Diatoms? Dinos? Algae?

[JZ199]

Trying to get something help identifying this so I can begin eliminating it!! The sand overnight is clear and then when the lights kick on, it all comes back just like this!!
(WHITES TURNED HIGH FOR PHOTO PURPOSES ONLY)

the rocks consistently stay pretty gross looking, I had a huge battle with GHA and within a few weeks of finally eliminating it all of this started.

***NOT bubbles attached to it in the rock pictures, it's sand from the clownfish and Gramma acting up***

Tank is 11 months old
32.5 gallon flex
2 clowns
1 Royal gramma
Turbo snails
Nassarius snails
Pencil urchin
Frogspawn
Nepthea
Green BTA

Temp: 78F
Salinity: 1.026
Phosphate: barely registering
Nitrate: 15ppm
Ammonia:0

 

[BetterJake]

"sand overnight is clear and then when the lights kick on, it all comes back just like this!!"

This comment above makes me believe it is Dinos, perhaps Osteoporosis Dinos. As those go swimming at night and return to the sanded once the lights turn on.

That being said, the only way to know for sure would be to buy a microscope. We are only guessing with pictures.

If it is Osteoporosis Dinos you will need a UV. But I would confirm diagnosis with a scope before dropping money on a UV

 

[JZ199]

"sand overnight is clear and then when the lights kick on, it all comes back just like this!!"

This comment above makes me believe it is Dinos, perhaps Osteoporosis Dinos. As those go swimming at night and return to the sanded once the lights turn on.

That being said, the only way to know for sure would be to buy a microscope. We are only guessing with pictures.

If it is Osteoporosis Dinos you will need a UV. But I would confirm diagnosis with a scope before dropping money on a UV

Will a cheap one work? Like the little microscope kits they sell for kids for like 30 bucks?

 

[JZ199]

Is 200x magnification sufficient?

 

[BetterJake]

Is 200x magnification sufficient?

I would go with at least 400x. But yes even a kids microscope will do. Also this guide may be helpful. You are going to want to get that phosphate up as well. Bottoming out nutrients is usually the trigger for Dinos.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks very much like cyano. . . not just the color but coverage. First is to identify cause which may apply to one or more things then removal. Cyano blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with tiny air bubbles. As bubbles form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it rests as skimmate. When the protein skimmer does not output the best efficiency or you do not have the suitable protein skimmer to cover the tank, the air bubbles created by the skimmer might be insufficient. And this insufficiency of air bubbles can trigger the cyano to thrive.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured which acts like a breeding ground for red slime algae
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank beautifully clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is like rolling out the welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for pervasive red slime algae development

I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 5-7 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check. (This will also work for Dino)

After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea, nerite and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

 

[JZ199]

Looks very much like cyano. . . not just the color but coverage. First is to identify cause which may apply to one or more things then removal. Cyano blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Protein skimmer which fills water with tiny air bubbles. As bubbles form from the reaction chamber, dissolved organic compound molecules stick to them. Foam forms at the surface of the water and is then transferred to a collection cup, where it rests as skimmate. When the protein skimmer does not output the best efficiency or you do not have the suitable protein skimmer to cover the tank, the air bubbles created by the skimmer might be insufficient. And this insufficiency of air bubbles can trigger the cyano to thrive.
- Overstocking / overfeeding, your aquarium with nutrients is often the culprit of a cyano bloom
- Adding live rock that isn’t completely cured which acts like a breeding ground for red slime algae
- If you don’t change your water with enough frequency, you’ll soon have a brightly colored red slime algae bloom. Regular water changes dilute nutrients that feed cyanobacteria and keeps your tank beautifully clear
- Using a water source with nitrates or phosphates is like rolling out the welcome mat for cyano. Tap water is an example
- Inadequate water flow, or movement, is a leading cause of cyano blooms. Slow moving water combined with excess dissolved nutrients is a recipe for pervasive red slime algae development

I recommend to reduce white light intensity or even turn them off for 5-7 days. Add liquid bacteria daily for a week during the day at 1.5ml per 10 gallons. Add Hydrogen peroxide at night at 1ml per 10 gallons. Add a pouch of chemipure Elite which will balance phos and nitrate and keep them in check. (This will also work for Dino)

After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea, nerite and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

Thank you!! Is it ok to just dose the peroxide into my return chamber? I only have them few hardy corals so I'm assuming they will go unbothered?

I will pick up the chemipure elite tomorrow, currently I'm running floss in both, then running carbon, seachem matrix, bio pellets, and purigen the other open slots.

I will definitely turn the white down/off for the week.

I was actually going to run tomorrow to my semi LFS store when their shipment came in to grab some cerith and trochus, should I wait on them until this week is over? Thanks again!!

 

[JZ199]

Sorry I also forgot to ask, as for the bacteria would something like microbacter work? Or even seachem stability? I added tons of pods and have been adding phytoplankton as well which I was hoping would have helped lol

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you!! Is it ok to just dose the peroxide into my return chamber? I only have them few hardy corals so I'm assuming they will go unbothered?

I will pick up the chemipure elite tomorrow, currently I'm running floss in both, then running carbon, seachem matrix, bio pellets, and purigen the other open slots.

I will definitely turn the white down/off for the week.

I was actually going to run tomorrow to my semi LFS store when their shipment came in to grab some cerith and trochus, should I wait on them until this week is over? Thanks again!!

I place peroxide at return pump to evenly disburse it. best to wait as they cant consume it fast enough

 

[vetteguy53081]

Sorry I also forgot to ask, as for the bacteria would something like microbacter work? Or even seachem stability? I added tons of pods and have been adding phytoplankton as well which I was hoping would have helped lol

Microbacter perfect

 

[brandon429]

Algae Identification

Any opinions on what type of algae this is growing on my rocks and sand bed?

www.reef2reef.com

you need to study that thread and know it's procedure. hands off work in your tank might wind up killing it by trading off invasions over and over, and as you can see that does not happen to us above. That is surgical fixing of reefs, your tank at 32 gallons is right at the size we command very well there. that method above will get you the exact after pics/laser clear uninvaded tank you can see on each page.

from the clean condition, you then continue experimenting with clean up crews and parameter changes.

You can see ID has no factor to us, that's a form of hesitation and it doesn't shape how to fix a tank. ID is just something the masses do so they can discuss speciation, which doesn't factor in how the tanks are fixed.


you can see parameter measurements do not factor as well: today's non digital test kits are mere approximations, they're not accurate for us to be basic dose reactions after taking such guess measures for nitrate and phosphate.

that's a pure action thread above, saves tanks, no tradeoff invasion/since you have tried other methods that aren't working that's handy to know there's an offramp. Knowing the gallonage of your tank is more important than knowing the ID of your invader.