Hello all, what algae type take over this? Can someone tell me what this is and how to treat please? Thank you!

[Hilltho]

 

[Dan_P]

Dinoflagellates, I think.

 

[Hilltho]

Dinoflagellates, I think.

Ok I will have to read about that. The “stuff” grows incredibly fast. Thank you.

 

[keithIHS]

Does it disappear or significantly reduced overnight only to come back again during the day? If so, it's dinos either going into the water or into the sand.

 

[Hilltho]

Does it disappear or significantly reduced overnight only to come back again during the day? If so, it's dinos either going into the water or into the sand.

Def worse during the day. I can remove clumps blast it off of the rocks with a baster and filter it out then the next day same long string brown stuff back again.

 

[keithIHS]

I can't recall where I saw this, but a definitive test is to suck out some of it into a jar. Put a lid on it and shake it until suspended. Then pour through a coffee filter or paper towel into another container. A white plastic bowl is ideal. The water in the white bowl should be clear. Put it somewhere where some light can get to it and wait a few minutes. If after a few minutes you see strands appearing it's dinos. It can be a real help to identify the type of dino with a cheap microscope.

Check this out: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/a-dinoflagellate-treatment-guide.841/

I've battled them a few times. Raising PO4 and adding bio diversity helps a lot.. If you turn the lights out for a couple of days after you add the PO4 and some micro organisms, it will help the competitive micro organisms to reproduce to give them a boost in competing with the dinos. You may also need to dose some form of Nitrogen, e.g. food, NO3, NH4. It may take a couple weeks or more for other organisms to out-compete the dinos and the dinos to disappear.