Is this Dinoflagellates?

Smite

Premium Member
Supporter
2020 POTM
Joined
Jun 11, 2013
Messages
6,357
Likes
3,756
Points
83
Location
Garden Grove
#2
Almost looks like the beginning of green hair algae but it's hard to tell from the picture. If it get snot like with long strings with bubbles in it than possibly.

What are your water parameters?
 
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
144
Likes
4
Points
18
Location
Orange, CA
#3
Almost looks like the beginning of green hair algae but it's hard to tell from the picture. If it get snot like with long strings with bubbles in it than possibly.

What are your water parameters?
Definitely not GHA, its more brown in appearance, and yeah its got snotty strings and bubbles. Occasionally the tank smells.

I started taking the precautions if it is Dino's (feeding more, adding more biodiversity with bacteria, Miracle Mud, Coraline Algae strains etc) So we'll see what happens.

As for water parameters
Temp 78
Salinity: 1.025
Ca: 420
Alk 8.3
N03: idk, I don't test.
P04: idk, I don't test.

I also don't have any other visual types of algae present. Just this one.
 

BeanMachine

2
Supporter
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
20,830
Likes
1,005
Points
113
Location
Orange, CA
#4
Looks like dinos to me. Curious how old the tank is, what type of rock (was it dry?), and do you have sand?
 

Smite

Premium Member
Supporter
2020 POTM
Joined
Jun 11, 2013
Messages
6,357
Likes
3,756
Points
83
Location
Garden Grove
#5
Are your hermit crabs and snails dying off?

Sounds like you're on the right track. If you mix your own water be sure that is 0 TDS since dinos thrive on silicates.

If it starts to drown out coral, manual removal followed by a 3 day complete blackout has done wonders for me in the past.

Every "new" system seems to go through this a few months to a year in. Really until I develop other algae that can compete with it. If you run a refugium you May need to hit it with a blackout to knock it back and allow your macro algae to start and compete with it. Just my experience with it.

A great test that some posted here:

Siphon algae through a filter sock into a white bucket. Place the bucket outside in direct sunlight. The dinos should start to regroup and form some snot within a few hours/day. Probably done best on a warmer day but a cool test to confirm what you are dealing with.
 
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
144
Likes
4
Points
18
Location
Orange, CA
#6
Looks like dinos to me. Curious how old the tank is, what type of rock (was it dry?), and do you have sand?
Tank is about 9 months old, I've probably had the problem for at least a month or 2, but I was too busy to really focus on anything and at first I thought it was Cyano but all the steps I did to lower nutrients to starve Cyano did nothing, hence me believing its Dino's.

I used Real Reef Rock, but it was pretty dry when I started the tank. I do have sand, but only about an inch of depth. All my fish are doing good (angels, PB Tang, Royal gramma, Leopard Wrasse), and so are maxi mini nems, but corals are suffering.


Are your hermit crabs and snails dying off?

Sounds like you're on the right track. If you mix your own water be sure that is 0 TDS since dinos thrive on silicates.

If it starts to drown out coral, manual removal followed by a 3 day complete blackout has done wonders for me in the past.

Every "new" system seems to go through this a few months to a year in. Really until I develop other algae that can compete with it. If you run a refugium you May need to hit it with a blackout to knock it back and allow your macro algae to start and compete with it. Just my experience with it.

A great test that some posted here:

Siphon algae through a filter sock into a white bucket. Place the bucket outside in direct sunlight. The dinos should start to regroup and form some snot within a few hours/day. Probably done best on a warmer day but a cool test to confirm what you are dealing with.
I have had some snails die recently, but others seem to be surviving ok.

I have an RODI unit with 2 DI stages. My TDS into my DI is under 10, and my TDS after DI is 0.

I do a manual removal via siphoning when doing water changes. I haven't done a blackout yet, but may try it.

I originally had a fuge, but the chaeto and other algaes got smothered and we're dying so I pulled it out. I got some coraline algae from Ali that will hopefully grow soon once the Dino's die out.
 

Smite

Premium Member
Supporter
2020 POTM
Joined
Jun 11, 2013
Messages
6,357
Likes
3,756
Points
83
Location
Garden Grove
#7
If you do the black out be sure to kill all lights, cover tank (I tape black trash bags to the glass), and skim real wet. Remove as much as possible before. The die off will be fast and possibly toxic so i always add fresh carbon and a water change after day 3.

I've always been hesitant to blackout my system with sps, bit I've done it multiple times and have only lost 1 piece to it so far.
 
Top