Help Identifying - Dino's, Cyano or other

[androidx1]

Hello everyone.
Need help identifying............
Below are some pics of the sand bed in my tank. I have an 80gal tank that is about a year old. So far its only been set up FOWLR but I am getting ready to add coral at the end of the month. I have been battling bubble algae in the tank for the entire time its has been set up (1yr). The bubble came on the live rock from my previous tank. i thought I cleaned it off enough but that obviously wasnt the case. Anyway to get rid of the bubble algae, I dosed Vibrant for about 6 weeks, which indeed get rid of the bubble algae along with all the other algae I had in the tank.

Then I started to see the stuff below in the pics. Before starting to treat it, I wanted to get a good ID on it so I know what to do. So far its been there for about 4 weeks. growing on the sand bed, and I think the same on the glass.

Just for reference my tank params are as follows:
Calcium = 475ppm (Salifert)
Alkalinity = 8.1 ~ 8.5 DKH (Salifert)(dosing by hand right now till I connect my DOS to my apex)
Magnesium = 1450 (Salifert)
PO4 = 0 (Salifert)
NO3 = 10ppm (Salifert)
Salinity = 1.025 (Calibrated refractometer)
Temp = 77.5~ 78 F
Flow = Two MP40's set on opposite Nutrient transport cycles @100%
Lights = Currently running one Radion XR30 @ 30% with Coral Labs AB+ (Lights on 8am with 1hr ramp up and off at 5pm with 1hr ramp down).
Maintenance = doing regular weekly water changes about 10/gal per week sand bed vac (this is my normal maintenance. I have not changed since seeing the current issue)
Skimming - right now I decided to try and skim wet to try and remove much of what I am cleaning off the class and stirring up in the sand bed which I have started to do the last couple days.
I also started to add very small amounts of Microbacter 7 and Dr Tims Nitrifying bacteria to try and increase the diversity in the tank in case it is Dino's

if Dino's I was thinking of trying to bump up my PO4 (already have my Hanna Phophate ULR checker on order along with some Neophos to add to the tank.....

Any help identifying would be greatly appreciated.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

You can verify if its Dinos using the coffee filter test (check the "are you tired of battling altogether" thread). Typically you would see more bubbles in the mucus.

 

[ScottB]

1) Hanna ULR is a great first step,
2) and dosing PO4 as necessary is the next step. Around .1 is fine if your algae is under control. If you have algae, just makes sure PO4 is consistently detectable.
3) @NeonRabbit221B called it on the next move: ID that it is indeed dinos before the next step.
4) If it does pass the filter test as dinos, time for a microscope to get an ID.
5) Unless the ID comes back as Amphidinium, you will need to pick up a UV next. 1 watt per 3 gallons. If you already have one for fish parasites or clarity, FIRE IT UP now. Into/Out of the display, not the sump.
6) Slow or remove nutrient reduction tools. Carbon dosing, GFO, nitrifying bacteria, skim dry, reduce light on fuge...etc.
7) No aminos.

If it turns out NOT to be dinos, I would still raise PO4 to measurable. Corals will hate you without any.

What is your fish load like?

 

[androidx1]

Thanks for the replies!!!
yes I saw the coffee filter and peroxide test after I posted...i'll give it a try tomorrow.
Fish load - 4 Anthias, and two percs, 1 cleaner shrimp and various hermits and snails.
the Vibrant I used to get rid of the bubble algae all but eradicated any other algae I had. but i am now seeing some light algae on the glass.....i scrapped some off and it came off like a film, and put it into a container to see if i can see strands form and I do not, so I am assuming it is algae and not dinos.

One thing I noticed is that in the morning, of course the sand bed is cleaner than later in the day, but i also notice that the tank looses its crystal clear color a couple of hourse after the lights turn out, then about an hour before the lights go out, it gets clear again........not sure if thats due to the Dino's becomming water born or maybe its not related to this issue at all, but I suspect it is related.

 

[androidx1]

sorry.....the cloudiness I notice is happening in the morning when the lights turn on.....then a couple hours prior the lights go out, the cloudiness is gone. its not severe but something I can notice.......

 

[androidx1]

Just an update....

I received my Hanna URL Phosphate checker (model HI774 - This is the new URL that measures Phosphate not Phosphorous, and in PPM not PPB so no conversion is necessary)

I did a reading, and I am getting Phasphate = .03ppm. As a result, I think I am a little hesitant to add any phosphate to my tank. Do you guys agree.

 

[androidx1]

OK..this is what I have been doing:

1. On Feb 6th - Started adding 3ml/day of NeoPhos (should be enough to raise my tank .01ppm of PO4). Every test I do the following day prior to adding a dose again shows the level drops down to .03 which is the starting level prior to dosing.....

2. On Feb 6th - Started stirring the sandbed several times per day (I work from home so I can do it every several hours). Also my sand bed is already pretty clean so I am not stirring up alot of problems. I think people need to be careful with this if they have alot of nutrient in the tank. I killed a whole tank of SPS once when I had to move my tank 6 feet due to a flood in my basement. I suspect the sand bed when stirred released alot of bad stuff, and killed my coral, but since I dont have coral in this tank (except for a Monti, just to guage how things are going), I didnt have to worry about this.

3. On Feb 6th - Started dosing small amounts of Microbacter 7, and Dr. Tims One and Only. daily

4. On Feb 8th - Added Pods and started dosing 1 teaspoon Phyto in the evening and had skimmer turned off for about 4hrs after dosing.

So been doing the above for several days now, and I have noticed each morning less and less on the sand bed. Below is a pic of what it looked like this morning after the lights have been on for an hour. My feeling is adding the diversity to the tank (pods/feeding pods with phyto, microbacter7, and dr.tims) along with making the tank a little dirtier (adding PO4) has allowed the diversity to out compete the dino's......anyway...it seemed to have worked.