Dinos?

Sottish_Reefer · Aug 30, 2018

So this algae is really starting to get on my nerves so I decided to buy a microscope to see if it was dino.

Can anyone give their opinion? Sorry about the photos. It was hard to get the phone on the microscope without moving it.

Any input is appreciated

dwest · Aug 30, 2018

I doubt it. Any motion?

Sottish_Reefer · Aug 30, 2018

dwest said:
I doubt it. Any motion?

I kept thinking there was but it kind of looked like tiny little bubbles moving. The pics are taken at 120x magnification

Sottish_Reefer · Aug 31, 2018

Anyone else have any input?

CDavmd · Aug 31, 2018

need better pictures....try grabbing a piece of algae/slime/mucous etc and put it on one end of the microscope slide, then put a second slide on the first starting on the end with the algae in order to smear the material between both slides. Look around for moving brownish small oval to sesame seed like organisms.

Also post a picture of your tank with the algae.

Sottish_Reefer · Aug 31, 2018

CDavmd said:
need better pictures....try grabbing a piece of algae/slime/mucous etc and put it on one end of the microscope slide, then put a second slide on the first starting on the end with the algae in order to smear the material between both slides. Look around for moving brownish small oval to sesame seed like organisms.

Also post a picture of your tank with the algae.

Thanks. Unfortunately I don't have slides. I had to put the sample on a plastic container to get the photo. I'll try and think of something I can use.

Here is the algae in the tank though

Sottish_Reefer · Aug 31, 2018

Is this better?

I can't see any movement

CDavmd · Aug 31, 2018

ok, you can pick up some microscope slides fairly cheap on amazon. They also sell a "well" slide that is good for looking at a drop of water with sand.

Tell us more about your tank:
how old?
parameters?
Are you carbon dosing?
Nutrient levels?
Stocking etc..

Based on your image this could be Dino's but the light-transparent color to the slime could also represent a bacterial bloom if you are overdosing a carbon source. It is hard to tell based on the image. I'm favoring a bacterial bloom given the lack of brown pigment but really need a good microscopic image to be sure.

There is a simple test described on the "dinoflagellates are you tired altogether..." thread which is described on the first page of the thread. You might consider doing this until you can get a good view under the microscope.

CDavmd · Aug 31, 2018

Sottish_Reefer said:
Is this better?

I can't see any movement

not really....if you are not seeing movement then not likely dinoflagellates. The image is not that helpful. Try the test I mentioned.

Sottish_Reefer · Aug 31, 2018

CDavmd said:
not really....if you are not seeing movement then not likely dinoflagellates. The image is not that helpful. Try the test I mentioned.

Thanks you I'll have a look for the thread and see if I can get some slides.

My tank is around 16 months old and I only have a royal gramma in this just now. Along with a small CUC, long spined urchin and a conch

Here was my water parameters on Sunday. I know alk and calcium are low. I have just recently discovered that 0 nitrates is a bad thing so I haven't done a water change or changed my filter socks this week.

I have a bristletooth tang and a 2 stripe goby in my QT which are going into my DT on Sunday so hopefully they will bring my nitrates up

Screenshot_20180826-195914_Aquarium%20Note.jpeg

CDavmd · Sep 1, 2018

What about phosphates?

And are you dosing carbon or anything else?

Sottish_Reefer · Sep 1, 2018

CDavmd said:
What about phosphates?

And are you dosing carbon or anything else?

My phosphates are in the parameters above. 0.04ppm

No I am not and never have dosed anything. Should I be? I was under the impression that water changes should be enough for what I have.

I have an orange monti, acan (which is not doing so good), a toadstool and 2 zoa polyps in the system also. I usually do around 15-20% water changes weekly. I have been doing this to try and get rid of my algae

Gareth elliott · Sep 1, 2018

The green color leads me to believe not dinos, but this is not a definitive id as there are green chlorophyll species.

But looks like some kind of hair algae with some cyano possibly mixed in.

Your nitrate being zero might be helping the algae gain a foothold. Perhaps slowly increasing feeding, or decreasing the frequency of wc.

CDavmd · Sep 1, 2018

Sorry missed that...

No need to dose based on your livestock currently.

You do want to get your nitrates up.

Do you have a skimmer?

It really looks like a bacterial bloom. I have seen that clear mucous slime when overdosing carbon.

Maybe it’s the picture...is the color accurate or is it a brownish slime?

Really need a better microscopic image to help ID this.

ReefBum · Sep 1, 2018

It looks like diatoms based on the image you provided of your tank. Do you use RODI water? Diatoms typically bloom when silicates are elevated.

CDavmd · Sep 1, 2018

ReefBum said:
It looks like diatoms based on the image you provided of your tank. Do you use RODI water? Diatoms typically bloom when silicates are elevated.

Possible but the slimy-mucous like strands argue against diatoms. A good microscope will give the answer.

Sottish_Reefer · Sep 2, 2018

Gareth elliott said:
The green color leads me to believe not dinos, but this is not a definitive id as there are green chlorophyll species.

But looks like some kind of hair algae with some cyano possibly mixed in.

Your nitrate being zero might be helping the algae gain a foothold. Perhaps slowly increasing feeding, or decreasing the frequency of wc.

Thanks. I haven't done a waterchange this week and I have increased feeding. Also today my bristletooth tang and my two stripe goby finished that QT period so they are now in the DT. Hopefully they will help with nitrates.

What are ideal levels for phosphate and nitrate?

Sottish_Reefer · Sep 2, 2018

CDavmd said:
Sorry missed that...

No need to dose based on your livestock currently.

You do want to get your nitrates up.

Do you have a skimmer?

It really looks like a bacterial bloom. I have seen that clear mucous slime when overdosing carbon.

Maybe it’s the picture...is the color accurate or is it a brownish slime?

Really need a better microscopic image to help ID this.

Hopefully my nitrates to up after adding my tang and goby today

Yes I have a skimmer

Come to think of it I think it maybe started not long after I was running carbon. I only ran the carbon as I used flatworm exit. That was months ago though.

It looks almost transparent

ScooterV · Sep 2, 2018

Maybe you need to switch to the local haggis blend

Sorry for the not at all helpful input. I just couldn't help myself

11 months to go until my next trip "home" to Scotland!!! 3-4 weeks with no reservations, or plans, beyond the car rental and first night in Glasgow. Will be all pubs with an Inn and wander around on this trip!! Good luck with the tank though. Once needing a microscope it's way over my head!!

Maybe Irn Bru has nitrates?

Sottish_Reefer · Sep 2, 2018

ReefBum said:
It looks like diatoms based on the image you provided of your tank. Do you use RODI water? Diatoms typically bloom when silicates are elevated.

I don't think it's diatoms. I got diatoms not long after the tank cycled and it doesn't look the same.

I only thought it was dinos because of the bubbles coming from it