This algae is driving me nuts

[Docdiggy]

I don't know if it's cyano or something else. There are 0 bubbles in it.
Alk 9
Sg .026
Ca 410
Temp 88

Any idea? I've started skimming wet lately to see if it helps. I've been battling this forever. Lights are t5 and don't run longer than 10 months.

 

[rtparty]

Have you put it under a microscope? Amazon sells a $10 toy scope that will let you at least ID it to some degree.

What are your nitrates and phosphates?

 

[Scorpius]

Looks like a combo of cyanobacteria and diatoms. Increase flow, reduce feedings, gfo/carbon, more or do water changes. Patience lots of it.

 

[Docdiggy]

This tank has been running for 4 yrs. There's 5 fish
1 fox face
2 clowns
1 six line
1 starry blenny
I feed 1 cube of mysis a day and a small piece of algae sheet. I use a 5 stage RODI. I'm wondering if filter socks could be an issue. There's 2 mp40s. I change 5 gallons a week and there's a 55 gallon sump. I don't test phosphate or nitrate, but I'm going to invest in a Hanna phos checker next week. I'm also wondering if adding dry rock every once in a while is a problem.

 

[Docdiggy]

I'm kind of afraid to add gfo because I don't want to hurt anything in the tank. I'm using a vertex omega 150 skimmer and it seems to be working well as far as pulling junk. My lps look great, but some sps don't have as much color as I think they should. I run 4 B+ and 2 p+.

 

[landlubber]

Looks like a combo of cyanobacteria and diatoms. Increase flow, reduce feedings, gfo/carbon, more or do water changes. Patience lots of it.

personally i would go with the microscope route and get a proper id on this one. if it is dinoflagelletes nearly everything recommended here will aggravate them.

 

[Docdiggy]

I hear that, but every pic I've seen of dinos don't match what I'm looking at. I was thinking of getting a microscope, but I don't know how powerful of one to get since I'll never use it again.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Pinch some of it between your fingers whilst it's in the tank.
What does it feel like?
Is it firm ish?
Do your fingers smell like anything?
Does it blow off the rocks and coral easily ?

Have you started a carbon dose or new food or vibrant?
Changes?
Furnace cuz Its cold out?

 

[skiergd011013]

Looks like classic cyano. I would do everything that algae hates. More flow, more water changes(0tds rodi), less feeding, cut back lights. Your temp is 88???

 

[landlubber]

I hear that, but every pic I've seen of dinos don't match what I'm looking at. I was thinking of getting a microscope, but I don't know how powerful of one to get since I'll never use it again.

i have prorocentrum dinos right now and they look exactly like the photo you shared when they're flaring up. i keep my flow pretty strong and stringy bubbles never had much of a chance to form. i thought the same until i started losing coral and finally took the advice and used one.

 

[Docdiggy]

It dissipates when rubbed with my fingers. No smell that I notice. I only dose the big 3. It comes of relatively easy.

 

[Docdiggy]

Oops 78

 

[skiergd011013]

Oops 78

ok. You had me sweating. The cyano would have been the least of your problems.

 

[Docdiggy]

It starts to get a little better when the 4 bulbs shut off and 2 stay on.

 

[Tallison]

This tank has been running for 4 yrs. There's 5 fish
1 fox face
2 clowns
1 six line
1 starry blenny
I feed 1 cube of mysis a day and a small piece of algae sheet. I use a 5 stage RODI. I'm wondering if filter socks could be an issue. There's 2 mp40s. I change 5 gallons a week and there's a 55 gallon sump. I don't test phosphate or nitrate, but I'm going to invest in a Hanna phos checker next week. I'm also wondering if adding dry rock every once in a while is a problem.

It might be the dry rock. Are you curing it and what kind are you using?

 

[skiergd011013]

It starts to get a little better when the 4 bulbs shut off and 2 stay on.

yup. Im fairly certain its cyano.

 

[Docdiggy]

I keep it in a bucket of ro for about a week then put it in. I'm not sure what kind it is, but it looks like the basic most Lfs keep in stock.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yea. Dry rock could be.
What salt are you using? What brand are you're big 3

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I keep it in a bucket of ro for about a week then put it in. I'm not sure what kind it is, but it looks like the basic most Lfs keep in stock.

Try tank water and a small powerhead. It cures and cycles.

 

[Docdiggy]

Regular IO. It seemed worse with RC so I switched. BRS chemicals.