Algae ID Please

RJ F. · Feb 23, 2019

Hello. I went on vacay for a week and had my neighbor watch my tank. Set him up with a feeding schedule and all that. So all my fish and coral look healthy but I have this brown algae everywhere. Just trying to figure out what it is. I have manually removed it for the past 2 days but it's just comes back.
Nitrates undetectable
Phosphate undetectable
Cal 400
Alk 6
Sa 1.025

ReefinItReal88 · Feb 23, 2019

Not algae. You sir have dinoflagellates. You need to shut off the power heads and suck all that stuff out and starve out that stuff

RJ F. · Feb 23, 2019

Of course lol.

Well before I left i put a bag of gfo in the sump. I will start by removing that. I think I'll up the feeding of the tank and I'll remove some of my chaeto to see if that helps

ReefinItReal88 · Feb 23, 2019

Leave the gfo and use some carbon to remove phosphates and nitrogenous components. Suck the stringy stuff off the sand bed. Water changes

Instigate · Feb 23, 2019

I see hair algae with possible dinoflagellates on top. I would suggest first confirming if it's dinoflagellates or not. This thread outlines a couple ways to identify, the best being getting a cheap microscope. I got one for $20 locally and I use it more often then you might think.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

If it is dinoflagellates that thread also has the actions I would recommend. First, if your po4 is at zero take the GFO out, you don't want no3 or po4 at zero. Your corals need nutrients to survive and the dinoflagellates will thrive in a low nutrient environment. Driving po4 down to zero with GFO is a common cause I see cited. Also water changes might make the issue worse, replenishing components that the dinoflagellates use to bloom.

RJ F. · Feb 23, 2019

Yeah that's what I have read too. I removed the gfo 2 days ago. I have to get better tests for nitrate and phosphate. I'm going to see what happens over the next few days before I do anything

RJ F. · Feb 23, 2019

I have never had a reading of phos or nitrate since I cycled the tank. I think my export is too much

RJ F. · Feb 23, 2019

O have heard of algae eating up the phos throwing off a test but not nitrate as well. It's been 2 weeks since a water change and I still cant get a nitrate

Instigate · Feb 23, 2019

RJ F. said:
Yeah that's what I have read too. I removed the gfo 2 days ago. I have to get better tests for nitrate and phosphate. I'm going to see what happens over the next few days before I do anything

You could also try this method of identification if you don't want to get a microscope, but I highly recommend getting a microscope. I love having one.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/d...ttling-altogether.293318/page-50#post-4043274

ReefinItReal88 · Feb 23, 2019

Are there bubbles?

RJ F. · Feb 23, 2019

So I tried the peroxide test and I got no bubbles. I'm going to feed the tank a little heavy and see if I can help other algae outcompete the dinos. I think I might remove some of my chaeto as well

Instigate · Feb 23, 2019

RJ F. said:
So I tried the peroxide test and I got no bubbles. I'm going to feed the tank a little heavy and see if I can help other algae outcompete the dinos. I think I might remove some of my chaeto as well

Maybe someone more experienced will correct me but I think growing lots of chaeto would a good thing to help out compete the dinoflagellates. Maybe add po4/no3 additives? That's what I did to get my nutrients back on track when I was dealing with dinoflagellates. If you decide to get no3/po4 additives I would recommend getting food grade monosodium phosphate and sodium nitrate instead of the expensive additives available for aquarium use.

RJ F. · Feb 23, 2019

From those posts you cited one said the dinos can actually live in the chaeto and it might be a good idea removing it. I want to try and raise the lvls with removing a good portion of my chaeto and feeding the tank a bit heavier. I would like to be able to read my nitrates.

I feel like I'm either fighting GHA or these

Instigate · Feb 23, 2019

RJ F. said:
From those posts you cited one said the dinos can actually live in the chaeto and it might be a good idea removing it. I want to try and raise the lvls with removing a good portion of my chaeto and feeding the tank a bit heavier. I would like to be able to read my nitrates.

I feel like I'm either fighting GHA or these

Right, I am aware of that. But do you see them in the chaeto? When I was dealing with dinoflagellates I mainly had amphidinium so I was considering taking chaeto and weighting it down to my sand bed, letting dinoflagellates cover it then remove. Might help with temporary reduction in numbers but they will just come back until they are out competed.

RJ F. · Feb 24, 2019

Thank you instigate. I believe I have too much chaeto. That in combination with the GFO was causing a a huge drop in nutrients allowing the dinos to just keep living. I removed most of my chaeto And the GFO and I will continue to monitor nutrients over the next week and see if any change happens. I also noticed my alk was at 6 so over the next few days I will bring that up to 9. I want to try the simplest methods first and go from there. I would rather have GHA than dinos so if I have to deal with that then I will. I still have a pretty new tank, just at 3 months, so we will see how it goes.

Instigate · Feb 24, 2019

RJ F. said:
Thank you instigate. I believe I have too much chaeto. That in combination with the GFO was causing a a huge drop in nutrients allowing the dinos to just keep living. I removed most of my chaeto And the GFO and I will continue to monitor nutrients over the next week and see if any change happens. I also noticed my alk was at 6 so over the next few days I will bring that up to 9. I want to try the simplest methods first and go from there. I would rather have GHA than dinos so if I have to deal with that then I will. I still have a pretty new tank, just at 3 months, so we will see how it goes.

No problem. Sounds like a plan!

Neoalchemist · Mar 3, 2019

ReefinItReal88 said:
Leave the gfo and use some carbon to remove phosphates and nitrogenous components. Suck the stringy stuff off the sand bed. Water changes

This is not the way to fight dinos. They gain their foothold and thrive in low nutrient environments. Gfo use usually just causes them to get worse.

RJ F. · Mar 8, 2019

Ok so here is an update. I left a small golf ball size ball of cheato I my refugium. I turned off the skimmer. I did NO water changes. I feed 1 cube of mysis with 3 spoons of reef chili/ roids mix. Took a few days but I slowly started to see them recede. I left my refugium light on 24/7. I DID NO LIGHT TIMING CHANGES. Now they are gone. I'm starting to see some GHA so I will do a 50% W/C. I still have not detected nitrate or phosphate. I'm ordering new tests kits that are more sensitive. I see GHA growing so they have to be there. I have never seen my tank so clean!

RJ F. · Mar 8, 2019

Thanks for everyones help! I'm not saying this is the only way or best way to fight dinos but it worked for me. Raising nutrients

Instigate · Mar 8, 2019

RJ F. said:
Ok so here is an update. I left a small golf ball size ball of cheato I my refugium. I turned off the skimmer. I did NO water changes. I feed 1 cube of mysis with 3 spoons of reef chili/ roids mix. Took a few days but I slowly started to see them recede. I left my refugium light on 24/7. I DID NO LIGHT TIMING CHANGES. Now they are gone. I'm starting to see some GHA so I will do a 50% W/C. I still have not detected nitrate or phosphate. I'm ordering new tests kits that are more sensitive. I see GHA growing so they have to be there. I have never seen my tank so clean!

Looks great!