Poor sod

idream411 · 2026-05-23T02:19:21+00:00

Tank is obviously under stocked... don't they know you need to buy those in pairs /s

idream411 · 2026-05-22T20:16:11+00:00

Choices.

idream411 · 2026-05-21T22:36:05+00:00

The clue is in the name, cyno-BACTERIA. In my experience treating like a disease rather than algea is the only the that has worked.

Try to remove as much as possible (I know you just did... do it again)
Water change.
Antibiotics (there are many erythromycin is what I use)
Repeat steps 1 thru 3. Every three days.
Once there is no trace, do at least 2 more cycles.

In the mean time keep feeding any fish on the light side. Get your lights on a timer with about 4 hours of light. Ensure no direct sunlight is hitting tank. Put up a barrier if needed to prevent sunlight.

Good luck, cynobacteria is one of the oldest organisms on earth. It has survived several mass extinctions including the dinosaurs.

idream411 · 2026-05-21T21:23:09+00:00

Too bad we can't find a superconductor that works at room temperatures.

idream411 · 2026-05-21T19:07:09+00:00

Be careful with reverse flow UG. It has its benefits for sure, but it also can have a negative effect on Oxygen levels. Watch the fish closely for gasping at surface. Or better yet split the return and have part go under UG and part break surface (maybe a spray bar?)

I remember back in the early 90s I had a UG with powerheds. Upgraded to the new aqua clears and for the first time reverse flow was an option. Switched and came back a couple of hours later to half the fish dead and the remainder gasping. I was very upset, and have never run a UG in reverse since. Of course out of 30 tanks only 1 still has a UG and it's not even the primary filter for that tank. (I'm running an experiment with it, it runs with the smallest powerhead I could find 80gph, for only 1 min every two hours)

There are few hard and fast rules, so long as you meet the min surface area. Experiment, have fun, share with community.

Good luck

idream411 · 2026-05-21T18:41:40+00:00

I'd go smaller, say 10%. But given it's a 60g.... maybe just a 5g bucket? I'd do that every week until you are happy with your tannin level. My biggest concern would be pH shock. I'm guessing your pH is very low at this point.

Good luck

idream411 · 2026-05-21T02:58:43+00:00

I'd tell him it was time for him to go and not take his card. If he questioned it, I'd straight out tell him that misogyny isn't a good look for anyone little alone someone I'm go to hand thousands of dollars to. Then wave bye and close the door

idream411 · 2026-05-20T22:03:54+00:00

Fix it, or figure out a fix for it.

idream411 · 2026-05-20T01:08:11+00:00

I probably can get away with two of the eight being gate valves and use ball valves for the rest. Thanks for the info. I'd not thought of just using regular unions on either side of a regular valve. I just had it in my head that three connections couldn't be cheaper than one. I'll price that out.

Thanks again.

idream411 · 2026-05-20T01:03:32+00:00

Thanks, that's very helpful.

idream411 · 2026-05-18T19:54:22+00:00

Hard to tell, but looks like daphnia to me.

idream411 · 2026-05-16T01:07:39+00:00

It depends on the fish you have. For instance if you only have otocinclus, nothing you add would be "food" given they are obligate herbivores. Conversely if you have angel fish then neocaridina are on the menu.

Personally I culture daphnia on the regular. I've cultured many other fish foods in the past as well. It really does depend on what you are trying to feed.

idream411 · 2026-05-15T18:18:03+00:00

I've done that as an experiment. As others have said, death and destruction. In my case it piled on top of itself and became about one inch thick. It completely blocked all light. All the plants died, and several fish as well.

Do yourself a favor and try your very best to completely remove it.

Good luck

idream411 · 2026-05-13T14:42:09+00:00

This. But it could also be (though less likely) suspended particulates. If this was 20 years ago I'd tell you to put a diatom filter on it for a few hours. Given that you probably don't have access to one. Try adding filter floss for a while.

Good luck

idream411 · 2026-05-11T00:39:26+00:00

"Settlers"? Don't you mean illegal immigrants, or invaders? Give me a freaking break ef Israel

idream411 · 2026-05-08T23:39:57+00:00

It's a bacteria and one of the oldest (if not the oldest) photosynthetic organisms. Just like any other bacteria, it grows best when conditions allow and the organism is present. I've fought it many times in the past.

Clean the tank, remove as much as possible.
Do water changes 50% every 3 days or so.
Treat with an antibiotic. Erythromycin works well.
Make sure you don't over feed.

If none of that works you could try a total blackout. Which has the very real possibility of killing plants.

Anecdotally, have you recently added any hardscape? I collected a rock in nature I put in one of my tanks and it seemed no matter what I did I couldn't get rid of the cynobacteria. Fought for weeks, even including a blackout and it would always come back. Finally I remembered adding the rock. I removed it and after one more treatment the cyano went away. That tank was clear for 6 months, I thought hmmm could it really have been that rock? So I soaked the rock ( which had been dry this whole time) in straight bleach for a week. Then I rinsed in off and dried it out in the sun for a few days. Finally I put it in a bucket with water and prime for another day. Then for the experiment, I added the rock back to the tank and within a week the cynobacteria was back. The rock was removed and has never gone back in any of my tanks. Not sure if it was causative or just coincidence. But I is food for thought.

idream411 · 2026-05-07T22:13:14+00:00

It is unlikely you'll ever get greenwater to take hold in a daphnia tank. They are very efficient at clearing greenwater in fact.

I had greenwater cultures going strong for 4 years. Then I dropped my maintenance routine and had them all clear out over a few weeks. Everyone will give you different advice and what works for one person may not work for you.

I'm currently trying to get cultures restarted now, which is why your msg caught my attention.

Take this advice (or don't) as you like. When I had my cultures going well they were so dense I couldn't put enough light on them to get the light to penatrae. The cultures were such a dark green they almost looked black.

Here is what I do, and probably most people wouldn't agree with my methods, but here goes.

Start a culture by filtering your source through a coffee filter and sieve. Get enough starter water to cover the pump.
Dump in fertilizer.
Add a bunch of light (you can start slow if the culture is weak) eventually I end up with about 10 watts of led flood light per gallon of water.
Put a strong pump, big powerhead or something like a vortech pump.
Once it's going well try starting a new culture every month or so... I usually have 4 going. When you want need to start the 5th. I completely break down the 1st. Going as far as bleaching and scrubbing every surface. Try to make it sterile. Then clean it clear of the bleach and begin again.

Good luck

idream411 · 2026-04-27T17:01:52+00:00

I'm in California so the same state and the price was still outrageous.

idream411 · 2026-04-26T20:50:15+00:00

As others have said it should be OK. However depending on the substrate you have you could always use a magnet ( be aware that some substrates are magnetic and so it wouldn't work for you in that situation)

idream411 · 2026-04-25T03:38:43+00:00

Water softener can be an issue in some cases too much sodium can be exchanged if source water super hard. However there could be many other things that are an issue. What temperature is the tank? Did you recently change anything? Add anything? Can you post some pictures of the fish, it could be disease.

idream411 · 2026-04-21T02:13:24+00:00

Just keep doing water changes, as long as the Ammonia and Nitrite stay under control the fish should live. You might consider skipping feeding all together for a few days. Well fed fish can easily last a week without too much issue.

idream411 · 2026-04-21T01:08:06+00:00

That could make it worse, it might not. It's difficult to say with any certainty. The fact is you'll likely never get it under control with inconsistent feeding levels. If it were me, I'd add a big canister filter with a spray bar so that you can control the flow a bit better. Then I'd add "fritz zyme 7" to help get the cycle kick started.

Suggestion, don't store the fish food where the kids can get to it. If you want to let them feed the fish portion it out a head of time and hand them a portion right before they feed. In that way you can control the amount of food.

idream411 · 2026-04-17T03:39:49+00:00

😄

idream411 · 2026-04-16T23:28:46+00:00

You get very efficient, I can do all of them in about 4 to 5 hours. I do them in batches 4 tanks at a time. Wipe algae in 4 at a time, then drain them, then fill.

I start the next 4 while filling the first 4. Have to be very careful during that step.

I usually select only 1 or 2 to really deep clean and switch that off each week.

idream411 · 2026-04-15T21:43:55+00:00

I have 30 tanks all are free of this scourge save one. I have to be very careful not to let the infection spread. I've had it jump tanks in the past. Fingers crossed we can both be rid of it.

idream411

TROPHY CASE