I believe I have dinos? Or something else.

Joshua2598 · Oct 7, 2018

Recently (after buying garf grunge suspiciously, dont reccomend buying) I've been having what I think are dinos. Its covering some of my rock, almost all my sand, its covering even some nuisance algae completely. Its also growing on my chaeto. Then there is my zoa frag. This could be completely unrelated to my other problem for all I know and I believe it is. but it's getting covered in this brown slime stuff and has completely taken over 2 polyps. All others open fully.

Joshua2598 · Oct 7, 2018

Also note the bubbles

KrisReef · Oct 7, 2018

Bummer.
How long has this tank been set up?
What are your levels of Nitrate & Phosphate, etc?

Joshua2598 · Oct 7, 2018

KrisReef said:
Bummer.
How long has this tank been set up?
What are your levels of Nitrate & Phosphate, etc?

Tank is about 3 months old. Stupid me keeps forgetting to pick up a test kit so I only have strips. Nitrates ~5

KrisReef · Oct 7, 2018

Pretty common unpretty-occurrence for newer tanks.
On the bright side, sometimes these slime coverings (dinos &/or slime algae?) smother and kill off other pest algae before they themselves die as the tank matures. Hopefully, you can keep them enough in check to avoid losing coral in the process.

Looking at your pics again, there seems to be a dead bug face down in the slime just to the left of your open zoas in picture 3. Not sure what that was?, but let's hope for the best. GL!

Joshua2598 · Oct 7, 2018

KrisReef said:
Pretty common unpretty-occurrence for newer tanks.
On the bright side, sometimes these slime coverings (dinos &/or slime algae?) smother and kill off other pest algae before they themselves die as the tank matures. Hopefully, you can keep them enough in check to avoid losing coral in the process.

Looking at your pics again, there seems to be a dead bug face down in the slime just to the left of your open zoas in picture 3. Not sure what that was?, but let's hope for the best. GL!

Thanks for the luck! I don't seem to see what you are talking about in the pic

Jason mack · Oct 7, 2018

It could be Dino’s ... but I suspect it’s more likely cynobacteria or spirulina... can you take a sample to a lFS with a microscope to confirm it’s dinos ...
also what are your parameters?
What is your lighting schedule ?

Jason mack · Oct 7, 2018

Also the bug is in this photo next too zoas

KrisReef · Oct 7, 2018

Joshua2598 said:
Thanks for the luck! I don't seem to see what you are talking about in the pic

In the 3rd pic, looking at the colony of zoas on the right side of the photo, if you look at the bottom of the colony, there are 3 "larger" zoas and one smaller one, if you make a line just below these polyps, from the lower right moving up just past the smallest open zoa there is what appears to be a black bug face down in the slime about a small zoa width away in line with the bottom of that colony.

Joshua2598 · Oct 7, 2018

Jason mack said:
It could be Dino’s ... but I suspect it’s more likely cynobacteria or spirulina... can you take a sample to a lFS with a microscope to confirm it’s dinos ...
also what are your parameters?
What is your lighting schedule ?

Now that you say cyano it does make sense... it does have a reddish tint. The cyano in my freshwater makes me want to jump off a cliff... I do have a toy microscope ived me see around with but I cant seem to focus in on anything with the biggest magnification for my life. Lights come on at ~8:30 and go off at ~8. I literally just ordered a test kit online before I forgot for the 87th time. But test strips said around 5 nitrates.

Joshua2598 · Oct 7, 2018

KrisReef said:
In the 3rd pic, looking at the colony of zoas on the right side of the photo, if you look at the bottom of the colony, there are 3 "larger" zoas and one smaller one, if you make a line just below these polyps, from the lower right moving up just past the smallest open zoa there is what appears to be a black bug face down in the slime about a small zoa width away in line with the bottom of that colony.

I see it now. I'll have to check it out right now

Jason mack · Oct 7, 2018

Joshua2598 said:
Now that you say cyano it does make sense... it does have a reddish tint. The cyano in my freshwater makes me want to jump off a cliff... I do have a toy microscope ived me see around with but I cant seem to focus in on anything with the biggest magnification for my life. Lights come on at ~8:30 and go off at ~8. I literally just ordered a test kit online before I forgot for the 87th time. But test strips said around 5 nitrates.

Dino’s normally arise when po4 and no3 have bottomed out for a period .. you say your nitrates are 5 ppm and I suspect your phos is above 0.1 some what ..
Plus I see algea in your tank ...
this is why I think it’s cyno .

Advice ..
pull and syphon as much out as you can .. reduce your lighting ... and add more flow too your sand bed .. get your test kits and start testing ..
I think your just going through the ugly stages ..

Joshua2598 · Oct 7, 2018

Jason mack said:
Dino’s normally arise when po4 and no3 have bottomed out for a period .. you say your nitrates are 5 ppm and I suspect your phos is above 0.1 some what ..
Plus I see algea in your tank ...
this is why I think it’s cyno .

Advice ..
pull and syphon as much out as you can .. reduce your lighting ... and add more flow too your sand bed .. get your test kits and start testing ..
I think your just going through the ugly stages ..

I do believe my phos. are high because my firefish was a finicky eater. Looking back I way over fed trying to make him eat

ccoffel81 · Oct 7, 2018

Jason mack said:
It could be Dino’s ... but I suspect it’s more likely cynobacteria or spirulina... can you take a sample to a lFS with a microscope to confirm it’s dinos ...
also what are your parameters?
What is your lighting schedule ?

+1 I believe it’s methane producing cyano. Is the tank fishy stinky smelling?

Joshua2598 · Oct 8, 2018

ccoffel81 said:
+1 I believe it’s methane producing cyano. Is the tank fishy stinky smelling?

Actually when you get really close to the top it does!

ccoffel81 · Oct 8, 2018

Joshua2598 said:
Actually when you get really close to the top it does!

Cut light schedule in half for a week clean sand bed half water change. See if helps.

ccoffel81 · Oct 8, 2018

Joshua2598 said:
Now that you say cyano it does make sense... it does have a reddish tint. The cyano in my freshwater makes me want to jump off a cliff... I do have a toy microscope ived me see around with but I cant seem to focus in on anything with the biggest magnification for my life. Lights come on at ~8:30 and go off at ~8. I literally just ordered a test kit online before I forgot for the 87th time. But test strips said around 5 nitrates.

Cyano can be black blue green brown red and probably more. So don’t go by color alone. 12 hrs imo is way too long for photo period, unless on a ramp schedule. On a reef typically 4 hrs of intense light happens in a day.