Cyano Algae due to old bulbs?

Hey guys,

I have this cyano problem. There always seems to be a layer of brown on my sand bed. I did a 25% water change 2 weeks ago and other 25% water change a week ago. All of my parameters are good, nitrates are low and so fourth. Everything in my tank (including corals) are doing good, but that layer of brown is always there and has been there for 2 or more months no matter what I try. in addition, my water flow is good as well, I feed twice a week, and lighting is on for 8 hours a day.

My question: I purchased a lighting unit last year in may and stuck with the original t5 bulbs the unit came with. I have not changed them out yet. I am in the market for new bulbs but not ready to purchase just yet. But can this algae be from bad light bulbs? Has their life already ended?

Any ideas what else it might be from? I'm honestly at a loss here. It's really annoying since it completely ruins the look of the aquarium.

Thank you.

 

Hi,

IIRC, good quality T5 bulbs are only good for a year. For stock bulbs in a cheaper fixture is probably less. Once any bulb loses its color spectrum it can fuel nuisance algae blooms.

 

+1 Definitely I agree!! Probably your excess nuisance algae might be do to this.... I suggest replacing them regardless... and observe any changes for the following weeks

 

I've been fighting cyano for a few months now as well. I finally got it under control by limiting my lighting and reducing phos/silicates in the water. Begin by turning off your lights for 3 days (i left my led moonlights on just so i could see what was going on). There's no need to cover your tank with a blanket, just make sure it's not getting too much light from a window, etc.

At the same time as shutting your lights down, run the appropriate amount of phosban for your tank size. After three days, do a 20% WC and replace the phosban. The cyano will be gone. Limit your lighting for the next 4 days (the second phosban cycle), and you should be good to go.

That cured my cyano issue the first time, and I tried everything else I read about, including the red slime remover (which did NOT work).

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

I will for sure change the lights and see how that goes.I have an aquatic life fixture, and I didn't think they would be cheap on the bulb side of things.

Great suggestion! My only concern is that I have some lps and soft corals in the tank. Would it hurt the corals if I turn the lights off for three days?

 

As long as they're reasonably healthy, the lack of lighting for a few days won't hurt. They'll probably appreciate the water quality after your treatment

 

Good stuff thanks! I will give it a try. How long has your cyano been gone for after the treatment?

 

It's been 2 weeks now of 8 hour lighting and moderate feeding. So far, so good!

 

What corals do you keep?... did they seem stressed in any way? I've heard of this method just didn't like the idea of stressing out the corals that much.... jeje but hey if it works it works... keep us posted

 

I have a few softies, some zoa's and two gorgonians in the tank currently. Other than not really opening up too much, I didn't notice any real stress on the corals. Since I've cleared up the cyano, they all actually look MUCH healthier!!