Diatoms or cyanobacteria?

[NLarg]

Hi, I have a Biocube 16 gal and 2 years old. 2 clown fish and 1 blue tang only. I change 20% of the water every week (imagitarium pacific salt water). In the past, I've tried a few corals, but it didn't survive, then I decide to wait until I learn more. The water is clear, but as you can see there some DIATOMS or CYANOBACTERIA over the sand. I already tried everything to get rid of both (because I don't know if it's Diatoms or Cyano), CHEMICLEAN, ROWA FOS, PHOSPHATE-E,......., and so far, nothing. I even thought to start over, but I think that is not a good solution because probably they will be there again in the future. My question is, based on the picture only, could you tell me what it is? And an effective way to get rid of it? Please, any help are welcome. TIA.

 

[mann1139]

Hard to tell from pic.

Diatoms are usually fairly two-dimensional, while cyano has "height" to it.

Cyano also vacuums like slime.

 

[Lavey29]

Blue tang in a 16g (11g with rock) ? Wow...

 

[NLarg]

Hard to tell from pic.

Diatoms are usually fairly two-dimensional, while cyano has "height" to it.

Cyano also vacuums like slime.

Then, I think they are diatoms. Any advice to get rid of them?

 

[NLarg]

Blue tang in a 16g (11g with rock) ? Wow...

I think that means it's a bad idea, right? Any advice?

 

[Screwgunner]

Yep no words for that one!

 

[Uncle99]

It’s 2 years old so Diatoms I doubt, they are usually the first pest we see.
So down to Dino’s or Cyano?
If that stays there after lights out I’d go with Cyano.
If they disappear after lights out, but reappear when lights on Id say Dinos.

in either event, at 2 years your tank should not see either provided your nitrate and phosphate levels are both in the normal accepted bands and stable.

If either or both have Zeroed, this is when Cyano and Dinos raise their ugly heads, they thrive in this disparity and outcompete your good guy bacteria.

Correct that imbalance (if it exists) first.

This will overtime, lower pest algaes so the good guys can populate and the condition will reverse on its own.

 

[SchrutesReefs]

I think that means it's a bad idea, right? Any advice?

Maybe start searching for a new home before it gets extracted for you by tang police. But in all honesty, that small of a tank with a fish with that level of anxiety probably isn’t a great idea. Ich will come once stress levels get high for the little feller.

 

[NLarg]

Maybe start searching for a new home before it gets extracted for you by tang police. But in all honesty, that small of a tank with a fish with that level of anxiety probably isn’t a great idea. Ich will come once stress levels get high for the little feller.

Thank you. I will look for a new home for him.

 

[NLarg]

It’s 2 years old so Diatoms I doubt, they are usually the first pest we see.
So down to Dino’s or Cyano?
If that stays there after lights out I’d go with Cyano.
If they disappear after lights out, but reappear when lights on Id say Dinos.

in either event, at 2 years your tank should not see either provided your nitrate and phosphate levels are both in the normal accepted bands and stable.

It’s 2 years old so Diatoms I doubt, they are usually the first pest we see.
So down to Dino’s or Cyano?
If that stays there after lights out I’d go with Cyano.
If they disappear after lights out, but reappear when lights on Id say Dinos.

in either event, at 2 years your tank should not see either provided your nitrate and phosphate levels are both in the normal accepted bands and stable.

If either or both have Zeroed, this is when Cyano and Dinos raise their ugly heads, they thrive in this disparity and outcompete your good guy bacteria.

Correct that imbalance (if it exists) first.

This will overtime, lower pest algaes so the good guys can populate and the condition will reverse on its own.

, this is when Cyano and Dinos raise their ugly heads, they thrive in this disparity and outcompete your good guy bacteria.

Correct that imbalance (if it exists) first.

This will overtime, lower pest algaes so the good guys can populate and the condition will reverse on its own.

Thank you so much! I always thought that would be Cyano or Diatoms. They disappear after lights out, but reappear when lights on!!! At the store here, the guy never told me about dinoflagellates! Thank you. The nitrate and phosphate are zeroed. How to correct them?

 

[Lavey29]

Well, you already know what to do with the tang. 0 phosphate and nitrate causes very bad things for a tank. Typically feeding more and adding coral supplements will help. You may also dose neophos and neonitro to raise those numbers. To get rid of the algae, cut lights to 6 hours with blue and uv only no white. Siphon up what you can with weekly water changes, get your parameters stable, maintain a diverse cleaner crew and add good bacteria like PNS probio regularly. Your nano tank is only designed for 2 maybe 3 small fish that's it.

 

[NLarg]

Well, you already know what to do with the tang. 0 phosphate and nitrate causes very bad things for a tank. Typically feeding more and adding coral supplements will help. You may also dose neophos and neonitro to raise those numbers. To get rid of the algae, cut lights to 6 hours with blue and uv only no white. Siphon up what you can with weekly water changes, get your parameters stable, maintain a diverse cleaner crew and add good bacteria like PNS probio regularly. Your nano tank is only designed for 2 maybe 3 small fish that's it.

Thank you for your advice.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I think that means it's a bad idea, right? Any advice?

always google "recommended tank size for this fish", before you buy the fish.

 

[Uncle99]

Thank you so much! I always thought that would be Cyano or Diatoms. They disappear after lights out, but reappear when lights on!!! At the store here, the guy never told me about dinoflagellates! Thank you. The nitrate and phosphate are zeroed. How to correct them?

Brightwell makes a product called Neo-Nitro and Neo-phos, to increase nitrate and phosphate respectively.

Bump those into the traditional levels, nitrate say 5-20ppm and phosphate to 0.03-.1ppm and maintain at this level.

Clean your filter media each morning before lights on, this will get rid of some of the Dino’s that got trapped during lights out.

Vacumn sand surface lightly when lights on.

UV (if you can) during dark hours.

So the concept here is two fold.

1. Provided the nutrition the good guy algae likes.
2. Lower as much as possible the bad guy algae (Dino’s)

In about a month, or sooner, this whole issue will just end on its own.

At that point if you manage (maintain) appropriate nutrient levels, you won’t see that again.

 

[NLarg]

Brightwell makes a product called Neo-Nitro and Neo-phos, to increase nitrate and phosphate respectively.

Bump those into the traditional levels, nitrate say 5-20ppm and phosphate to 0.03-.1ppm and maintain at this level.

Clean your filter media each morning before lights on, this will get rid of some of the Dino’s that got trapped during lights out.

Vacumn sand surface lightly when lights on.

UV (if you can) during dark hours.

So the concept here is two fold.

1. Provided the nutrition the good guy algae likes.
2. Lower as much as possible the bad guy algae (Dino’s)

In about a month, or sooner, this whole issue will just end on its own.

At that point if you manage (maintain) appropriate nutrient levels, you won’t see that again.

Again, thank you. Yesterday I bought Neo-Nitro and Neo-phos! I will start today. I will return the blue tang. I will get one one day when I move to a 500 gal tank! : )