What do dinos look like when they first start?

[hllb]

Does the slime come first or the bubbles? I have bubbles on the top of my rock and not sure why. No slime that I can see. Not sure what the bubbles would be though. I brushed them off with my hand and the rock wasn’t slimy (it’s real reef rock). They came back an hour or so later. Sigh...tank is only a month old.

 

[John08007]

Tank is a month old and you have coral frags? I would wait several months till everything gets stable.

 

[hllb]

Tank is a month old and you have coral frags? I would wait several months till everything gets stable.

Can you help with my question? I have some easy corals in. The one in the picture was a freebie they threw in. I never would have ordered a monti at this stage.

 

[John08007]

I have never seen bubbles except when my return was low and the pump sucked air. Cyano typ grows mats and bubbles form under it. I believe dino gets bubbles on top after the mat grows

 

[hllb]

I have never seen bubbles except when my return was low and the pump sucked air. Cyano typ grows mats and bubbles form under it. I believe dino gets bubbles on top after the mat grows

It’s weird. No idea where the bubbles are from. I guess I’ll see if they’re something bad.

 

[taricha]

Does the slime come first or the bubbles?

You aren't wrong. Dinos are strong bubblers. Sometimes the bubbles are the first thing you see.
That said, I wouldn't care what the uglies are this early. just let them cycle through.

 

[hllb]

You aren't wrong. Dinos are strong bubblers. Sometimes the bubbles are the first thing you see.
That said, I wouldn't care what the uglies are this early. just let them cycle through.

Reading horror stories of dinos is a bad idea then? Lol....

 

[taricha]

Reading horror stories of dinos is a bad idea then? Lol....

absolutely don't read about dinos in the first months of a tank. We've reached the point where almost as much livestock has been killed by people overzealously fighting dinos as by the dinos themselves.
Some varieties aren't even toxic and people do too much because they don't like a little brown on the sand.

(besides I forgot to mention that diatoms are can be strong bubble producers too.)

 

[AdamB]

Does the slime come first or the bubbles? I have bubbles on the top of my rock and not sure why. No slime that I can see. Not sure what the bubbles would be though. I brushed them off with my hand and the rock wasn’t slimy (it’s real reef rock). They came back an hour or so later. Sigh...tank is only a month old.

I had the same thing with my last tank set up in about a months time . Bubbles at first just like your pic .I learned a little later it was Dino’ after a couple weeks

 

[hllb]

absolutely don't read about dinos in the first months of a tank. We've reached the point where almost as much livestock has been killed by people overzealously fighting dinos as by the dinos themselves.
Some varieties aren't even toxic and people do too much because they don't like a little brown on the sand.

(besides I forgot to mention that diatoms are can be strong bubble producers too.)

The bubbles disappeared at lights out.

 

[Bret Brinkmann]

To address your original question, the slime comes first then the bubbles. There had to be something there to generate bubbles first.

It sounds like you would have more peace of mind if you had an ID on this. For that we will need pictures with the white lights on. Blue lights are notorious for making ID next to impossible. Post some pictures with whites on and we can better help with an ID. Also what are your nitrates, phosphates, and what test kits do you use to measure them?

The bubbles are O2 from photosynthesis. Many different algae can make bubbles if conditions are right. I've had larger clumps if green hair algae that made tons of bubbles. Regardless of what type of algae this turns out to be, just remember it's only algae, you can over come.

 

[hllb]

I *think* this is perhaps a diatom bloom that's throwing off some bubbles. The arched rock is newer than the rest (real reef rock) and there's a slight greenish/brownish film (but not slime, nor any kind of mat) so that's what I think it is.

Nitrates around 1 (salifert)
phosphates 0 (api)
ammonia 0 (salifert)
nitrites 0 (api)

 

[hllb]

Here’s the best picture I got. It’s only on this one rock and nowhere else - the arched one.

 

[Bret Brinkmann]

It does look a little like diatoms but they usually grow on the sand not the rocks. Given that it is the highest point if your rockwork, I wouldn't rule out dinos. Could also just be brown algae. That said, I recommend getting a more accurate phosphate tester like Hanna because API doesn't have the resolution needed to help maintain phosphates at 0.1 ppm.

Are you using any type of phosphate removers and what light and settings do you have?

 

[hllb]

It does look a little like diatoms but they usually grow on the sand not the rocks. Given that it is the highest point if your rockwork, I wouldn't rule out dinos. Could also just be brown algae. That said, I recommend getting a more accurate phosphate tester like Hanna because API doesn't have the resolution needed to help maintain phosphates at 0.1 ppm.

Are you using any type of phosphate removers and what light and settings do you have?

I’m using purigen and activated charcoal, plus small protein skimmer but that’s it.

Lights have full whites on for 8 to 9 hrs a day (I forget lol), and then sunrise/sunset and moonlight up to 11 hrs.

 

[Bret Brinkmann]

See if you can scrap up a sample to look at under a scope. I still recommend raising nutrients to help with coral coloration and also help prevent dinos. But I'd get a more accurate phosphate tester first.

Lighting schedule seems good. What brand and type of lights are you running?

 

[hllb]

See if you can scrap up a sample to look at under a scope. I still recommend raising nutrients to help with coral coloration and also help prevent dinos. But I'd get a more accurate phosphate tester first.

Lighting schedule seems good. What brand and type of lights are you running?

Just the stock lights in a Coralife biocube 32. Decent but not that powerful.

 

[John08007]

Im thinking this is dino. I just had an icp test that showed high silica. I believe from an old RO, DI filter, old one was showing 5 ppm tds in the ro water. This is all over the rocks- but mainly on the top sides so I'd assume its photosensitive. Im thinking to solve it do several large water changes now that my ro water should be good. Any suggestions?

 

[Bret Brinkmann]

Don't do water changes, at least not yet. Get a sample under a scope for comparison. Also what are your nitrates and phosphates and what test kits do you use?

 

[John08007]

Don't do water changes, at least not yet. Get a sample under a scope for comparison. Also what are your nitrates and phosphates and what test kits do you use?

I was thinking a water change to get down the silica now that my new water will have 0 in it. I suppose as long as my makeup water is 0 it will work itself out in time I dont have a scope, what power would i need to view this?