Hypothetical Question

[coldcazzie]

Here's a scenario: I remove the fish from my tank and put them in my spare 2 footer. I also remove the media from my filter and store (wet obviously) in a bucket. Then I treat the tank with erythromycin to zap the cyanobacteria.

Thoughts?

I realise it's not an ideal situation, but blackouts are not working, changing all my substrate and having my plants in a dark cupboard for a week didn't work, I have a new filter with increased flow, and a UV bulb, and that has had no effect whatsoever. There's little left I can try. Unless someone has a Koralia they are willing to give me (which I'm not sure would help as the cyanobacteria is in multiple spots in the tank, rather than just one) I can't see what other choice I have left. Apart from breaking the entire tank down, throwing all my plants and decor away, steralising and starting complete from scratch again. Quite frankly I'd rather dose meds.

If I remove the media then I'll be reducing any possible damage to nitrifying bacteria (yes I know their numbers will fall but they will bounce back), and if I remove the fish then lack of media wont matter, but I'll still have the filter running for circulation.

 

[KittyKat]

That would work. Can you not move the filter to the 2fter with the fish and just run an airstone or something in the tank while you treat it? As the media in the bucket will require at least some sort of circulation anyway...

 

[coldcazzie]

I could... would be slight overkill as it'd be a 2000l/h external filter on a 45L tank but it would only be for a week, tops. I have 2 spare filters and a spare powerhead that I could use simply to circulate water. Again, not ideal, but wouldn't be for long.

 

[coldcazzie]

anyone else? shameless bump going on here!

 

[mark4785]

Why don't you just starting EI dosing after a 4-5 day blackout? It sounds like you need to up your LPH in-take as flow problems are a big cause of cyanobacteria.

Lack of flow and lack of nitrate work hand in hand in causing it grow so I'd highly suggest investing in a new dosing regime (EI dosing works for me, my cyanobacteria is only growing in places where it's impossible to get flow to instead of infesting the tank. Before I started EI dosing, it would infest the whole tank implying a nutrient problem rather than a flow issue).

In my opinion if you change the way you dose your tank and introduced more flow, after a blackout, you'll be in a must better situation. The medication for cyano isn't a long-term fix; the potential problems you have with flow and nutrient concentrations (which cause cyano) are still there whether you resort to the use of meds or not.

Mark.

 

[coldcazzie]

I already use it Mark, and I have increased my flow rate.

 

[aaronnorth]

The media would need a source of ammonia or the bacteria will die, other than that it is a perfectly reasonable option.

Thanks, Aaron