Bubble on live rock

iTonku · Jun 20, 2022

finished cycle about 2 weeks ago. Asked my LSF for coral suggestions and added them about 1-2 weeks ago. Now the rock has some tiny bubbles on them. Should I add more CUC to get rid of them or are they dino. What will I need to do.

40 gallon breeder
HOB filter & skimmer.

blaxsun · Jun 20, 2022

Looks like it could be dinos, yes. Spiny astrea snails and ring cowries in particular might help.

Reefing102 · Jun 20, 2022

Can’t say for sure what algae may be causing them, but they appear to be oxygen bubbles created from photosynthesis of algae

iTonku · Jun 20, 2022

Reefing102 said:
Can’t say for sure what algae may be causing them, but they appear to be oxygen bubbles created from photosynthesis of algae

Should I be worried about them? Currently I only have two emerald crabs and couple hermit crabs and couple snails. should I get more of them?

Yates273 · Jun 21, 2022

Test your water parameters to see if anything bottomed put. If so could be Dino’s. To properly id them you will need a microscope then the experts can weigh in. For me a few three day blackouts as well as leaving the tank dirty did it but took a couple months. Need another source of algae to outcompete the Dino’s of in fact it is

BroccoliFarmer · Jun 21, 2022

iTonku said:
Should I be worried about them? Currently I only have two emerald crabs and couple hermit crabs and couple snails. should I get more of them?

Yes..you need to be worried about them. What are your nitrate and phosphate levels? They look like dinos that usually take hold if your other nutrients bottom out.

iTonku · Jun 22, 2022

BroccoliFarmer said:
Yes..you need to be worried about them. What are your nitrate and phosphate levels? They look like dinos that usually take hold if your other nutrients bottom out.

everything is zero. I only have the master saltwater test kit. But I have the fluval clearmax which should reduce phosphate. Should I use it?

BroccoliFarmer · Jun 22, 2022

iTonku said:
everything is zero. I only have the master saltwater test kit. But I have the fluval clearmax which should reduce phosphate. Should I use it?

If everything is zero...Houston, we have a problem.

you should STOP using it. You need a little fertilizer (Nitrate and phosphate) in your garden. In freshwater, zeros are GOOD. In Saltwater, zeros are BAD. I had my consistent battles with dinos when i first started out because I had yet to learn this lesson. I know use Trisodium Phosphate and Sodium Nitrate dosing to keep a little dirt in my water. I actually use this in ADDITON to nitrate and phosphate reducer. WHY? Because if I use the reducers to bring the levels down to zero, I can dose back just how much I need to so I can control the levels.

Side note: That kit is probably fine if you are doing fish only..but if you get corals, get a more accurate kit. API test kits are the bane of many reefer's existence.

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Jun 22, 2022

Api test kits providing a zero doesn't mean you've bottomed out.
Only undetectable to api kits. Which are mainly for fw.
If your really worried about chasing those two numbers. Get the decent correct tests broccolifarmer or blaxsun recommends.

You deff do have the c02 Gas off bubbles that occur with Dino. But you don't have the stringy brown crap. I see mostly green cyano.
The worst hasn't happened yet but looks to be in motion.
D

iTonku · Jun 22, 2022

monkeyCmonkeyDo said:
Api test kits providing a zero doesn't mean you've bottomed out.
Only undetectable to api kits. Which are mainly for fw.
If your really worried about chasing those two numbers. Get the decent correct tests broccolifarmer or blaxsun recommends.

You deff do have the c02 Gas off bubbles that occur with Dino. But you don't have the stringy brown crap. I see mostly green cyano.
The worst hasn't happened yet but looks to be in motion.
D

I guess I’ll just have to wait and see huh? The corals are still doing fine. Maybe just get more cuc to keep up with the algae growth?

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Jun 22, 2022

You could try sucking some of it up with a turkey baster and blasting it in a bucket and replace the sw but the new sw made will feed the silicate. Which u don't wanna do. Lol.
Lot of ppl scream dinos and up the phos and trades. Trying to feed something to outcompete the dinos.
I'm not 100% certain the ppls microscope id's are correct.

I'd maybe decrease feeding.portions a small amount and continue on.
D