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Concerns About Developing Cyanobacteria

Started by Kalinkacat, June 08, 2017, 05:19:51 PM

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Kalinkacat

Hi Everyone,

I am re-doing my 55 gallon tank into a Dutch style fully planted tank (at least that's the planned outcome).  It will have high light and compressed co2 (which I will be putting a call out next week for help on setting that up - be warned).

For substrate I originally planned on using Eco-complete and black sand.  Having gone on the plant tour, I was introduced to the idea of using soil.  I looked in the basement and realized that I have about 6 old but brand new bags of topsoil down there.  The Loblaws bag says it is loam and humus topsoil, the one Ritchie's brand only says topsoil.

Here is the concern.  Years ago while operating my aquariums we were PLAGUED with constant Cyanobacteria to the point where we no longer knew what to do and the house smelled like a swamp.  Fast forward to last November when I started my tanks back up again and I realized that we were using peat moss years ago to help our plants grow and that it was the peat moss that was causing the Cyano.  Since realizing this and starting my tanks up again without ANY peat (threw the whole bale out), I have had NO problems with Cyano.

Please correct me if I am wrong but as far as I know, humus is basically peat, right?  So, I came up with the idea of adding a sterilizer I have into the tank to prevent any Cyano from forming since I am setting this tank up from scratch.  My understanding is that being a bacteria, the sterilizer will kill it if it is free-floating.  Starting from scratch with the sterilizer in from the beginning should work theoretically.

I really like the idea of adding the soil to the Eco-complete and sand mix...and I already have it.  They don't state that there are any added chemicals so I am presuming they are safe.  My only concern is the Cyano.  What do you think?  Would the topsoil cause Cyano and would the sterilizer ward it off by being set up from the get-go?

Thanks.

sippingtowel

greetings, if you are indeed planning on doing a planted tank then there HAS to be shrimp, get some amano shrimp and they will devour the algae like no tomorrow, this is based on what i've read online.
29 gallon using chihiros a-series, beginner/newbie attempting to do aquascaping/planted aquarium with fish and shrimp. Stocked with some pearlweed, riccia, crypt, ghost shrimp, b.mollies and neons.

CC-Slider

The issue is Cyanobacteria is not an algae  even though it is refereed to as (blue green algae),  shrimp will not eat it. There is no known fresh water creature that will eat it.

here is a link that explains it better and has ways to deal with it.

https://pethelpful.com/fish-aquariums/Blue-Green-Algae-and-Red-Slime
"Quando omni flunkus, moritati"
"when all else fails, play dead"

Gilbotron

I've dirted quite a few tanks and have never had any cyano issues.  I generally do an inch of dirt (thats the thickness after making it damp and packing it down), then sprinkle a little flourite (if I have), then cap with an inert gravel (~1.5").  I've not tried capping with a nutrient rich substrate.  I don't add anything else for the life of the tank (no ferts, no root tabs, etc.) other than dechlor when doing a WC.

Make sure you use organic dirt or read the labels very carefully.  Most non-organics contain chemicals and fertilizers that may not be safe for fish or beneficial bacteria.

Kalinkacat

All the PC bags say is that it is topsoil with loam and humus, so I presume it is safe.  It does not say anything else on the bag - perhaps I will sacrifice some guppies just in case...

charlie

I want to to add to this discussion.
I have read of other hobbyist capping soil with Flourite,Eco etc. I don`t think there is any issues but could be wrong.
The way i view it is it`s the best of both worlds. Eco complete and Flourite are inert substrates and does not provide any Macro nutrients ( Nitrate, Phosphate or Potassium) in it`s early stage of use, it will however provide Minerals especially iron, that said over time the Eco will absorb the macro nutrient in the tank and store it.
The dirt will provide more macro that mineral nutrients, hence my belief it`s the best of both worlds and no need for sand.
On the Cyano Bacteria issues , i`m not familiar with your previous experiences but typically in a planted tank the presence of Cyano is a good indicator of low Nitrates.
Regards

wolfiewill

Quote from: charlie on June 10, 2017, 10:33:07 AMOn the Cyano Bacteria issues , i`m not familiar with your previous experiences but typically in a planted tank the presence of Cyano is a good indicator of low Nitrates.
Regards

I, too, would like to add my two cents worth (three cents actually): Cyano is also a function of poor circulation. So make sure you have a filtration system that pumps from 5 to 10 times the tank volume each hour! And, ensure that there are no dead spots in the circulation pattern of your filter outflow(s). And finally, an over dense substrate, which gets light from the reflection off the glass back into the substrate below the top level of the substrate will also contribute to Cyano. Gilbotron's tanks are capped with larger sized stone which extends down to the bottom at the front glass, and so I suspect that this greatly assists in there being some flow below the substrate surface, and discourages the Cyano in this region. As you remember in my tanks with 'designer dirt', there is algae growing on the glass at the front of the tanks below the substrate. This is likely a result of the substrate limiting any flow against the glass there. This is almost always Cyano and is a pain to control.  I always use Flourite as a base under my ADA substrate. And, in my most recently rescaped tank, I added Flourite to the top of the substrate level all around the inside of the tank up to the top level of the ADA substrate and back from the glass an inch or two. So far this has worked and I've not seen any algae there yet. And when I do, I can just run a tooth brush in this area to remove the stuff - without ruining water clarity.   
"Don't tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish." Mark Twain