Under the microscope.. what is this?

[nim6us]

I’ve got brown alage dusting my sand, rocks, glass and everything. I posted pictures previously but everyone said unless you use a microscope it’s hard to be sure.

Well I got a microscope took some pictures and a video (see below). I’m hoping someone with experience can give me some feedback on what I’m looking at.

 

[Victoria M]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

I hope not but it looks like it to me. Try this thread. Good luck!

 

[nim6us]

Yeah reading a bit more it seems like it could be dinos. The tank has been fallow for almost 3 months now because of an ich out break. It hardly gets fed and I was running a lot of GFO. I think perhaps I got the nitrates and phos down so low it made an ideal scenario to kick off some dinos.

 

[Victoria M]

Yeah reading a bit more it seems like it could be dinos. The tank has been fallow for almost 3 months now because of an ich out break. It hardly gets fed and I was running a lot of GFO. I think perhaps I got the nitrates and phos down so low it made an ideal scenario to kick off some dinos.

sure sounds like it. Hope that thread helps.

 

[nim6us]

Yeah it did, Trish identified it as dinoflagellates as well. Well spotted

 

[nim6us]

Just wanted to throw out a quadruple thumbs up to Dino X for treatment. I had been fighting dinos for 3-4 months, it was really disheartening. With 5 treatments of Dino X I have a lovely white sandbed again. The only thing I noticed was around the 4th-5th treatment my softies receded and were general unhappy, also 1 trochus snail died, don't know if it was a coincidence but all things considered happy to have my gorgeous tank back! Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

[landlubber]

Just wanted to throw out a quadruple thumbs up to Dino X for treatment. I had been fighting dinos for 3-4 months, it was really disheartening. With 5 treatments of Dino X I have a lovely white sandbed again. The only thing I noticed was around the 4th-5th treatment my softies receded and were general unhappy, also 1 trochus snail died, don't know if it was a coincidence but all things considered happy to have my gorgeous tank back! Thanks for all the help everyone!

happy to hear it's under control for now but success in reefing is measure in months not days.
In my experience DinoX makes things look beautiful for a couple of weeks and then the issue slowly gains traction again requiring more DinoX. the longer the medication period the harder it becomes on your corals, especially SPS.
I would make a point of checking in on your nitrates and taking all measures to manage a consistent (albeit low) nutrient level in the system. that is the usual way to manage and eventually overcome the more persistent dinoflagellates species.