What kind of algae is this?

[Mike N]

Been dealing with this algae since the tank has been setup. I was hoping cleaning the substrate and doing weekly waterchanges would take care of it, but thats not the case.

Can someone give me positive ID on this algae?

 

[donnievaz]

Looks like Dinoflagellates not algae.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

How long has it been set up?
is is all over or just near that spot?

 

[Mike N]

Looks like Dinoflagellates not algae.

Thats what I thought at first, but then I tried the paper towel test and it didn't work. I'll try it again.

How long has it been set up?
is is all over or just near that spot?

Tank is about 6 weeks old. No fish. Just rock, sand and CUC. Its pretty heavy in the lower flow areas like in the picture. There are some traces of it clinging to rocks in higher flow areas too.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Thats what I thought at first, but then I tried the paper towel test and it didn't work. I'll try it again.
Tank is about 6 weeks old. No fish. Just rock, sand and CUC. Its pretty heavy in the lower flow areas like in the picture. There are some traces of it clinging to rocks in higher flow areas too.

Youll probably hate that Im going to say it normal.
You can decrease the amount of floating organics with some floss etc, you can also IMO, add some slightly aggressive bacterias, Mb7, Probidio, Wasteaway, etc.
As far as flow, Ive seen cyano in a hurricane, but In my hurricane tank I do notice I get cyano at the bottom of a curl so to speak, the place where the flow drops organics most.
But mostly its just the ugly phase.

 

[Mike N]

Thanks for the info. So this is definitely cyano?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Thanks for the info. So this is definitely cyano?

It could be a dino that cam in with the snails, but Id guess cyano. In both cases the cure is the same as is the cause.
True "problem" dinos aside. Most of the ones I see in newer tanks aren't however.

 

[Mike N]

So how long does the ugly phase typically last? And.. what is fueling the cyano?
My only option is patience and maybe some prodibio? What about chemiclean?

Sorry for the rapidfire ?'s btw

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

So how long does the ugly phase typically last? And.. what is fueling the cyano?
My only option is patience and maybe some prodibio? What about chemiclean?

Sorry for the rapidfire ?'s btw

yea you can use any of that, I never do never have.

The ugly phase depends a bit on how the tank is cycled. in LR its die off and phosphates etc. In dry rock there is no biofilter. yea it processes ammonia a bit for animals to live but there's no depth of power. so with a low nitrifying bacterial mass present to process and remove nutrients any organism will take over and feed off of those nutrints available. Add that to the sudden rush of minerals from the fresh rock dissolving(silicates being the most well known) its fuel to the fire so to speak. I recommend the bottled bacteria to bolster the lack of bio filter.

 

[Mike N]

Tank was cycled with live rock and live sand + seachem stability.
I really want to add fish, but was hoping to have the algae/bacteria problem fixed before that.
Once again, thanks for the advice.
Do you think phosgaurd will help with the cyano problem since I cycled with LR?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Tank was cycled with live rock and live sand + seachem stability.
I really want to add fish, but was hoping to have the algae/bacteria problem fixed before that.
Once again, thanks for the advice.
Do you think phosgaurd will help with the cyano problem since I cycled with LR?

I would look at the numbers, BUT, my po4 is .20 and I have no cyano.
But phosguard probably wont hurt.

 

[Mike N]

Just got the Hanna phosphate checker today. Not very impressed with the accuracy potential of these powder packets.
Anyway, my Hanna phosphate checker is reading .05 (I guess phosguard isn't necessary)

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Just got the Hanna phosphate checker today. Not very impressed with the accuracy potential of these powder packets.
Anyway, my Hanna phosphate checker is reading .05 (I guess phosguard isn't necessary)

if there's no coral, it wont hurt.

 

[Mike N]

if there's no coral, it wont hurt.

With that low a phoshpate reading, do you think something else is fueling it? Or is it just using up phosphates quickly and thats why the reading is low?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

With that low a phoshpate reading, do you think something else is fueling it? Or is it just using up phosphates quickly and thats why the reading is low?

sadly everting fuels cyano. light, N/P. dissolved organics, low PH(high co2). So anything that helps those will be good. A refugium, GFO, etc.