Is this what I think it is?

[KingReef16]

Hi all! I have a rather nasty looking goop growing in various places on my rock structure. It’s even growing on top of turf algae! I’m afraid I have dinos...

My parameters over the last several days:
pH: 8.2
Alk: hovering at 6.0-6.5
NO3: 2
PO4: 0 (salifert)
Calcium: hovering around 430
Mg: hovering around 1320
We had been doing weekly water changes of about 10-15%.
I know my PO4 needs to not = 0, and I think my NO3 should maybe be higher, and my alk around 11.
So....1. Is this Dinos? And 2. How do I improve my parameters (especially the PO4)?

I need help happy reefing people!!

 

[Muttley000]

Looks like you are correct. How did you alk get so low?

 

[dwest]

Hi all! I have a rather nasty looking goop growing in various places on my rock structure. It’s even growing on top of turf algae! I’m afraid I have dinos...

My parameters over the last several days:
pH: 8.2
Alk: hovering at 6.0-6.5
NO3: 2
PO4: 0 (salifert)
Calcium: hovering around 430
Mg: hovering around 1320
We had been doing weekly water changes of about 10-15%.
I know my PO4 needs to not = 0, and I think my NO3 should maybe be higher, and my alk around 11.
So....1. Is this Dinos? And 2. How do I improve my parameters (especially the PO4)?

I need help happy reefing people!!

I don’t know if you have dinos or not. They look like they could be. A cheap microscope would help ID them. To get your phosphates you could use the product below, but I would make sure I have a Hanna ulr test kit when dosing. Make sure you are not using phosphate removing products. I would also run GAC for now.

Microscope
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071JQFXC4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Phosphate additive
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005XOXKFU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Main dino thread first page is good
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

 

[KingReef16]

Looks like you are correct. How did you alk get so low?

I have no idea! We didn’t check parameters for a while because everything was stable and all our inhabitants seemed happy. I started checking again when this stuff started showing up.

 

[KingReef16]

I don’t know if you have dinos or not. They look like they could be. A cheap microscope would help ID them. To get your phosphates you could use the product below, but I would make sure I have a Hanna ulr test kit when dosing. Make sure you are not using phosphate removing products. I would also run GAC for now.

Microscope
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071JQFXC4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Phosphate additive
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005XOXKFU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Main dino thread first page is good
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

Thank you. I ordered the microscope! I spent a lot of time yesterday reading the dinos thread. What I gathered from all that is I probably have dinos and basically my parameters are crap, especially the phosphates, and I need to get them above zero. And to stop doing water changes for a while. But I’m not sure how to adjust my parameters.

 

[KingReef16]

Oh! And I am running GAC. And a UV sterilizer.

 

[dwest]

Thank you. I ordered the microscope! I spent a lot of time yesterday reading the dinos thread. What I gathered from all that is I probably have dinos and basically my parameters are crap, especially the phosphates, and I need to get them above zero. And to stop doing water changes for a while. But I’m not sure how to adjust my parameters.

I think your water parameters are pretty good. I would bring phosphorous up to o.1 ppm. IMO you can keep nitrates at 2, but you could add sodium nitrate to bring up 10 ppm if you want. I wouldn’t worry about alkalinity now and IME it is fine to keep doing water changes. You may change your methods if you find out for sure what you are dealt with. If you have dinos, many can be treated with UV. I would also run granular activated carbon to remove potential dino toxin. Good luck.

 

[dwest]

Oh! And I am running GAC. And a UV sterilizer.

Great!

 

[KingReef16]

I’m running GAC and UV but this stuff is still growing like crazy. I have physically removed it and it’s back the next day.

 

[dwest]

I’m running GAC and UV but this stuff is still growing like crazy. I have physically removed it and it’s back the next day.

What size is your tank? If the UV will help eliminate your species, if you have dinos, the UV should be at least 1 watt per every 2-3 gallons, plumbed in and out of DT, with about 1-3 gallons per hour of flow through it. The GAC won’t eliminate the dinos, just adsorb some of the dino toxins. Interested in your results from microscope. Good luck!

 

[KingReef16]

What size is your tank? If the UV will help eliminate your species, if you have dinos, the UV should be at least 1 watt per every 2-3 gallons, plumbed in and out of DT, with about 1-3 gallons per hour of flow through it. The GAC won’t eliminate the dinos, just adsorb some of the dino toxins. Interested in your results from microscope. Good luck!

We have a 125g long.

 

[KingReef16]

A few more shots from today. It’s starting to cover a lot of rock.

 

[KingReef16]

#reefsquad

 

[reefwiser]

DINO oh no. Read thru the Dino thread and learn how to handle the issue. It will take a long time to get rid of it.

 

[Brew12]

#reefsquad

Ugh.... normally Dino's don't get me too worried, but you are going to have your hands full.

The best way, imo, to handle dino's is to increase nutrients. That works great when you can control the algae growth in your tank. If I'm not mistaken, you also have Bryopsis in your system. That is one of the more difficult algaes to control. Odds are if you dose nitrates or phosphates it will only cause the bryopsis to grow faster.

I feel like you are going to have to take them both on at the same time. If this were my system, I would order Fluconazole to start getting rid of the bryopsis. when it dies, it will not only consume less nutrients but it will also release nutrients into the water. Both of these will help your system. The downside is that the fluco will also knock back some of the other microfauna you want to develop in your system. This will make the recovery from the dino's take longer.

 

[KingReef16]

Ugh.... normally Dino's don't get me too worried, but you are going to have your hands full.

The best way, imo, to handle dino's is to increase nutrients. That works great when you can control the algae growth in your tank. If I'm not mistaken, you also have Bryopsis in your system. That is one of the more difficult algaes to control. Odds are if you dose nitrates or phosphates it will only cause the bryopsis to grow faster.

I feel like you are going to have to take them both on at the same time. If this were my system, I would order Fluconazole to start getting rid of the bryopsis. when it dies, it will not only consume less nutrients but it will also release nutrients into the water. Both of these will help your system. The downside is that the fluco will also knock back some of the other microfauna you want to develop in your system. This will make the recovery from the dino's take longer.

Thank you! The bryopsis has slowly taken up residence. I had read in the Dino thread that you want other algae around to out compete the dinos. That’s why I haven’t gotten too serious about getting rid of it. But it makes sense that it is part of the low nutrient problem.

 

[Brew12]

Thank you! The bryopsis has slowly taken up residence. I had read in the Dino thread that you want other algae around to out compete the dinos. That’s why I haven’t gotten too serious about getting rid of it. But it makes sense that it is part of the low nutrient problem.

My biggest concern about not tackling the bryopsis now is that your dino's will return in force once you start treating it. Cyano and dino's aren't terribly uncommon for people when treating the bryopsis and I would hate to see you have that kind of setback.
Pretty much any other type of algae and I wouldn't worry about it but bryopsis is a unique beast.

 

[KingReef16]

My biggest concern about not tackling the bryopsis now is that your dino's will return in force once you start treating it. Cyano and dino's aren't terribly uncommon for people when treating the bryopsis and I would hate to see you have that kind of setback.
Pretty much any other type of algae and I wouldn't worry about it but bryopsis is a unique beast.

Thank you so much for the advice! I’ve got the fluconazole ordered. I hate waiting for it!! It won’t be in until Monday. I had already order Brightwell Neophos (should be here in a few days). Until then, I guess I just keep removing the dinos best I can with a turkey baster. Any other suggestions while I impatiently wait for my orders?

 

[KingReef16]

Here’s what I’ve got:
Ostreo?

 

[George Willings]

Here’s what I’ve got:
Ostreo?

If they are barrel rolling then yes to ostreo. I have that strain, they got beaten into submission. Used stump remover for nitrate, and seachem flourish phosphates, added a UV Sterilizer and the marineland magnum intank canister filter. Cleaned the magnum daily. Once I had everything in place the ostreo went into hinbernation within a few days and GHA grew like a brush fire in my rear middle chamber of a Biocube 32. Today the GHA is gone and ostreo in hibernation. I have everything on hand still and ready. The main thing is to keep your phosphate at around .025, and your nitrates around 5, or at least try to keep them in that area.