Help Identify

Manose · Feb 17, 2019

Tank has been up/cycled since December and my only inhabitants are a pair of clowns as I wanted my tank aged 3 months before I added any coral.
This algae took hold almost 2 weeks ago and I do not think it is diatoms and terrified that it is dinoflagellates. Almost more of a slime than a dusting so maybe cyanobacteria and diatoms mixed.
I have a microscope coming on Tuesday so I can get more of and ID.
Tank parameters
Phos- .01
Nitrate- 0
I am growing mad mounts of Cheato and running rowaphos in a reactor.
If it is dinos then I am going to restart.

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 17, 2019

Are you sitting down?

Stop stripping the phosphate IMO.

lapin · Feb 17, 2019

Manose said:
Tank parameters
Phos- .01
Nitrate- 0

You do know that dinos love this sort of tank. Everything else hates it. Mr chaeto is sucking up all the life giving food. I doubt you can get any corals to grow under these extreme low nutrient conditions.

Katrina71 · Feb 17, 2019

It does look like dinos to me.

Jacked Reefer · Feb 17, 2019

Tis’ Dinos. I killed mine by skipping waterchange day and some blowing off the wall and rocks with a turkey baster.

Manose · Feb 17, 2019

I was afraid of dinos so with my mom in the hospital it's good time to take the tank down and start over later on as this just guts me.

Katrina71 · Feb 17, 2019

Sorry to hear about your mom being sick.

Manose · Feb 17, 2019

Katrina71 said:
Sorry to hear about your mom being sick.

Thank you as she will be upset about me taking my tank down but I am not going to fight dinos again.

Katrina71 · Feb 17, 2019

Ever consider just letting algae take over while it's empty? Maybe add some GHA rock and let her get dirty and just wait it out? Just curious what would happen.

Manose · Feb 17, 2019

Katrina71 said:
Ever consider just letting algae take over while it's empty? Maybe add some GHA rock and let her get dirty and just wait it out? Just curious what would happen.

To be honest since the tank is just 2.5 months old and already has dinos it is a lost cause so it is easier just to take it down and start over or sell off all the equipment.

Katrina71 · Feb 17, 2019

I understand that too.

Manose · Feb 18, 2019

I turned the light off now for 2 days and took the GFO offline along with stopping the daily water changes and it has went nuts growing even better than before like insane growth. I will get pictures...........

Katrina71 · Feb 18, 2019

Makes sense. I would expect a growth spurt before it starved.

Manose · Feb 18, 2019

Manose said:
I turned the light off now for 2 days and took the GFO offline along with stopping the daily water changes and it has went nuts growing even better than before like insane growth. I will get pictures...........

Manose · Feb 18, 2019

I am hope there is a chance that this is not dinos and something else...........................

marlinmon · Feb 18, 2019

Manose said:
To be honest since the tank is just 2.5 months old and already has dinos it is a lost cause so it is easier just to take it down and start over or sell off all the equipment.

Lost cause?!?!?! Show me someone with a reef tank that hasn't dealt with dinos. It's a nutrient issue. Solve the nutrient issue.