Is this Coraline or Something else

[CoralNoobDude]

So ive been off an on with my tank lately...not really testing consistently but doing water changes bi weekly. A few months ago I had a dino outbreak that I had to remedy. In the process I lost 6 corals...very tragic. Since then there have been no dinos but there has been a mega growth of what you see in the image.

Unfortunately my testing equip is out (hence why no consistent testing). The material on the rock is hard and really dark. I'd say purple...but it's a really REALLY dark purple. I'm wondering if it's coraline or something else. From what I recall the tank was bright neon green under this...then it turned.

Also can someone tell help me understand why my snails keep dieing? I get them and they only last about a week...2 at most. Go easy on me... I'm the noob remember?

 

[Super Fly]

As far as snails, what has been ur acclimation procedure?

 

[Bepis]

Looks like coraline to me but Im not a expert.

 

[CoralNoobDude]

As far as snails, what has been ur acclimation procedure?

I usually drip acclimate for about 20 mins, then add them in

 

[Super Fly]

I usually drip acclimate for about 20 mins, then add them in

when it comes to inverts, I try to acclimate them 45-60 mins just to be safe... r u checking the salinity of snail bag water to ensure it matches tank water prior to adding them?

 

[eag]

Could be Cyano? Cyano often follows dino outbreak. I can see some red tinge along the sandbed.

 

[CoralNoobDude]

when it comes to inverts, I try to acclimate them 45-60 mins just to be safe... r u checking the salinity of snail bag water to ensure it matches tank water prior to adding them?

No am I not...that might be the issue. I keep my salinity rather low though, around 1.022 ppm. Maybe that's this issue.

 

[eag]

Also can someone tell help me understand why my snails keep dieing? I get them and they only last about a week...2 at most.

Dino is toxic to snails. Have you tried to keep any since your outbreak? Is it possible that it's not fully eradicated?

What kinds of snails? Do you have any nassarius?

 

[CoralNoobDude]

Could be Cyano? Cyano often follows dino outbreak. I can see some red tinge along the sandbed.

Think your right about cyano :\... Any idea on how to beat it?

I see tiny purple spots on some rocks that i know for sure is coraline, for some reason it's not spreading as rapidly as I expected.

Dino is toxic to snails. Have you tried to keep any since your outbreak? Is it possible that it's not fully eradicated?

What kinds of snails? Do you have any nassarius?

Astrea and Turbo snails. I put the snails in about a 6 weeks after I was certain the dino outbreak was stopped.

 

[kartrsu]

Yeah drip acclimate snails if the source water is at different salinity. Wider range = longer acclimation. If you drip, try to keep the water temp consistent throughout as it can cool down.

Looks like Cyano. Does it blow off the rocks? If it does, then Cyano. Battling myself too, it died back after Dino outbreak, but has returned since dinos controlled. Might wanna try lowering nutrients but not to 0. Chemiclean can do wonders, but it will return if nutrients not lowered.

 

[eag]

Think your right about cyano :\... Any idea on how to beat it?

Cyano is usually high nutrients (nitrates and/or phosphates). It also prefers lower flow areas.

I had dino with a cyano outbreak following. In my case, the dino outbreak was triggered by low nutrients. To combat it, I raised nutrients. The dino was eventually outcompeted and began to recede, but left cyano in its wake as nutrients continued to rise. Slowly backing off my nutrient raising measures seemed to balance things out.

All of that said, there are many kinds of dino and my situation may not apply to you... Just one data point.

Astrea and Turbo snails. I put the snails in about a 6 weeks after I was certain the dino outbreak was stopped.

Could be unrelated :shrug:

 

[eag]

Think your right about cyano :\... Any idea on how to beat it?

Cyano is usually high nutrients (nitrates and/or phosphates). It also prefers lower flow areas.

I had dino with a cyano outbreak following. In my case, the dino outbreak was triggered by low nutrients. To combat it, I raised nutrients. The dino was eventually outcompeted and began to recede, but left cyano in its wake as nutrients continued to rise. Slowly backing off my nutrient raising measures seemed to balance things out.

All of that said, there are many kinds of dino and my situation may not apply to you... Just one data point.

Astrea and Turbo snails. I put the snails in about a 6 weeks after I was certain the dino outbreak was stopped.

Could be unrelated :shrug

 

[Super Fly]

No am I not...that might be the issue. I keep my salinity rather low though, around 1.022 ppm. Maybe that's this issue.

think low salinity should be fine, many LFS keep their water low. Next time confirm snail bag salinity & tank water are same prior to adding snails into tank.
As far as possible cyano, since u say the purple item is hard it's not cyano. However does the green stuff on rock and sand easily blow off or disintegrate when touched/squeezed? if so then it's cyano, green cyano is not common but some few lucky folks get the green cyano.

 

[jda]

Reefs need to be at reef strength salinity - 35 ppt. Get it there.

Snails need stuff to eat. Stop keeping the tank so clean if you want to keep them.

The green could be coralline too.

Do you happen to know your nitrate and phosphate levels. They can poison inverts at too high of levels.

 

[CoralNoobDude]

So I was able to siphon a few drops from an old API nitrate tester. Using the color view I'd say my nitrates are around 20 to 30 ppm.

Took a blower to the rock, and the purple stuff flakes off. So I'm diagnosing it as cyano. Can't do phosphate test yet, waiting on another hanna tester.

Measured my salinity again and again. Looks like I need to boost it because it's coming under 1.020. Not quite sure how to boost it though so please advise. I don't know if I should add a gallon that's 1.022 ~ 1.024 (35ppt) or if I should add something that's halfway there...not sure. It's a 30 gallon tank for reference.

AND...fortunately...I have a bottle of Chemiclean so I may use that to balance the nutrients. SMH...exhausting stuff this reef keeping biz. I've been holding out getting new coral now for 3 months...desperate to get my tank colorful again.

 

[Super Fly]

So I was able to siphon a few drops from an old API nitrate tester. Using the color view I'd say my nitrates are around 20 to 30 ppm.

Took a blower to the rock, and the purple stuff flakes off. So I'm diagnosing it as cyano. Can't do phosphate test yet, waiting on another hanna tester.

Measured my salinity again and again. Looks like I need to boost it because it's coming under 1.020. Not quite sure how to boost it though so please advise. I don't know if I should add a gallon that's 1.022 ~ 1.024 (35ppt) or if I should add something that's halfway there...not sure. It's a 30 gallon tank for reference.

AND...fortunately...I have a bottle of Chemiclean so I may use that to balance the nutrients. SMH...exhausting stuff this reef keeping biz. I've been holding out getting new coral now for 3 months...desperate to get my tank colorful again.

U can do small daily water changes with higher salinity water until desired salinity is reached while siphoning the cyano. Curious, r u calibrating the refractometer on a regular basis to ensure proper reading? Meanwhile, I'd hold off on using chemiclean for now so as not to make too many changes simultaneously.

 

[mindme]

So I was able to siphon a few drops from an old API nitrate tester. Using the color view I'd say my nitrates are around 20 to 30 ppm.

Took a blower to the rock, and the purple stuff flakes off. So I'm diagnosing it as cyano. Can't do phosphate test yet, waiting on another hanna tester.

Measured my salinity again and again. Looks like I need to boost it because it's coming under 1.020. Not quite sure how to boost it though so please advise. I don't know if I should add a gallon that's 1.022 ~ 1.024 (35ppt) or if I should add something that's halfway there...not sure. It's a 30 gallon tank for reference.

AND...fortunately...I have a bottle of Chemiclean so I may use that to balance the nutrients. SMH...exhausting stuff this reef keeping biz. I've been holding out getting new coral now for 3 months...desperate to get my tank colorful again.

You can just top off with salt water rather than RO/DI water until the salinity is higher.

 

[CoralNoobDude]

U can do small daily water changes with higher salinity water until desired salinity is reached while siphoning the cyano. Curious, r u calibrating the refractometer on a regular basis to ensure proper reading? Meanwhile, I'd hold off on using chemiclean for now so as not to make too many changes simultaneously.

Should the top off/water changes be at standard salinity? I use Instant Ocean Reef Salt which when mixed by 5 gallon standard is 1.021 salinity. As for my refractometer...yes it's regulralry calibrated every water change.

 

[92Miata]

You can just top off with salt water rather than RO/DI water until the salinity is higher.

This is the equation I use to figure out how much topoff water at the target salinity will get me to where I need to be:

TopOffGallons = TankGallons* (SalinityTarget-SalinityCurrent)/(SalinityTarget-1)



Salinity in the 1.025 format.


For trying to get 30 gallons from 1.022 to 1.025, I get 3.6 gallons of 1.025 topoff to get the tank to 1.025. This has worked for me, but I'd suggest being careful and testing salinity before you top off each time.

 

[mindme]

Should the top off/water changes be at standard salinity? I use Instant Ocean Reef Salt which when mixed by 5 gallon standard is 1.021 salinity. As for my refractometer...yes it's regulralry calibrated every water change.

You can just add more salt to get the desired salinity.