Please help with ID of this outbreak

Jasontkd · Jan 28, 2021

Ok, so long story, but I will try and keep it brief. I have an outbreak of something in my 90 gallon (maybe more than one outbreak).

My tank was set up in October of 2020 with new sand (fully rinsed) and about half Marc Rocks. I upgraded from and established 20 gallon that was over a year old. I moved all that rock to the new tank, after cycling the new setup.

About a month back I had a massive Ulva outbreak that I was dealing with. I doses vibrant for a few weeks, and it wiped the ulva out. However, I started noticing new some cyano (i am fairly certain) and some hair algae. The hair algae was only growing on my established rocks, and not the newer rocks. Cyano is mainly in the sand, but is spreading.

I have tested my water, and I have nothing out of whack that I can see:
Temp:78
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate 0-.1
Alk 9.0
Calcium 464
Magnesium 1350

I have done several thorough cleanings, and siphoned a bunch of stuff out. My seems fine everywhere, so I don't think I can increase that.

Sunday, I dosed Flux RX to try and take care of the hair algae. I have noticed no changes yet, and the Cyano seems to be getting worse. I have also found one of my SPS seems to be losing a little color. All fish are eating and acting normal and all my other corals seam fine.

I am wondering if I might actually be dealing with Dinos since my nitrate and phosphate are 0.

I am really not sure what to do. The cyano is super stringy (which is different than I have experienced with other cases of cyano in the past.

Any help would be great. Sorry for the poor picture quality.

Jasontkd · Jan 28, 2021

any help would be appreciated

Greg P · Jan 28, 2021

Some white light pics of your sandbed would help with an ID
Your sock pic, the age of the tank, and your N&P readings all lead me to believe you have either diatoms or dinos.
Your last pic looks like dinos. Raising your N&P will help lots.

Waiting for a better sand pic

Jasontkd · Jan 28, 2021

It isn’t diatoms. I am confident about that. Let me see if I can get an all white pic

vetteguy53081 · Jan 28, 2021

Pics with white lights on will help.
Generally the following appearance is:

Light coating on surfaces usually brown - Diatoms
Red Coating or matting on surfaces - Cyano
Golden brown stringy slimy with bubbles looking like snot - Dinoflagellates

Jasontkd · Jan 28, 2021

Here are some pictures

vetteguy53081 · Jan 28, 2021

Thanks for good/clear pics
Its the beginning of Dino.
First- Check phosphates and nitrates to assure theyre not elevated.
Here is full program:
Prepare by starting with a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15%) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off.
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as bacter 7) per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights - ramping up and work your white lights up slowly

Jilly92 · Jan 28, 2021

Jasontkd said:
Ok, so long story, but I will try and keep it brief. I have an outbreak of something in my 90 gallon (maybe more than one outbreak).

My tank was set up in October of 2020 with new sand (fully rinsed) and about half Marc Rocks. I upgraded from and established 20 gallon that was over a year old. I moved all that rock to the new tank, after cycling the new setup.

About a month back I had a massive Ulva outbreak that I was dealing with. I doses vibrant for a few weeks, and it wiped the ulva out. However, I started noticing new some cyano (i am fairly certain) and some hair algae. The hair algae was only growing on my established rocks, and not the newer rocks. Cyano is mainly in the sand, but is spreading.

I have tested my water, and I have nothing out of whack that I can see:
Temp:78
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate 0-.1
Alk 9.0
Calcium 464
Magnesium 1350

I have done several thorough cleanings, and siphoned a bunch of stuff out. My seems fine everywhere, so I don't think I can increase that.

Sunday, I dosed Flux RX to try and take care of the hair algae. I have noticed no changes yet, and the Cyano seems to be getting worse. I have also found one of my SPS seems to be losing a little color. All fish are eating and acting normal and all my other corals seam fine.

I am wondering if I might actually be dealing with Dinos since my nitrate and phosphate are 0.

I am really not sure what to do. The cyano is super stringy (which is different than I have experienced with other cases of cyano in the past.

Any help would be great. Sorry for the poor picture quality.

Do you see any bubbles on the stringy algae? Search dino in the forums and read up on the info. Theres a guy named Jay who layed out a plan in one of the threads that I believe would work. I had my 2 tanks crash due to dino, wiping most livestock out. Also became ill from handling it so approach with caution.

Greg P · Jan 28, 2021

Aside from the dinos, I also see some stringy cyano and green hair algae. Start with @vetteguy53081 suggestions.
I'd still recommend getting your N&P up a bit, but not sure how it will affect his solution.

Jasontkd · Jan 29, 2021

I have quite a few SPS and LPS; won’t the 5 days of low to no light cause problems.

I do not have any bubbles in the strings. There are some bubbles on a few rocks and the back glass.

Jasontkd · Jan 29, 2021

I don't see how I could have Dinos and Cyano. Those seem counterintuitive. I thought Dinos were caused whern Nitrates and phosphates zeroed out, and Cyano was caused by excess nutrients.

Jilly92 · Jan 29, 2021

Jasontkd said:
I don't see how I could have Dinos and Cyano. Those seem counterintuitive. I thought Dinos were caused whern Nitrates and phosphates zeroed out, and Cyano was caused by excess nutrients.

I had cyano and dinos. I added algaefix and changed filters and boom dinos. The cyano did go away once dinos really took over.

Jasontkd · Jan 29, 2021

I am still a little confused. I do not have any bubbles in the strings. The strings are very long and flowing, and the only bubbles I have are on some rock surfaces and back glass.

I do have a bunch of fine stings forming on the glass. I thought it was surface algae but on closer examination, it is furry.

I guess the question at this point it; should I stop other treatments and focus on Dinos? I am on week 1 of Flux RX to try and get rid of the hair algae. I was planning on not doing a water change this weekend, to give the treatment 2 full weeks.

I guess I could do a big water change this weekend, and then do a 3 day blackout and peroxide treatment. I think I would have to remove a cleaner shrimp from my system (I think they are susceptible to peroxide treatments).

I am just not sure of how to tackle these issue if I have 3 different algae issues (hair, dino, cyano). I am not sure what to treat first, second, last and how to not keep from causing more problems with all these different treatments.

Jasontkd · Jan 29, 2021

Here are some other pictures from last night with normal light schedule

Jilly92 · Jan 29, 2021

Jasontkd said:
I am still a little confused. I do not have any bubbles in the strings. The strings are very long and flowing, and the only bubbles I have are on some rock surfaces and back glass.

I do have a bunch of fine stings forming on the glass. I thought it was surface algae but on closer examination, it is furry.

I guess the question at this point it; should I stop other treatments and focus on Dinos? I am on week 1 of Flux RX to try and get rid of the hair algae. I was planning on not doing a water change this weekend, to give the treatment 2 full weeks.

I guess I could do a big water change this weekend, and then do a 3 day blackout and peroxide treatment. I think I would have to remove a cleaner shrimp from my system (I think they are susceptible to peroxide treatments).

I am just not sure of how to tackle these issue if I have 3 different algae issues (hair, dino, cyano). I am not sure what to treat first, second, last and how to not keep from causing more problems with all these different treatments.

Dino is deadly in cases so I would focus on that. Let me see if I can find that guy that was explaining things to me. I will try to tag him

Jilly92 · Jan 29, 2021

Jasontkd said:
I am still a little confused. I do not have any bubbles in the strings. The strings are very long and flowing, and the only bubbles I have are on some rock surfaces and back glass.

I do have a bunch of fine stings forming on the glass. I thought it was surface algae but on closer examination, it is furry.

I guess the question at this point it; should I stop other treatments and focus on Dinos? I am on week 1 of Flux RX to try and get rid of the hair algae. I was planning on not doing a water change this weekend, to give the treatment 2 full weeks.

I guess I could do a big water change this weekend, and then do a 3 day blackout and peroxide treatment. I think I would have to remove a cleaner shrimp from my system (I think they are susceptible to peroxide treatments).

I am just not sure of how to tackle these issue if I have 3 different algae issues (hair, dino, cyano). I am not sure what to treat first, second, last and how to not keep from causing more problems with all these different treatments.

Sorry it wasn't Jay but @vetteguy5308the plan.

If you have anymore questions maybe message him personally hes always helped me when I have problems.

Jilly92 · Jan 29, 2021

Jilly92 said:
Sorry it wasn't Jay but @vetteguy5308the plan.

If you have anymore questions maybe message him personally hes always helped me when I have problems.

And really pay attention to lighting after blackout I bleached a couple of corals very easily.

Jasontkd · Jan 29, 2021

I know peroxide causes corals to be a lot more light sensitive, so I would definitely take it slow

Jasontkd · Jan 30, 2021

Well, I did some testing today based on the following thread on Dinos.

Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

@mcarroll I am linking a thread I started that noticed my ORP was super low and I thought that was probably due to dinos. Anyone else notice the same thing? https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/can-dinos-cause-really-low-orp.325625/#post-4035164 I'll continue updating there.

www.reef2reef.com

I took 6 samples from my display tank, two from three different areas and ran two separate tests.

Test 1, as outlined in the linked thread, was a peroxide test. Cyano bubbles while dinos do not.