Can You help me ID this pls? Don't make sense to me

[Gregg1993]

Hi! I am very confused about IDing this nuisance algae. I lowered my phosphates with rowaphos in the last 1-2 months and nitrates with bigger water changes and it's still present and grows back after syphoning it out. It's lose, easy to blow off with a turkey baster yet it still grows even in high flow areas such as the spot where the two gyros current meet and clash down onto the rock. I honestly have no idea anymore what this could be.

I use RODI water
I use rowaphos in reactor
I have chaetomorpha
I started dosing bacteria (Microbe lift nite-out)
Tank is 1 year old
Plenty of rocks and filter media
I dose ozone (installed only 2 days ago) and have carbon too
I dose all for reef
I run UW with freshly changed bulb (25W)
Salt: iAquatics Ocean reef Pro
I also have a roll mat and don't feed the fish heavily anymore, plus I even sold some fish to keep the nutrients in check. I know my Nitrates are still high but there are people with these numbers with pristine tanks or do You think that's what's causing it? I also thought of silicates but that should be taken care of by the rowaphos right?

Phosphate: 0.03-0.07 ppm (down from 4 ppm)
Nitrate: 20-30 ppm (down from 80 ppm)
Ph: around 8
Alkalinity: moves between 9.5-10.5 range
Calcium: 430
Mg: 1300

 

[Peace River]

It is a bit hard to see with the blue lights. It appears to be red hair algae.

 

[Gregg1993]

It is a bit hard to see with the blue lights. It appears to be red hair algae.

I had a look at red hair algae on google but it's not that. What I've got is more of a snotty texture algae rather than fibrous. Here is a video I took, this may be better quality:

 

[Gtinnel]

Kinda snotty with bubbles in it makes it sound like dinos to me.

 

[Gregg1993]

Kinda snotty with bubbles in it makes it sound like dinos to me.

That's what I thought. Bit according to BRSTV dinoflagelletes are likely caused by very low nitrates and phosphates which definitely wasn't the case for me.

 

[Peace River]

You may want to verify your nitrate test readings. Are you near an LFS or another reefer where you can have someone else also test the parameter?

 

[Mels_Reef]

I had a form of green cyano that looked just like that. But, it really does resemble Dino’s as well. It’s definitely not algae

If you used Rowaphos, did you happen to bottom out your po4? And what test kits are you using?

 

[Gtinnel]

That's what I thought. Bit according to BRSTV dinoflagelletes are likely caused by very low nitrates and phosphates which definitely wasn't the case for me.

As I understand it dinos do commonly become a problem in low nutrient systems because they dont get out competed by other algaes, but I believe they can still happen in higher nutrient systems, although not as common.

 

[Mels_Reef]

As I understand it dinos do commonly become a problem in low nutrient systems because they dont get out competed by other algaes, but I believe they can still happen in higher nutrient systems, although not as common.

Very true. Adding new surfaces like frag racks or new dry rock will create an environment for dinos to thrive as well, regardless of nutrient levels