Please ID algae

[roggy23]

Tank has been running for about a year. Can't seem to shake whatever this is. Phosphates .03 nitrates 10

 

[saltyhog]

What are your parameters? Especially your NO3 and PO4? Impossible to say for certain but it looks like it could be dinoflagellates.

Is it just on the sand. Does it disappear at night? How old is the tank?

 

[Supa]

could be Dino/ maybe a cyano…. Did is start appearing in low flow areas first?

 

[roggy23]

What are your parameters? Especially your NO3 and PO4? Impossible to say for certain but it looks like it could be dinoflagellates.

Is it just on the sand. Does it disappear at night? How old is the tank?

Parameters as i stated above phosphates. 03 nitrates 10.
It's on sand and on rocks. I feel like it gets weaker when lights out

 

[roggy23]

could be Dino/ maybe a cyano…. Did is start appearing in low flow areas first?

I think so. I have 2 mp40s opposite sides on my 6 foot tank

 

[vetteguy53081]

Its Dino. Best to treat sooner than later.
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 existing coral) 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

 

[saltyhog]

A picture under the microscope is the best bet to know for sure and which type it is if it's dinos.

 

[roggy23]

A picture under the microscope is the best bet to know for sure and which type it is if it's dinos.

Don't have that

 

[Timfish]

I run into what you're seeing peridicly even in decades old systems. Stirring it up puts a lot of it back in the system and it'll settle out and continue to grow. I'll siphon off the top layer sand with the algae/cyano and soak in H202 for a day, rinse well, let sit a day or so then return it to the system. For the stuff on the rocks I'll use stainless steel straws to siphon it off with water changes.

 

[Double monti 61]

Maybe you can correct the problem by adding more life to the sand and invertebrates that forage through the sand for food?

 

[roggy23]

Maybe you can correct the problem by adding more life to the sand and invertebrates that forage through the sand for food?

Working on that I javelin a conch and nessarious snails and a few hermits

 

[roggy23]

Working on that I javelin a conch and nessarious snails and a few hermits

Working on that I javelin a conch and nessarious snails and a few hermits

I have a conch*

 

[roggy23]

Its Dino. Best to treat sooner than later.
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 existing coral) 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

I'll try this method

 

[saltyhog]

I'll try this method

There is a very low probability of that working if it's dinos. Getting an ID would be the best route to take. If you're dead set against not getting an accurate diagnosis I would recommend the following. Keep NO3 5-10, PO4 0.06-0.12, dose silicates to elicit a competing diatom bloom, dose phyto/pods and avoid water changes for a while if at all possible. Holler at me if you need instruction on the silicate dosing. This could be a species that doesn't respond to that treatment (another reason for microscopic ID). If so the next step becomes clearer.