What kind of algae is this???

[mcarroll]

Your Tomini should make an excellent detritavore – in my experience, they even eat cyano with apparent gusto. (Kole's too.....bristletooth tangs in general seem to be the best aquarium tangs.)

That many moves is definitely a stress...almost like starting over in some respects....so take things slow and keep any changes small and well spaced.

Consider algae growth to be a good thing though....especially green algae. Other types may indicate a problem (and most likely a solution), but not a need to panic.

If you get green algae, keep up with a CUC population. Snails! Snails! Snails!

But also take it as a sign that you need more coral covering (shading) the available real estate AND competing for those dissolved nutrients.

 

[Gator2019]

Your Tomini should make an excellent detritavore – in my experience, they even eat cyano with apparent gusto. (Kole's too.....bristletooth tangs in general seem to be the best aquarium tangs.)

That many moves is definitely a stress...almost like starting over in some respects....so take things slow and keep any changes small and well spaced.

Consider algae growth to be a good thing though....especially green algae. Other types may indicate a problem (and most likely a solution), but not a need to panic.

If you get green algae, keep up with a CUC population. Snails! Snails! Snails!

But also take it as a sign that you need more coral covering (shading) the available real estate AND competing for those dissolved nutrients.

Thank you very much! The Tomini slowly is getting more active, but was very shy at first. I figured he would help with algae, I just was unsure if he would take on this kind. If this algae keeps coming back, even with the flow right on the sand, then I will have to make more shade areas. I find that there are a few snails I actually like because a lot just flip over so easily and die.

 

[mcarroll]

Can you post some recent NO3 and PO4 test results? How to the recent results stack up to their recent history in the tank?

Snails only fall over when they are starving to death or being poisoned by algae toxins, BTW.

We need to figure out if this is dino's.....and it's starting to sound like it is.

Did you take a sample and shake it up yet? Do that and put the shaken sample under a light and see if the cells regroup or if they stay shaken up. Pretty much only dino's regroup in stagnant water like that since they have those two flagella for locomotion.

If you have a microscope, get some cellphone pics of whatever you have under the scope.

If you have no microscope get one like I got here: Selecting a microscope

I only spent about $12.

 

[Gator2019]

Can you post some recent NO3 and PO4 test results? How to the recent results stack up to their recent history in the tank?

Snails only fall over when they are starving to death or being poisoned by algae toxins, BTW.

We need to figure out if this is dino's.....and it's starting to sound like it is.

Did you take a sample and shake it up yet? Do that and put the shaken sample under a light and see if the cells regroup or if they stay shaken up. Pretty much only dino's regroup in stagnant water like that since they have those two flagella for locomotion.

If you have a microscope, get some cellphone pics of whatever you have under the scope.

If you have no microscope get one like I got here: Selecting a microscope

I only spent about $12.

I went out of town for the night, so I will test it tommorow. All the tests that I have done since I set up the tank have been trace amounts of PO4 and NO3 levels that are slightly higher, but still much lower than what I think would be worrisome. If I remember right, PO4 .1 and NO3 .4 I had someone go by my house earlier and they said the algae seems to be less than what it was. My nassarius snails are all fine, had no die. I was talking about the Mexican snails I think. They fall off the rocks some times and I have to flip them back over. They only die if they flip over where I can’t see them. I will definitely do that test to see if the algae regroups. I don’t currently have a microscope, but I should find it in storage soon.

 

[mcarroll]

Turbos are very likely to be starving if there's more than one in a small tank – even when there's green algae growing.

If you have multiple Turbo's and all you're growing is this stuff, then they can't be doing too well even if it's not related to toxins. They are BIG snails – they need to eat!

This is why I favor smaller snails too....they are far less likely to starve to death.

Also, Nassarius aren't algae eaters, they are opportunistic carrion scavengers – so even if there were toxins in the stuff growing in your tank, they might consume only a little or even none of it. They may simply ignore it.

 

[mcarroll]

If I didn't say it yet – don't be afraid to grow some algae in the process of things!!! Green hair algae is the best....others can indicate various imbalances.

Your algae indicates something, but we're still figuring it out.

If N is the only thing the tank has been deficient in, then it may be nothing more than a weird-looking strain (or growth) of cyanobacteria.

Knowing P results and seeing the results of the shake test would help.

 

[Gator2019]

Turbos are very likely to be starving if there's more than one in a small tank – even when there's green algae growing.

If you have multiple Turbo's and all you're growing is this stuff, then they can't be doing too well even if it's not related to toxins. They are BIG snails – they need to eat!

This is why I favor smaller snails too....they are far less likely to starve to death.

Also, Nassarius aren't algae eaters, they are opportunistic carrion scavengers – so even if there were toxins in the stuff growing in your tank, they might consume only a little or even none of it. They may simply ignore it.

I acually got turbo snails on accident. I was trying to get a different type of snails and when I got home I finally opened the bag and realized it was turbos. What kind of small snails do you like? I heard blue legged crabs helped, so that is why they make up the majority of my clean up crew.

 

[Gator2019]

If I didn't say it yet – don't be afraid to grow some algae in the process of things!!! Green hair algae is the best....others can indicate various imbalances.

Your algae indicates something, but we're still figuring it out.

If N is the only thing the tank has been deficient in, then it may be nothing more than a weird-looking strain (or growth) of cyanobacteria.

Knowing P results and seeing the results of the shake test would help.

I do have some hair algae, so that is a good thing to know! I will for sure post more pictures when I get back and do the tests. I think adding flow to the sand helped a lot. Before I didn’t have any power heads, so it was just the return flow, but adding the powerhead has seen a 50% reduction in this “Cyanobacteria”.

 

[mcarroll]

Check out this thread:
Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

At least check out the first post and maybe some of the links. In particular, there is a link to the dino test on posts #986-987.

I acually got turbo snails on accident. I was trying to get a different type of snails and when I got home I finally opened the bag and realized it was turbos. What kind of small snails do you like? I heard blue legged crabs helped, so that is why they make up the majority of my clean up crew.

Hermits "will eat" GHA, but they are MUCH more opportunistic than regular snails....they are more like your nassarius snails than green algae-eating snails. Hermits will be very likely to kill off your snails.

I would literally catch and get rid of most of your hermits. Have maybe 1 or 2 at most.....none would be OK and my personal preference.

Keep the Turbos, but don't starve them anymore....keep N levels up (and P!) so that algae can grow. If there's still not much algae, consider trading some Turbo's in for something smaller.....Ceriths are my favorite....black shell type.

Before I didn’t have any power heads, so it was just the return flow, but adding the powerhead has seen a 50% reduction in this “Cyanobacteria”.

Gah!!! Wow! Yeah, powerheads make a huge difference. As long as things didn't really get out of whack, then that might be all it takes for your tank to normalize.

It still sounds like it was pretty N-starved on top of this....so I would keep up with your efforts there, but keep your doses small and be very regular about dosing.

While results can be faster, it can take 2-4 weeks before you really see the full effects of nutrient changes like this so try to be consistent and patient.

(And do come back with those photos, etc! )