Algae ID please, with microscope pics

[MTBake]

Got some patches of brown algae showing up the past couple weeks. I took a sample and placed it under the scope for an id. Here's a couple pics through the scope.

At first, I thought these were osteprosis. After looking more closely, I'm not so sure. What do you think?

Here's the rest of what was in the drop of water I took. Looks like several species.

Any ideas on what exactly I'm looking at? Any info is appreciated.

 

[Deep dive coral]

How about a zoomed out photo lol

 

[MTBake]

Hard to get a better pic through the microscope.

Here's what it looks like in the tank.

 

[MTBake]

 

[MTBake]

I'm 95% sure the round spots are Karenia brevis. Another type of dinoflagellates. Dealt with ostreopsis earlier this year. Any tips on fighting these guys? Going to put the uv back on the tank for now.

 

[saltyhog]

I was going to say coolia dinos. Can you post a video...how they move can also help ID the type of dino. Let's get our resident dino expert to have a look. @taricha

 

[MTBake]

I was going to say coolia dinos. Can you post a video...how they move can also help ID the type of dino. Let's get our resident dino expert to have a look. @taricha

I'll see if I can get a decent video. It's definately a dino of some sort.

 

[MTBake]

 

[MTBake]

I don't even know if that video posted, lol.

 

[MTBake]

@saltyhog is most likely right. Found some videos and pics that look exactly like what I have.

What's the best way to fight this strain? I dealt with ostreopsis earlier this year. Is the attack approach similar?

 

[dwest]

@saltyhog is most likely right. Found some videos and pics that look exactly like what I have.

What's the best way to fight this strain? I dealt with ostreopsis earlier this year. Is the attack approach similar?

Yes. Similar to ostreopsis in that they will go the water column. Keep nutrients measurable and hit with uv. The more you can assist them into the water, the better. Blowing with a turkey blaster, even manual removal is good. I would also replace GAC weekly for now to reduce possible toxins.

 

[dwest]

I don't even know if that video posted, lol.

I couldn’t see it, but I think it’s OK.

 

[MTBake]

Yes. Similar to ostreopsis in that they will go the water column. Keep nutrients measurable and hit with uv. The more you can assist them into the water, the better. Blowing with a turkey blaster, even manual removal is good. I would also replace GAC weekly for now to reduce possible toxins.

Thank you for the tips!

Going to mix up my standard nitrate and phosphate solutions and add them to my doser as I have 2 channels unused right now. Going to shoot for 10ppm no3 and
.1ppm po4, unless someone thinks I should shoot for higher numbers.

The uv is already up and running.

I'll start siphoning them out tomorrow.

I should mention that I also have a mantis shrimp setup that is separate from my main. The nitrates are over 20ppm for sure. I'm thinking of taking 10 gallons from this weekly and changing water with that. More natural nutrients as I've never dosed anything into that tank but food and unwanted hitchhikers.

 

[taricha]

Salty and dwest got you headed in the right direction, as always [emoji846]
For no reason, here's why it's not karenia brevis.
K brevis is planktonic so it'll stay in the water and get skimmed out and not form trouble spots in our systems like the benthic/epiphytic types that cling to surfaces and other organisms.
K brevis has no theca (armor) whereas your coolia will have cellulose shell covering it.
K brevis is also flattened and is not nearly as round as your type.
And finally, they swim very different as you've seen now from videos.

 

[Deep dive coral]

Thank you for the tips!

Going to mix up my standard nitrate and phosphate solutions and add them to my doser as I have 2 channels unused right now. Going to shoot for 10ppm no3 and
.1ppm po4, unless someone thinks I should shoot for higher numbers.

The uv is already up and running.

I'll start siphoning them out tomorrow.

I should mention that I also have a mantis shrimp setup that is separate from my main. The nitrates are over 20ppm for sure. I'm thinking of taking 10 gallons from this weekly and changing water with that. More natural nutrients as I've never dosed anything into that tank but food and unwanted hitchhikers.

What is/ was you're method for reducing phosphates.

 

[MTBake]

What is/ was you're method for reducing phosphates.

I've never been able to keep measurable no3 or po4 in this tank. I can literally dose no3 up to 15ppm and it'll read 0 24 hours later. Po4 is the same way. I dose it to 60-70ppb on the Hanna ulr phosphorus meter. Back to 10-15ppb 24 hours later. Never understood it to be honest. All my past tanks typically had higher nutrients.

I do nothing different than I have in the past. Super simple setup. Just a 40 breeder without a sump. I run a hob skimmer and hob whisper filter with carbon in bags that I change weekly. I don't dose anything except alk and ca. And now no3 and po4 because of the dang dinos. And now run a uv for the same reason. Weekly 5 gallon water changes as well. That's about it.