Algea Problem

[MoistReef0818]

I have a 40 Gallon cobalt C-Vue and for some reason even with extremely low nitrates and phosphates i still have some annoying brown looking algae can anyone help?

 

[MoistReef0818]

 

[MoistReef0818]

 

[Jason mack]

Looks like it could be dinos ....have your no3 and po4 bottomed out recently...0...???
Do you have a microscope or lfs with one too take a look and get s positive ID ...

 

[MoistReef0818]

yeah my nitrates bottomed out yesterday and sadly i don't own a microscope and my LFS doesn't either :/

 

[Jason mack]

Ok firstly your going too need to raise your no3 and po4 ....
Secondly ...either buy a cheap kids microscope from Amazon ( you can get them for under 20dollars ) or find a lfs ...or fellow reefer in the neighbourhood who does have one ....
We need an ID .....
You can siphon as much out as you can by doing a small WC every day...ssy 5 liters ....

 

[MoistReef0818]

ok If it is ID as dino should I do a blackout for 3 days? read that it kills dino and is "good husbandry" and people do it in their reefs every 10-12 weeks. iv never done a blackout or delt with dino so idk but is this a good solution and will it harm my corals ?

 

[Jason mack]

Yes people do blackouts against dinos .....does it work .....for some yes ...for the most no ...they just come back ..it can work together with other treatments for dinos ...like UV....or dosing silicates...but s lot depends on the type of dinos you have ....some dinos stay in your sandbed and rocks ..others will go into the water column at night ...look for the dino threads on here ..

 

[Jason mack]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/page-339#post-5804130

This thread has lots of info and help ...I'd post here if you want help with dinos ...but first get an ID

 

[lazlodawg]

Welcome to the dinoflagellate brotherhood. We have regular meetings on the second Tuesday of every month. "Hello, my name is Lazlodawg and I have a dino problem".
It really is the herpes of reefing though. I've done blackouts, vibrant, dino-x, massive water changes, no water changes, H2O2, siphonings and scrubbing, UV, etc. and it does nothing. Oh, sure... a couple of days without the brown snot slowly suffocating all other life forms in your previously immaculate reef after a blackout and you begin to hope, maybe, just maybe you've finally beaten it back. But, no. The dino just tears your soul out once again as it quickly spreads throughout your tank. It's like Lucy pulling the football away at the last second as you, Dino Charlie Brown, flip head over heels and slam pitifully to the ground over and over again.
You will go through the standard stages of grief. Denial is just the first- this has to be diatoms, right?
I am currently at the stage of siphoning all of my sand out and am experimenting with dosing Seachem Seed bacteria to try and outcompete my snotty brown friends.
See you next Tuesday.

 

[Jason mack]

Welcome to the dinoflagellate brotherhood. We have regular meetings on the second Tuesday of every month. "Hello, my name is Lazlodawg and I have a dino problem".
It really is the herpes of reefing though. I've done blackouts, vibrant, dino-x, massive water changes, no water changes, H2O2, siphonings and scrubbing, UV, etc. and it does nothing. Oh, sure... a couple of days without the brown snot slowly suffocating all other life forms in your previously immaculate reef after a blackout and you begin to hope, maybe, just maybe you've finally beaten it back. But, no. The dino just tears your soul out once again as it quickly spreads throughout your tank. It's like Lucy pulling the football away at the last second as you, Dino Charlie Brown, flip head over heels and slam pitifully to the ground over and over again.
You will go through the standard stages of grief. Denial is just the first- this has to be diatoms, right?
I am currently at the stage of siphoning all of my sand out and am experimenting with dosing Seachem Seed bacteria to try and outcompete my snotty brown friends.
See you next Tuesday.

Yep I'm there every Tuesday as well ...same as the rest ..done blackouts ..dinoX ...
But having an ID of what sort will save you time in the long run ...I beat dinos once a long time ago ..thought I knew it all ..thought I had coolia ...but it wasn't I had amphidinium and osteriposes.....I took my sand bed out and I'm dosing liquid silicate...and I'm running a 36w UV now ...and I'm winning ....

 

[sghera64]

How old is the system and that rock? It looks like less than 4 months.

 

[MoistReef0818]

tank is well over 2 years old

 

[Neoalchemist]

Does the tank look better in the morning a get worse as the day goes on?