New refugium, new red slime/string algae

[Scott Ulrich]

Hi, I added a display refugium with 11 mangroves, grape, caulerpa, chaeto and red dragons breath macro. I added 2 full spectrum grow lights to the refugium and run them 16 hours.

In the few weeks the caulerpa and chaeto have doubled. However, the refugium has grown red stuff floating on top (see pic) and green algae and the display tank has picked up some long red stringy stuff... Cyano?

Wondering if the cyano is caused by the change in parameters due to the macro algae and will eventually stabilize with some cleaning and water change.

It is hanging on my kenya tree and gorgonians and keeping the gorg from completely opening.

Using API test kits, my phosphates are 0.25 ppm and nitrates are reading between 0-5 ppm.

In the display I run 625 watt led about 10 hours and also run a skimmer and carbon in the sump. I was hoping the macro would outcompete the bubble algae outbreak in the main tank, which along with a couple of emerald crabs, has been receding.

Thanks!
Scott

 

[Scott Ulrich]

Here's a picture under 40x magnification of the floating stuff in the refugium. Are these dinoflagellates? It kind of disintegrates when you touch it and it smells bad.

Also found a little worm on the green algae, video included.

 

[Scott Ulrich]

I clean off my gorgonian and it gets almost completely re-coated in a few hours with this stringy brown stuff. I did a 15% water change over the weekend, but It has been completely closed up for a few days now any suggestions?

 

[Scott Ulrich]

Any suggestions as to what this is or how to get rid of it? LPS looks fine, but I clean my gorgonian and Kenya tree and they are covered again in an hour, pictures included. It is not on the rocks or sand or anything either I've done 2 x 20% water changes in the last week...

I'm think I'm going to try more direct flow on these guys?

Thanks

 

[Ajayabb]

Yep looks like Dino’s. Someone smarter than me will be able to ID for you

 

[Scott Ulrich]

Yep looks like Dino’s. Someone smarter than me will be able to ID for you

Thanks! I've been researching ideas and I took the collection cup off my skimmer to try and boost the nutrients and am going lights out in both my display and refugium for 3 days to see if that helps.

 

[carrico]

Here's a picture under 40x magnification of the floating stuff in the refugium. Are these dinoflagellates? It kind of disintegrates when you touch it and it smells bad.

Also found a little worm on the green algae, video included.

Ostreopsis ovata.

 

[Dan_P]

Any suggestions as to what this is or how to get rid of it? LPS looks fine, but I clean my gorgonian and Kenya tree and they are covered again in an hour, pictures included. It is not on the rocks or sand or anything either I've done 2 x 20% water changes in the last week...

I'm think I'm going to try more direct flow on these guys?

Thanks

Are you sure the coral are not sick? Get a second opinion.

 

[Scott Ulrich]

Are you sure the coral are not sick? Get a second opinion.

Thanks, pretty sure it's dinos, Ostreopsis ovata, was just looking for some confirmation.

I have been running the skimmer without collection cup for about a week. I did a 3 day blackout (mon-wed), which seemed to definitely help and less dinos collecting on the corals. But when I turned the lights on they came back. Probably the macro is pulling out nutrients with the lights back on.

I haven't tested nitrates/phosphates this week so I'll try tomorrow to see if they register and then going to start another 3 day blackout tomorrow.