New refugium and now Dinos!

[jmichaelh7]

i just started a new refugium about 2 weeks now, and all of a sudden I have dinos growing on my sand bed. Could this be because my nutrient levels are low?

 

[Kfactor]

i just started a new refugium about 2 weeks now, and all of a sudden I have dinos growing on my sand bed. Could this be because my nutrient levels are low?

What’s your no3 and po4 levels ?

 

[jmichaelh7]

Not detectable. Waiting for new tests current test is not reading phosphate and nitrate

 

[Suohhen]

How do you know they are dinos? A microscope is the only reliable way to identify brown algae in the sand as it is easily mistaken for cyano, diatoms, ect. How old is your tank, Volume, Fish, how often/what do you feed?

 

[jmichaelh7]

It scrapes off the glass and is like slime

 

[Suohhen]

It scrapes off the glass and is like slime

That is more the description of cyano but that doesn't mean it isn't dinos. Either way your question was about low nutrients and yes it certainly could be the case even with cyano. It could also be high nutrients or too much light, it is impossible to say without more details.

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

i just started a new refugium about 2 weeks now, and all of a sudden I have dinos growing on my sand bed. Could this be because my nutrient levels are low?

I just started a refugium for my 12 gallon system about 3 weeks ago. I also have reduced phosphates to undetectable and the Nitrate from undetectable to .48 ppm with increased feedings.

My water clarity is pristine, zero algae growing on nothing but the acrylic walls that I clean on a daily. But I wanted to address that I have nutrients that are also low like you mentioned, but I don't have any dino's or other nuisance algae, bacteria blooms etc.

 

[jmichaelh7]

That is more the description of cyano but that doesn't mean it isn't dinos. Either way your question was about low nutrients and yes it certainly could be the case even with cyano. It could also be high nutrients or too much light, it is impossible to say without more details.

What do you recommend

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

That is more the description of cyano but that doesn't mean it isn't dinos. Either way your question was about low nutrients and yes it certainly could be the case even with cyano. It could also be high nutrients or too much light, it is impossible to say without more details.

I want to tag along, since my cheato is growing like crazy, look at the pic;

 

[jmichaelh7]

My lighting hasn’t changed.

the only thing changed is the refugium. My tank is 1 year old this month 4/4/21.

never had this issue until refugium started up. My feeding schedule is 3 times a day, frozen food drained. Every other day Algae strips

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

My lighting hasn’t changed.

the only thing changed is the refugium. My tank is 1 year old this month 4/4/21.

never had this issue until refugium started up. My feeding schedule is 3 times a day, frozen food drained. Every other day Algae strips

3 weeks ago you started the cheato and now you have what you believe might be Dino's. From your snapshot it appears you brought something to your tank system with the Cheato.

Many online vendors like algae barn, pride in selling virgin Cheato that is stripped of all pest.

I got lucky and got some good cheato, if that is the case from my LFS and it doesn 't stop growing and I started the refugium same time as you 3 weeks ago.

Has to be the last variable that you changed or altered to the tank, and you mention Cheato introduction 3 weeks ago. Did you buy any other corals and bring them home?

 

[jmichaelh7]

My chaeto was purchased online on algae barn.

no nothing new at all.

the only thing that changed was I tried pellet food but one day only

 

[jmichaelh7]

Are you running your refugium light 12 hrs a day 7 days a week?

i reduced my hours to 10 hours right now

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

My chaeto was purchased online on algae barn.

no nothing new at all.

the only thing that changed was I tried pellet food but one day only

I am sure someone is going to chime in. I just wanted to share with you because I just started the refugium same as yours in time, but my 12 gallon is barely going on 3 months up. But, I have zero Dinos etc, guess just lucky.

But, it is usually the last variable that you started, usually so I wanted to see what you placed, now I know your cheato is clean!

Wonder if the pellets created a catalyst to dormant pest algae and you tipped the scale?

 

[Suohhen]

Are you running your refugium light 12 hrs a day 7 days a week?

i reduced my hours to 10 hours right now

3 times a day is good but the bigger factor is bioload. If your testing is accurate and you do have undetectable nutrients you can try dosing nitrate and phosphate but their is really no replacement for a healthy bioload.
It isn't uncommon to have issues with algae in sand. It might go away on its own and if it doesn't it is actually quite easy to manage cyano with a turkey baster and it gives you a good reason to stir the sandbed which is one of the best ways to feed your coral, especially since it is free!
Ofc it might not be cyano but it should be clear soon once whatever it is grows out a bit more. One of the issues with sandbeds is that the typical algae eating snails don't really browse the surface of the sand. The best option for sand imo is the fighting conch. Dwarf hermits and turbo snails aren't bad either but they aren't a great option for other reasons. Scarlet Hermits are great as well but stay too small to have much impact.
Best of luck!

 

[jmichaelh7]

3 times a day is good but the bigger factor is bioload. If your testing is accurate and you do have undetectable nutrients you can try dosing nitrate and phosphate but their is really no replacement for a healthy bioload.
It isn't uncommon to have issues with algae in sand. It might go away on its own and if it doesn't it is actually quite easy to manage cyano with a turkey baster and it gives you a good reason to stir the sandbed which is one of the best ways to feed your coral, especially since it is free!
Ofc it might not be cyano but it should be clear soon once whatever it is grows out a bit more. One of the issues with sandbeds is that the typical algae eating snails don't really browse the surface of the sand. The best option for sand imo is the fighting conch. Dwarf hermits and turbo snails aren't bad either but they aren't a great option for other reasons. Scarlet Hermits are great as well but stay too small to have much impact.
Best of luck!

What I’m going to try and do is have my refugium on for only three days out of the week to see if this will slow the nutrient uptake. Only problem is figuring out how to manually set the apex

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

Are you running your refugium light 12 hrs a day 7 days a week?

i reduced my hours to 10 hours right now

I run mine 7pm to 6am. One hour before lights turn off and one hour before they turn on.

 

[Shannon_Hill]

i just started a new refugium about 2 weeks now, and all of a sudden I have dinos growing on my sand bed. Could this be because my nutrient levels are low?

It is certainly possible to get dinos, especially if your phosphate is at 0. Usually 0 detectable nutrients will kick off dinos. Best to have a little detectable nutrients.

I would strongly recommend dosing a bit of phosphate (NeoPhos) and maybe even a bit of nitrates when needed (NeoNitro).

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

It is certainly possible to get dinos, especially if your phosphate is at 0. Usually 0 detectable nutrients will kick off dinos. Best to have a little detectable nutrients.

I am at zero phosphates, Nitrat .48 and no signs of Dinos or hair algae. Super blue, clear water. Brown algae gets on the back wall and panels, but I magic erase them off my acrylic.

I started doing once a day, frozen brine only what they can eat 6 small gobies in a 12 gallon system. Now, after your post I am concerned that with undetectable phosphate, I may be up for trouble.

I will test my water again to see if I can get a little phosphates to show up. Maybe increase the feeding just a hair.

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

What I’m going to try and do is have my refugium on for only three days out of the week to see if this will slow the nutrient uptake. Only problem is figuring out how to manually set the apex

I like that idea, I might do mine same photo period, just every other day Mon on, Tues off etc. Will try to do that until I get phosphates to show up.