Dinos?

[aggrofish]

I swear if it's not one thing with this tank it's another. I added some sand a few weeks ago and this algae coincided with that so initially Oh it's diatoms from the new silicate. As the days went on I'm leaning more towards Dinos. Not long ago I had some fish get sick and removed a few to put in QT, this lessened the bio load - and at the same time I was battling GHA and Bryopsis, so I dosed flucanozole. I had PO4/NO3 on hand to dose to not let those bottom out, but they did anyway. All this to say I'm confident this is dinos and figured raising PO4/NO3 should work.

I've been dosing both, enough on a reefer 350, to raise PO4 by .02 and by the same time the next day it's back to 00 or .01. Same with NO3. Please help me identify and come up with a game plan. I do not have a UV but whatever this is stays exactly the same throughout the night with lights off so that wouldn't work anyway.

91 total system gallons
1 year old, but did move it six months ago, used live rock from previous 45 gallon plus new dry rock (never again)
PO4 - .00 - .01
NO3: 1-2 (struggle to keep it there)
Not sure other parameters matter so lets just say they're where they need to be. Ask if there's anything specific you need.
Color: brown , clumps up, mat like, no bubbles, doesnt recede or go away at night.
No affect on snails, crabs, shrimp or anything besides my eyes. None of the clean up crew eats it.

Any ideas?
fastest course of action?

I've been dosing NeoPhos and NeoNitrate daily for the last couple days and I've seen no increase in nutrients or decrease in algae. I have microbacter7 on hand but not sure why I would dose that when I'm trying to increase nutrients - but I will if that helps.

Oh, and happy holidays to all!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Pics are too blue to tell, please take pics under white lights but appears to be cyano

 

[thedon986]

I would consider doubling your dosing for a few days straight and see if you can get it to stay above double zeros. I’m at about 80 gallons total at was dosing 20ml a day of NeoPhos and barely staying above zero at the height of my dino outbreak. I eventually bought 2L jugs of Nitro, Phos and SpongeExcel for my battle.

 

[aggrofish]

Pics are too blue to tell, please take pics under white lights but appears to be cyano

I can turn up the whites if I can ever get reef beat to connect. But that's with an orange filter and exactly how they look to the naked eye. It 100 percent looks like brown cyano, but I dont have excess nutrients even before this appeared I was dosing not to bottom out. Apparently I wasnt dosing enough.

 

[aggrofish]

I would consider doubling your dosing for a few days straight and see if you can get it to stay above double zeros. I’m at about 80 gallons total at was dosing 20ml a day of NeoPhos and barely staying above zero at the height of my dino outbreak. I eventually bought 2L jugs of Nitro, Phos and SpongeExcel for my battle.

I'll try that. Yesterday I was at .01, dosed and today I'm at 0. So obviously I'm not dosing enough or I'm wrong as the above poster mentioned and I'm just feeding cyano

 

[Lavey29]

It's not cyano if it doesn't disappear during lights out. My cyano is gone over night but back when lights come on. Reduce your lights to 6 hours, no white. I had to double dose neophos and neonitro for several weeks before my numbers came up. Feed fish more, feed corals more like reef roids a few times a week.

 

[aggrofish]

It's not cyano if it doesn't disappear during lights out. My cyano is gone over night but back when lights come on. Reduce your lights to 6 hours, no white. I had to double dose neophos and neonitro for several weeks before my numbers came up. Feed fish more, feed corals more like reef roids a few times a week.

Thanks. I have some reef roads coming to try out, but I've been dosing AB+ at least 3x weekly since there's very little nutrients for coral.

 

[thedon986]

I have only had cyano when nutrients are rising out of control, never when they are both zeroed out or that close to zero. My money is on dinos but I would definitely get a microscope to check it out. Aminos in coral foods might feed dinos to beware there. I have some patches of cyano now but that didn’t come until phosphates rose to .3 and nitrates around 10.

 

[Lavey29]

Thanks. I have some reef roads coming to try out, but I've been dosing AB+ at least 3x weekly since there's very little nutrients for coral.

I use that too but roids will Jumpstart your phosphate. I have basically what you have covering maybe 50% of my sand. Only the lighted portion. None in shade or caves. I'm trying to get rid of it with light reduction and keeping numbers stabil with good nitrates and phosphate. I recently started a cheato fuge to.

 

[aggrofish]

I use that too but roids will Jumpstart your phosphate. I have basically what you have covering maybe 50% of my sand. Only the lighted portion. None in shade or caves. I'm trying to get rid of it with light reduction and keeping numbers stabil with good nitrates and phosphate. I recently started a cheato fuge to.

Yeah mine doesnt grow in the one bigger cave I have in the middle of the tank. I tried a chaeto when I was having GHA issues. It never grew. I guess the GHA out competed it. It didnt grow after either, not enough nutrients. I just removed it all last week. A lot of it was hard and white, which I assume means dead. Good luck with your battle and thanks for the tips

 

[attiland]

I swear if it's not one thing with this tank it's another. I added some sand a few weeks ago and this algae coincided with that so initially Oh it's diatoms from the new silicate. As the days went on I'm leaning more towards Dinos. Not long ago I had some fish get sick and removed a few to put in QT, this lessened the bio load - and at the same time I was battling GHA and Bryopsis, so I dosed flucanozole. I had PO4/NO3 on hand to dose to not let those bottom out, but they did anyway. All this to say I'm confident this is dinos and figured raising PO4/NO3 should work.

I've been dosing both, enough on a reefer 350, to raise PO4 by .02 and by the same time the next day it's back to 00 or .01. Same with NO3. Please help me identify and come up with a game plan. I do not have a UV but whatever this is stays exactly the same throughout the night with lights off so that wouldn't work anyway.

91 total system gallons
1 year old, but did move it six months ago, used live rock from previous 45 gallon plus new dry rock (never again)
PO4 - .00 - .01
NO3: 1-2 (struggle to keep it there)
Not sure other parameters matter so lets just say they're where they need to be. Ask if there's anything specific you need.
Color: brown , clumps up, mat like, no bubbles, doesnt recede or go away at night.
No affect on snails, crabs, shrimp or anything besides my eyes. None of the clean up crew eats it.

Any ideas?
fastest course of action?

I've been dosing NeoPhos and NeoNitrate daily for the last couple days and I've seen no increase in nutrients or decrease in algae. I have microbacter7 on hand but not sure why I would dose that when I'm trying to increase nutrients - but I will if that helps.

Oh, and happy holidays to all!

Does look like Dinos but to be sure get a microscope and check it.

It's not cyano if it doesn't disappear during lights out. My cyano is gone over night but back when lights come on. Reduce your lights to 6 hours, no white. I had to double dose neophos and neonitro for several weeks before my numbers came up. Feed fish more, feed corals more like reef roids a few times a week.

I think this is a bit confusing. Dinos tend to disappear after lights out. Cyano stays usually bushy patches in appearance.

I have only had cyano when nutrients are rising out of control, never when they are both zeroed out or that close to zero. My money is on dinos but I would definitely get a microscope to check it out. Aminos in coral foods might feed dinos to beware there. I have some patches of cyano now but that didn’t come until phosphates rose to .3 and nitrates around 10.

Cyano is usually sign of rapid nutrients change or imbalance.

to be sure I think you better off properly ID your stuff in the sand with microscope. Doesn’t cost much for a used one on eBay.
Added some guide attached. If you don’t ID your stuff you will just begin to experiment with your tank and I would strongly advise against it but it is your call.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It's not cyano if it doesn't disappear during lights out. My cyano is gone over night but back when lights come on. Reduce your lights to 6 hours, no white. I had to double dose neophos and neonitro for several weeks before my numbers came up. Feed fish more, feed corals more like reef roids a few times a week.

Cyano and dino are both photosynthetic and thrive off light and will disappear overnight.

 

[attiland]

Cyano and dino are both photosynthetic and thrive off light and will disappear overnight.

Not what my experience with cyano but reduced for sure but never disappeared in the leve as Dinos.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks. I have some reef roads coming to try out, but I've been dosing AB+ at least 3x weekly since there's very little nutrients for coral.

Reef Roids will elevate phosphate and therby elevate cyano and like wise will feed/fuel Dino. You want to cease feeding stuff like this Until the issue has been resolved

 

[vetteguy53081]

Not what my experience with cyano but reduced for sure but never disappeared in the leve as Dinos.

Ive done 3 day blackouts ONLY with cyano and never returned. Cyano blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations go haywire. Just like when you eat too much sugar and your waistline starts to bloom, the same happens in your tank when concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.
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.
After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

Several things cause Cyano besides water chemistry issues:
- 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

 

[vetteguy53081]

Does look like Dinos but to be sure get a microscope and check it.

I think this is a bit confusing. Dinos tend to disappear after lights out. Cyano stays usually bushy patches in appearance.

Cyano is usually sign of rapid nutrients change or imbalance.

to be sure I think you better off properly ID your stuff in the sand with microscope. Doesn’t cost much for a used one on eBay.
Added some guide attached. If you don’t ID your stuff you will just begin to experiment with your tank and I would strongly advise against it but it is your call.

It is actually a combo of algae and bacteria giving it - its name. Cyano is a common photosynthetic organism found in an array of colors such as green, purple and black and happens in your tank when concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.

 

[aggrofish]

It is actually a combo of algae and bacteria giving it - its name. Cyano is a common photosynthetic organism found in an array of colors such as green, purple and black and happens in your tank when concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.

Okay so I ordered a microscope on amazon to make sure, but for now lets assume dinos. Currently dosing NO3 & PO4 to raise both. You suggest to not feed coral?
What about MB7 does or no dose?
I usually do a 10 gallon water change on Sundays. Would you continue with this or no?
Should I even attempt to siphon? All it does is spread everything around the tank.

 

[attiland]

Ive done 3 day blackouts ONLY with cyano and never returned. Cyano blooms typically start when water nutrient concentrations go haywire. Just like when you eat too much sugar and your waistline starts to bloom, the same happens in your tank when concentrations of phosphate, nitrate and other organic compounds are too high.
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.
After the week, add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

Several things cause Cyano besides water chemistry issues:
- 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

so you agree of cyano is usually sign of rapid nutrients change or imbalance.

I can agree with most of what you put except the water change bit with not enough frequency bit. If that would be correct the no water change people would fight cyano all the time.

I don’t run skimmer so I wouldn’t know if it can trigger cyano bloom.

 

[attiland]

Okay so I ordered a microscope on amazon to make sure, but for now lets assume dinos. Currently dosing NO3 & PO4 to raise both. You suggest to not feed coral?
What about MB7 does or no dose?
I usually do a 10 gallon water change on Sundays. Would you continue with this or no?
Should I even attempt to siphon? All it does is spread everything around the tank.

MB7 had no effect on my cyano when I had it a year or so ago after Dinos. I stopped dosing it due to seen no positive effects in my tank.
almost all Dino treatment starts with get po4 and no3 detectable levels. This is to help competition. The journey different after this based on the strains.
If cyano is the issue I would get my nutrients detectable and keep it there and use chemiclean which I soon will be told off but I am strong believer of that stuff

 

[thedon986]

Okay so I ordered a microscope on amazon to make sure, but for now lets assume dinos. Currently dosing NO3 & PO4 to raise both. You suggest to not feed coral?
What about MB7 does or no dose?
I usually do a 10 gallon water change on Sundays. Would you continue with this or no?
Should I even attempt to siphon? All it does is spread everything around the tank.

MB7 may help, not 100% sure.
No water changes for a while, just keep all stabile off you can
Siphoning even into a 10 micron sock and back into the tank didn’t really help me.
you can research silicate dosing and also elegant corals and/or Dr. Tim’s dino treatment methods.
Blackouts will help weaken them but need to be used in combination with other treatments.