Another Algae ID post...

[AngryOwl]

Yup, here is another one for you guys. Tank has been up about 5 months and all of a sudden I have an outbreak of algae going on. I run an algae scrubber that has been doing well and nutrients haven't changed for months. Nirates 4ppm, Phosphates undetectable (red sea). Only change that was made was adding about 4 new rocks about a month or so ago... those rocks did grow a little bit of algae but now the weirs are covered in it.

Tank is 120g.

Let me know what you think and if you need any more info.

 

[tdileo]

I am thinking dinos.

 

[brandon429]

It's not hard to fix that, good job acting early.

Is this a nano or full size tank

Post full tank shot

 

[AngryOwl]

It's not hard to fix that, good job acting early.

Is this a nano or full size tank

Post full tank shot

120g.

Are you agreeing with the post before saying its dinos?

 

[mcarroll]

Looks like _____ + cyano.

_____ is probably dino's, but check out the dino sticky at the top of the forum and read through the first post – see if that sounds like your situation.

From the first post, here's a test you can do on it:

Confirming the ID of your dinoflagellate is important if possible.

• To begin with, make sure you have Dinos
• Use @taricha's dino confirmation guide on posts #986-987.

 

[AngryOwl]

Looks like _____ + cyano.

_____ is probably dino's, but check out the dino sticky at the top of the forum and read through the first post – see if that sounds like your situation.

From the first post, here's a test you can do on it:

I was afraid you guys would tell me dinos ;Nailbiting

 

[mcarroll]

If the test indicates dino's, then it's not exactly a trip to Wonderland, but it's not The End either.

How is the health of the tank? Fish? Corals? Snails? Pods?

Check each group specifically, even if nothing has seemed apparently wrong.

Pods are often the first to give a sign of dino toxins, so if your pods are lethargic or.....missing...then that's another sign. Same for snails basically, only they're larger so the effects don't show up at the same time as for the pods.....have they been lethargic (sitting still for long periods) or dying off?

Getting a microscope is something I recommend even if you don't have an algae outbreak. A $10-15 toy scope will adequately do 1200x, so that's what I've been using...while I decide on a real scope. (Check this one out for details: Selecting a microscope)

 

[AngryOwl]

If the test indicates dino's, then it's not exactly a trip to Wonderland, but it's not The End either.

How is the health of the tank? Fish? Corals? Snails? Pods?

Check each group specifically, even if nothing has seemed apparently wrong.

Pods are often the first to give a sign of dino toxins, so if your pods are lethargic or.....missing...then that's another sign. Same for snails basically, only they're larger so the effects don't show up at the same time as for the pods.....have they been lethargic (sitting still for long periods) or dying off?

Getting a microscope is something I recommend even if you don't have an algae outbreak. A $10-15 toy scope will adequately do 1200x, so that's what I've been using...while I decide on a real scope. (Check this one out for details: Selecting a microscope)

Everyone is looking good as far as fish and snails. I haven't noticed any pods in my system yet (been up about 5 months).

For the cyano is there a good thread/article on here on how to treat?

 

[mcarroll]

I don't recommend "treating" any of it....at least not yet. Seems like nothing except maybe the pods are being affected so far.

Do you run activated carbon? (Can you?) That should help tremendously with any toxins, but make sure to keep it fresh. I'd switch to a weekly changeout routine and use 1/4 the normal/recommended dose.

Are you using anything like GFO or any extra nutrient removers of any kind? I.e. carbon dosing or bio-pellets/-blocks, et al?

 

[AngryOwl]

I don't recommend "treating" any of it....at least not yet. Seems like nothing except maybe the pods are being affected so far.

Do you run activated carbon? (Can you?) That should help tremendously with any toxins, but make sure to keep it fresh. I'd switch to a weekly changeout routine and use 1/4 the normal/recommended dose.

Are you using anything like GFO or any extra nutrient removers of any kind? I.e. carbon dosing or bio-pellets/-blocks, et al?

I run Carbon, just swapped it out last week.

No GFO, I run an algae scrubber.

When would you recommend "treating"?

 

[mcarroll]

Well if you checked out the rest of the first post of that dino thread I quoted from, you'll notice it's sort of a treatment-less treatment.

How old is the tank? And what have your NO3 and PO4 numbers been like?

How has the ATS been performing and what algae does it grow? Does the onset of this stuff in the main tank parallel the startup of the ATS by any chance?

 

[AngryOwl]

Tank has been up for about 5 months maybe a little longer. I started the ATS in late August and just started getting growth 4-5 weeks ago. It is growing green growth however it seems more thick and gel like to me. Almost like a gel fish food.... not stringy green hair algae. Not sure if that makes any sense to you.

Nitrates have been 4ppm for 2-3 months and Phosphates 0ppm since I started testing 5-6 weeks ago.

 

[brandon429]

Run all water adjustment methods if you like. They may work. When you want it gone, holler w do.

ID, testing, detailing, has nothing to do with making a tank free of invaders. In our algae cure threads, we just kill an invader and don't check for anything other than before and after pics. Each has their own way of fixing invaded tanks. The number one factor in our threads that caused the problem was never a genus nor parameter, it was simple hesitation and purposeful farming by the keeper. Per those threads, I'd do the opposite of delay. You are lucky that's localized, so far. Ur considering action in good time still.

Arrived at a fork in the road: leave it or kill it.

 

[brandon429]

The reason I didn't cover ID is because it's not helpful to us in our kill threads.

awaiting such ID is part of the hesitation sequence our (those who kill and remove invaders) correction threads depend upon. Need full tank shot/shows unspoken details

Imagine the power of killing your invader first, while you still can, and only then instating nutrient and competitor changes well after the tank has been cleaned... Move them to preventatives, as they should be. Formula for the perpetually uninvaded tank, we show.


The first action is to remove a test rock of the organism for external kill, put back, and compare results to the rest of the system. Simple easy modeling, not harmful, helpful

 

[mcarroll]

Personally I'd take the ATS offline until the tank is on an even keel. There's hardly any reason to be running on a tank this new anyway.

Very new tanks with very low nutrients with a very large amount of "nutrient export" could be considered the trifecta of dino blooms.

To fix things: Remove the "nutrient export", resolve the low nutrients with some PO4 fertilizer, cure the "new tank" once and for all with time.

(Did you have a chance to run that dino test? I've lost track. )

 

[AngryOwl]

Personally I'd take the ATS offline until the tank is on an even keel. There's hardly any reason to be running on a tank this new anyway.

Very new tanks with very low nutrients with a very large amount of "nutrient export" could be considered the trifecta of dino blooms.

To fix things: Remove the "nutrient export", resolve the low nutrients with some PO4 fertilizer, cure the "new tank" once and for all with time.

(Did you have a chance to run that dino test? I've lost track. )

Going to test with peroxide tonight.