Dino or just too much bacteria

[g6gang]

I have white/clearish fuzzy stuff just on my rocks. Bubbles exist in the area of this fuzz. the bubbles seem to get worse during the day and then I do not see any bubbles at night. The "fuzz" is stuck enough to the rocks that it does not get "blown" off with flow or from a turkey baster, but if I do tube vacumn or gravel vac, I can suck it up. To me it seems like some form of dyano, but I am wondering if it is just another type of bacteria? As I was trying to "treat" another issue I am having with cyano (on the substrate) by doing regular doses of MicroBacter7 to hopefully "outcompete" the cyano. I stopped doing regular doses of MB7 when I started to see this, but after about a week I still notice the 'fuzz'. After scrapping or vacuuming it does not seem to grow back very aggressively (and maybe not at all). So is this Dinos or just from my MB7 dosing? Is there such a thing as too much "good bacteria".

As a side note, I really feel that my cyano issue is a result of my lighting choice (Orbit Marine LED which looking at their spectrum graph seems like it is too high in the yellow range) + still not being in good balance with bacteria in my tank. The cyano curiously grows where there are shadows or edges of light range). I have ordered new lights and will hopefully prove that theory when I setup the new lights.

Tanks: 6 months old, mixed reef
Bioload: Yellow Tang, Coris Wrasse, Firefish, Clown, Goby, Chromis, Pistol Shrimp
Feeding: 1 cube a day
Params: Nitrate: 0, CalcL: 420, PH:8.0, dKH: 9.1, Mag: 1250, Amonia: 0, Phospate: 0

I am also trying to raise my PH to see if it has an impact on the "fuzz". And then will also put some GFO in my reactor on the next water change (currently running Carbon (24x7), along with skimmer (24x7) and refugium with Dragons Breadth and Chaeto)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Aside from cyanobacteria, the bacteria you will encounter won't be photosynthetic so won't generate bubbles during the day unless the O2 is being created by algae under the bacteria.

Dinos generally are kind of snotty, so if it seems to not be like that, it may just be cyano.

 

[g6gang]

I never heard of clear/white cyano before and have been scowering for other people's pics that show what I have. Also the cyano I have on the substrate has no bubbles what soever. Would "good" bacteria generate bubbles? I am thinking that next best course of action is to put GFO back in my reactor?

 

[bond300]

What is your flow rate for the tank? Are you using RO/DI and have a skimmer? I had that Issue when I first setup my 90G added flow,turned up skimmer and got a RO/DI unit......

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Except for photosynthesizing cyanobacteria, bacteria do not usually generate bubbles, but I suppose they may be getting there from some other source.

 

[g6gang]

@bond300 - I have never measured flow rate, but my tank Deep Blue 80G is rated at 600 gph for the single overflow: and my pump DC Speedwave is rated at 790 gph(have it turned up to one notch under max). My skimmer is a Reef Octopus NWB 150 (rated for 150 gallons). The tank is 80G + 30G in the refugium. I am using RO/DI and it is always zero TDS (BRS 5-stage). The skimmer pulls out only about 1/4 cup a week, but I do have macro algae in the fugium as well that competes.

@Randy - thanks for the replies - If it is cyano then and not the good bacteria in the MB7, I wonder if I should start dosing that again to try to outcompete - or just run GFO - or do nothing and wait for my new LEDs to help prove it is a factor.

 

[Eric B]

Do you have other means for flow inside the tank besides your DC return pump? Say like a few power heads?

 

[g6gang]

O yes sorry , I have a Jebao Wp-25 and a Vortech MP10 - corals are moving around pretty well in there.

 

[Eric B]

OK cool was just making sure your only flow was not derived from the return pump only! Good luck getting this under control!

 

[g6gang]

So looking at this nice article, I think my case is Dinos and not Cyano (not convinced, but I think it is Dinos for sure on the rocks and not sure on the substrate). I wish I had a microscope to confirm. One thing I am confused about the article is that it said for Cyano: Especially in evening hours: gas bubbles visible.

Well my tank in the morning pre-lights starts off looking good on the sand, quickly gets worse say in an hour or two. I never have seen bubbles on the sand. The stuff on the sand is rusty colored to brown. This same rusty color is also on the rocks but really only in the shady spots. The fuzzy white stuff with bubbles is on the top of the rock in spots. Mostly clear, not very long strands, but bubbles seem to get worse as day goes on. In morning before the lights come back on, the bubbles are almost non existent. The brown stuff blows very easily with a turkey baster. The white stuff is definitely more sticky and can really only suck it off with tubing.

Either way here is what I will do:

- Added GFO to my reactor so now I am running Carbon and GFO.
- Cut feedings down to every other day
- I am also going to go back and start dosing MB7 (the article suggests to create a mixture and inject into the sand bed instead of just dumping in tank. I think I will try that.
- Increase my PH (I do not have a digital PH meter, but feel like it would come in handy right now). I do not have ATO system so I think I will try using Aqua Vitro Balance to raise PH without Alk/Calc effects

I am not going to do blackout (as I am expecting new LED lights any day and do not want to double shock the coral, also kind of hoping the new LED has better spectrum. As the current LED spectrum I have running looks like (too much green/yellow IMOP):

 

[Jacob Cerchiori]

Did you ever figure this out? I just put live rock on my tank with this on it because I like living on the edge. Any insite as to what happened? Did it take over? Did it die off?

 

[LenG]

I have white/clearish fuzzy stuff just on my rocks. Bubbles exist in the area of this fuzz. the bubbles seem to get worse during the day and then I do not see any bubbles at night. The "fuzz" is stuck enough to the rocks that it does not get "blown" off with flow or from a turkey baster, but if I do tube vacumn or gravel vac, I can suck it up. To me it seems like some form of dyano, but I am wondering if it is just another type of bacteria? As I was trying to "treat" another issue I am having with cyano (on the substrate) by doing regular doses of MicroBacter7 to hopefully "outcompete" the cyano. I stopped doing regular doses of MB7 when I started to see this, but after about a week I still notice the 'fuzz'. After scrapping or vacuuming it does not seem to grow back very aggressively (and maybe not at all). So is this Dinos or just from my MB7 dosing? Is there such a thing as too much "good bacteria".

As a side note, I really feel that my cyano issue is a result of my lighting choice (Orbit Marine LED which looking at their spectrum graph seems like it is too high in the yellow range) + still not being in good balance with bacteria in my tank. The cyano curiously grows where there are shadows or edges of light range). I have ordered new lights and will hopefully prove that theory when I setup the new lights.

Tanks: 6 months old, mixed reef
Bioload: Yellow Tang, Coris Wrasse, Firefish, Clown, Goby, Chromis, Pistol Shrimp
Feeding: 1 cube a day
Params: Nitrate: 0, CalcL: 420, PH:8.0, dKH: 9.1, Mag: 1250, Amonia: 0, Phospate: 0

I am also trying to raise my PH to see if it has an impact on the "fuzz". And then will also put some GFO in my reactor on the next water change (currently running Carbon (24x7), along with skimmer (24x7) and refugium with Dragons Breadth and Chaeto)

Hello. I've been struggling with this and wondering if you've resolved it or can give me any advice. My tank is about 8 months old. I only run a skimmer and just recentlly stopped using filter socks. My fish are happy. I don't have many corals but some do well. My zoas and a recordia are not doing well. I've played with lighting and flow. Never sure what might help. Thanks.