Reef Hypochondriac

[ReefMadScientist]

Hey Randy and All,

I wanted to post this up to see what you guys may think is my issue...besides being a reef hypochondriac as I and my wife diagnosed myself. So of course, I start reading something new and automatically believe I have it.

The topic: Dinoflagellate.

I will share with you some pictures but wanted to first share my parameters which have me baffled why I have this cyano or dino issue.

pH: 8.0
No3: 2ppm
PO4: 0.00 (salifert and hanna)
Ca: 420
kH: 8.2
Mag:1400

Dosing 2 part BRS.

Was running BRS GFO but since removed it due to no detectable PO4. I am running ROX.8 Carbon.

So with that said, I stopped dosing amino acids and started my skimmer back up to help remove some nutrients from the system. I also turned off my Elite blue light and just running two hydras.

Nothing on SPS tips, everything is fine besides a few blemishes on the rocks and sand. I did use Chemiclean a week ago which got rid of all bacteria issues but it has since came back.

The bacteria or algae is brownish/green. They do tend to create gas bubbles during peak lighting. I was thinking of maybe using MicroBacter7 but my NO3's are already low. Really stumped on this one.

 

[kacrocorals581]

don't Dino kill snails ?

 

[brandon429]

do you find it amazing that even when running po4 controls to no measured amnts the green hair algae still stayed

I do think thats amazing

your invader looks to be neither dinos nor cyano, but chrysophytes or bryophytes in my opinion, which is why they dont respond to nutrient controls aggressively. direct kill time

 

[ReefMadScientist]

do you find it amazing that even when running po4 controls to no measured amnts the green hair algae still stayed

I do think thats amazing

I am baffled and do not understand anything anymore lol.

I've tested NO3 and PO4 over 10 times the last week and still have nothing for PO4.

 

[twilliard]

My first thought was dinos but Brandon says no?

 

[brandon429]

i for sure could be wrong lol it was those penetrating web like growths into the substrate

usually the dinos are up-suspended due to bubbles!

strange invader here for sure, very neat challenge. fixable. nothing is un-fixable except neomeris annulata invasions ran amok
B

 

[ReefMadScientist]

Ill post more pictures.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Dinos seem snotty when you push at them. I don't think other reef pests act like that.

 

[Russ265]

yeah im with brandon. those are definitley not dinos.

i present to you... this bundle of joy...

and they will invade FAST

 

[Akida17th]

When I was dosing carbon (po4x red sea) I ran into cyano and couldn't get rid of it. There have been articles out there and experiences that validate dosing carbon at times can negatively affect your reef by having these breakouts that eventually never go away. Also, you said your phosphates were undetectable but maybe the algae is consuming it to the

 

[ReefMadScientist]

Well here is another picture. They only appear and grow where light is direct. Shady areas do not get it...

Mine do get gas bubbled and some on the rocks are stringy with bubbles... I will do a water change today and just suck all that I can see out. I am baffled on how to correct this issue. Thanks guys!!!

 

[ReefMadScientist]

yeah im with brandon. those are definitley not dinos.

i present to you... this bundle of joy...

and they will invade FAST

So sorry Russ. Thanks for the picture though!

 

[Russ265]

So sorry Russ. Thanks for the picture though!

no worries. if you have a picture of gas bubbles. try to 45 angle up toward your lights with a camera.

 

[ReefMadScientist]

no worries. if you have a picture of gas bubbles. try to 45 angle up toward your lights with a camera.

Ok will do once they start forming. I can see a little forming already.

 

[Russ265]

Ok will do once they start forming. I can see a little forming already.

how long in to the light cycle before you start to see them?

i start to see them in about 30 minutes

 

[ReefMadScientist]

I recall having them before but they do not get out of hand. This was pre-chemiclean and now the normal bacteria I had before is showing back up. I can blow them off with a baster.

Dino or not, how the heck are they still striving? I agree with akida that they must be eating the undetectable PO4 but I am confused on how to rid this for good.

 

[ReefMadScientist]

Okay not sure if this will help. I sucked a slime ball out with a baster and put it in a test vial.

 

[brandon429]

fascinating nice job on details and macro

i claim not dinos not cyano not sure what is!

 

[ReefMadScientist]

fascinating nice job on details and macro

i claim not dinos not cyano not sure what is!

Thx Brandon. Whatever it is. It will be spread all over the street in a few hours.

Just hope I can figure the source on why it exists in my tank.

 

[brandon429]

I am 1000% sure of the source


non QT

there are two invaders among every invader you read about online that can come from non hitchhiking vectors

green hair algae and cyano (can come in on airborn flotsam, aerosols, vectored in on skin cells and other wafts, vectored in through water changes not ran through uv, on and on)

if we are dealing with an invader that is not cyano or GHA variations or microalgae dot variations, we are dealing with a requisite hitchhiker.

Its cause was import and never nutrients, although for sure these organisms seek nutrients for sustenance in some form or another and will capitalize on what we tend to store up and leak out slowly in our tanks.

Im all for nutrient control when it comes to any organism. But it is not the cause of any invasion really, a form of import is to blame

Owing to that definitive list, debatable to many and only claimed by moi lol, any invader not cyano or gha can be beaten independent of nutrient levels by making the DNA not exist in the tank. As mentioned in Russ' thread, the reason my own tank is immune to every invader except cyano and GHA and micro algae regardless of my nutrient levels is because im through stocking 3 yrs ago. zero imports occur. Whatever is gummy to the sides of the water holding vats at my LFS change water station is what can ride into my tank, but not:

macro algae
dinos
bryozoans or cousins
brush algae
valonia
bryopsis
et al

so....that little test cup you have there. mind squirting about 10 drops of peroxide into it and lemme know what happens. no im not hinting at a full tank dosing i just want to attack the cup
B