pH? Low pH and alkalinity will favour growth of cyano.

From your posts here and at Canreef I get the feeling your tank is also fairly new. The best advice would be slow down. Tanks take time to cycle and settle in even after cycling. Adding a single fish will change the balance and the little ecosystem neds to adjust to the change. Livestock and corals need to be added slowly. Nothing good happens fast in a salt water tank. It is exciting to set up a new salt water tank and everybody has the urge to see it full of corals an fish as soon as possible but 99.99% of the time that is a recipe for failure. You have to be patient and take it slow. Did I also mention taking it slow?


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## tang daddy

Yes believe it or not Ron is right, A SW tank or reef needs to go through it's proper stages to build bacteria and mature. About 8 months into setting up my old 50g I had cyano to the point where I felt like giving up.....

Here are some of the reasons why:

Over feeding everyday, food would not be fully consumed!
Lack of water changes, for 3 months not even one!
fluctuation in tempreature and salinity, Summer heat and no auto top off.
Overstocking, fish would dissapear I would add more.

Anyhow the list goes on, if you give us some specs and what you stock, also your equiptment, I am sure most experienced guys could help.


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## littlereefer

ok well I'll try not to overfeed lol


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## locke

what kind of water are you using? 

some areas of the lower mainland, the water is full of phosphates which cause cyano. 

my recommendation is to invest in an ro/di water filtration unit. 

Living in Chilliwack and after having numerous blooms i finally invested in a good ro/di unit and i've never had another bloom.


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## Rastapus

locke said:


> what kind of water are you using?
> 
> some areas of the lower mainland, the water is full of phosphates which cause cyano.
> 
> my recommendation is to invest in an ro/di water filtration unit.
> 
> Living in Chilliwack and after having numerous blooms i finally invested in a good ro/di unit and i've never had another bloom.


Although I fully support the use of an RO unit, in the lower mainland we have so much turbidity in the water that it will clog the RO membrane. I would recommend strictly a DI unit.


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## pt1190

Very wise to use an RO/DI unit. Back flushing these units is just part of the maintanice program, takes 15 min once a month.


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## Rastapus

For sure in the lower mainland you will have issues with the RO membrane. Maybe Mission does not have as much turbidity in the water.


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## littlereefer

thxs everyone but cyano is going away due to water change and putting food threw net before feeding!


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## fkshiu

Rastapus said:


> For sure in the lower mainland you will have issues with the RO membrane. Maybe Mission does not have as much turbidity in the water.


Never had any membrane issues for me. I've been on RO/DI for years. As long as you regularly backflush and maintain your pre-filters properly you're fine.


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## Rastapus

fkshiu said:


> Never had any membrane issues for me. I've been on RO/DI for years. As long as you regularly backflush and maintain your pre-filters properly you're fine.


Interesting. Obviously our units process significantly more water than the average hobbyist but in using RO in Ontario for years previously, there is no question that the pre filter sees a high level of solids in the BC water supply. We have had pump assisted units plug the membrane in a very short time and back flushing had no effect. This was the case on multiple units. I have had similar complaints from customers as well.


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