Need help identifying algae

[Ruckus16]

My tank
40 breeder with 20 long sump
Set up in September 16.
NO3 ~5ppm
PO4 ~0ppm

Tank had been running great minus a small battle with cyano. I started dosing potassium nitrate because my NO3 always tested zero. Once my NO3 was detectable the cyano disappeared.
Fast forward a month and I started getting a brown dust on my sand. This "dust" has turned into a nightmare.
It's a dark brown, very fine filamentous/hair like algae. Started on the sand and has very slowly creeped up the rocks.
I'm at a loss. I'm only running carbon. No GFO or the like.
Need some help or ideas. I'm praying it's not dinos.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

lil cyano, mabe diatoms.

 

[paintballer1]

I had the same thing ran some phosguard and cut light time and it disappeared in 2 days

 

[Ruckus16]

Definitely no cyano. I know they aren't the best pics.
I can definitely try the phosguard but I'm a little confused because the tank has always tested 0 for PO4.(salifert and hanna)

 

[paintballer1]

I heard that even even you test 0 for phosphates there can still be a lot of phosphates I have no idea why but I saw that everywhere when I was looking up my algae problem

 

[Ruckus16]

Me too. So what's the point in testing if they never are detectable?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

cyano feeds on more than just po4. phosguard and gfo's have a binder to remove silicates and Phosphates.
be careful running zero po4 too. its easy to bleach stuff.

 

[Ruckus16]

Yes that is why I am not currently running GFO. I can handle cyano but I don't even know what this stuff is. If I run GFO or phosguard I'm worried about stripping too much out.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Me too. So what's the point in testing if they never are detectable?

I heard that even even you test 0 for phosphates there can still be a lot of phosphates I have no idea why but I saw that everywhere when I was looking up my algae problem

folks are nuts man. you want some. when they say its undetectable but its"locked up". it means if something dies itll release it. just go with what the test says and you'll be golden.. it a sample of what is in the water column.
if you rung gfo however it may be scewed as the Po4 will be stripped from the WC even though its leaching off of rock

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yes that is why I am not currently running GFO. I can handle cyano but I don't even know what this stuff is. If I run GFO or phosguard I'm worried about stripping too much out.

add just a bit. in a bag over the return pump. diatoms will be kinda dusty. cyano is sticky.

are those snails all dead? probably whats being eaten by the cyano.

if the return flow dead ends there itll drop organics and they'll pile up there. more food.

 

[Ruckus16]

It's not cyano. Yes some of those snails may be dead. I sometimes gather them into a big pile and the ones that haven't moved I take out the next morning.

 

[Ruckus16]

What are some for sure signs of dinos? I guess I will order a microscope to confirm...

 

[Ruckus16]

Anyone else have an idea based off my pics? The algae is not snotty and never has bubbles in it.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

What are some for sure signs of dinos? I guess I will order a microscope to confirm...

the most common we see that folks freak out for no reason are snotty brownish goo with air bubbles.

 

[Ruckus16]

Yep that is what I have seen online and it's nothing like that. I don't know what it is though.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yep that is what I have seen online and it's nothing like that. I don't know what it is though.

minor ditoms or a little cyano.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

young tank? Are you on rodi water?

 

[Ruckus16]

8 months...yes RODI. 0 TDS out of the unit.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

8 months...yes RODI. 0 TDS out of the unit.

yea weird you didn't get them sooner. its possible you didnt have enough nutrients to grow it till now.

Do you have sand vacuum?
what was the answer on the return flow thing. I have on spot in one of my tanks that collects all the funk. it the only spot of cyano I get. you can see it hit the glass and drop it right there.

 

[Ruckus16]

I have excellent flow. Two rw4s, koralia nano plus my return. I'm sure I have spots that settle detritus but nothing noticeable. This stuff has pretty much completely covered my sand.
No vacuum. I really dislike disturbing my sand beds