Help identify

[reefrookie379]

Hello,

For a few days now I have noticed a dark color slime like building up on my sand bed and spreading. Today I found this little bubble coming up out and it and I am not sure exactly what I am facing here. Thank you very much.

 

[jeffchapok]

Can you get a pic without so much blue? I suspect cyanobacteria, but dinoflagellates is a possibility too.

 

[Zer0]

That’s a pretty tough ID without a better picture. White light/daylights would make it easier. The blue light makes everything look the same color in photos, which is, blue. And the problem here is that, the bubble you see could literally be just that - an air bubble trapped under a buildup of something else, and may not be related to what the algae/organism is.

 

[reefrookie379]

does this help ?

 

[saltyhog]

Not really, but if I had to say probably dinos if it's brown. Cyano usually looks red.

 

[Shmollica]

Yeah looks brownish like dinos and it’s everywhere. How old is the tank, are you running gfo?

 

[reefrookie379]

The tank is a little over 3 months old and no I am not running GFO. I have a protein skimmer with my live rock and hang on refugium with Chaetomorpha in there.

 

[saltyhog]

What are your nutrient levels? Microscopic view would really help know what to do!

 

[Shmollica]

Yeah microscope would help, the bubbles lead me to think it’s a bacterial bloom which is rapidly reproducing. I really like microbacter 7 and vibrant...I’ve used microbacter clean but wasn’t happy with the results. Sometimes a benificial bacteria will help out compete that type of bloom. How is your micro fauna population? When I flashlight my tank at night the small patches of green film algae are covered in pods....looks like a pile of ants attacking summertime sidewalk ice cream!

 

[Shmollica]

I avoided asking about your phos/nitrate levels because I have had blooms that look like that at pretty much every level under the sun lol.

 

[saltyhog]

I avoided asking about your phos/nitrate levels because I have had blooms that look like that at pretty much every level under the sun lol.

Agree, however very low nutrients could increase the possibility of dinos.

I don't think it's bacterial. Bacterial blooms have always been "cloudy" or white in my tank. They have almost always occurred when I added a carbon source such as NoPox, vinegar, etc.