# Need Help Battling Cyanobacteria



## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

Sorry if this is in the wrong section, not sure where it belongs.
Ever since I put up Giovanni's Spec V (about 3 months ago) I have been battling a mean case of cyanobacteria. None of my other tanks have it, which is good. But it seems all I do is clean his tank, it takes at least 30-45 minutes (or more) to clean his tank, hand cleaning all the plants, driftwood, rocks, ect. I have two very young kids and do not have that kind of time to clean a little 5g. My other tanks are just a quick siphon and algae brush off and they are good to go.
Any suggestions? I have heard this stuff is near impossible to get rid of but I would hate to throw out all my plants and start completely over. Though if that is what it takes I will.


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## kanped (Jul 4, 2016)

Found online; seems like a bit of sustained work but IMO better than starting over;

"The first thing to do is to thoroughly clean every surface of the tank. Second, step up water changes to lower the phosphorous levels in the tank. If your water supply normally contains phosphates, you may want to invest in some phosphorous-removing filter media. Third, kill the lights for several weeks. Fourth, feed your fish less. Most fish food contains phosphorous, which ends up in the water, feeding the cyanobacteria. Combined, these actions should starve the cyanobacteria out of the tank. This procedure takes time, of course, which is its greatest downside."


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

How long could the plants go without the lights though? I have 2 medium anubias, 1 anubias petite, 1 hornwort, 1 moss ball, 1 wisteria, and 1 java fern.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

Great...now my Spec III has it too.


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## trahana (Dec 28, 2015)

If it hopped to your other tank, you probably don't have a good system of quarantine. Don't let even the water drippings get splashed into your other tanks! Cyanobacteria spreads like a common cold in a school and is very hard to get rid of. I've been battling it in my tanks, I have yet to eradicate it. I just manage to keep it from showing, I know its still around, probably hiding in the gravel waiting for me to relax.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

trahana said:


> If it hopped to your other tank, you probably don't have a good system of quarantine. Don't let even the water drippings get splashed into your other tanks! Cyanobacteria spreads like a common cold in a school and is very hard to get rid of. I've been battling it in my tanks, I have yet to eradicate it. I just manage to keep it from showing, I know its still around, probably hiding in the gravel waiting for me to relax.


I figured I was fighting a losing battle. I hope I can keep up the cleanings, hard to find the time lately.


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## trahana (Dec 28, 2015)

Aluyasha said:


> I figured I was fighting a losing battle. I hope I can keep up the cleanings, hard to find the time lately.


Lower the time the tank lights are on, it really helps control outbreaks. I've never blacked out my tank because I have at least $100 worth of plants in it and I don't have the money to spend on it again or the time to raise the plants to the point of having a thick jungle, that took time. 
Overfeeding can help the bacteria a lot, so make sure to feed just the right amount: if food floats to the bottom either feed slower so it can all be eaten, or feed less.


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## xStatic (Jun 11, 2013)

Many people do not like this option, so use discretion, but it is always an option to dose the tank with a gentle antibiotic like erythromycin and that should completely eliminate the problem within a few days. There are downsides to this, and I wouldn't suggest using this treatment without also addressing the underlying cause of the cyanobacteria (too much light, too much nutrients, etc.) but using it once will not cause any more harm than treating a fish with an antibiotic, and it should completely clear up the issue.


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## Aluyasha (Sep 2, 2010)

Thanks for the advice! I don't think it is overfeeding, I only have one betta in each tank with no other tankmates and they never spit out their food or let it fall. I got all my plants from the same place too, It first showed up in my Spec V (newer version and brand new) and that is the first time I have ever had one of these tanks so if I had to guess I would say the lighting.
I think I will try the "natural" way first, if I cannot control it I will try the meds. I think I might already have some headway in Giovanni's tank as the bacteria is still everywhere but is losing it's color and is now clear. It is still dark green in Potato's tank though, but Vesper and Burly's tanks are still bacteria free (I will be buying a separate siphoner for their tanks).


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## VinceIII (Feb 14, 2016)

Aluyasha, have you made progress against the cyanobacteria? If you have, what method(s) did you use?


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## trahana (Dec 28, 2015)

I'm not sure if Aluyasha is still visiting regularly, but I have managed to eliminate cyano from my 40g, after months of battling. 
I had to throw out my floating plants which was originally where the cyano came from. I also throw out the majority of my java moss since the cyano kept growing on them, and I trimmed back the moss growing on my drift wood. I scrubbed out the entire tank and trimmed all the plants with cyano on them, tossing the part with cyano on it. 
Its been three weeks with no sign of cyano growth. Now I'm dealing with the cyano in the other three tanks that it spread to, one of which I'm going to restart because its to far gone. I figure once the cyano is in the gravel that its pretty impossible to deal with, so the main idea is to catch it and destroy it before it gets that bad. 
The lighting is some from the window, but also 6 hours of lighting. The wattage is important too, to many watts and the cyano bursts out. 

I might try Meds on the one tank, just to see if it works.


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