Chrysophytes?! Help me cure it?

[reeferfoxx]

@melev, Using a toothbrush and a siphon at the same time is some kind of acrobat that I most definitely need more practice with!! That whole process didn't work out lol.

I did clean the rocks off as much as possible. Trapped all floaters with filter floss. Not 100% confident it trapped everything but it is what it is. The Astrea snails are working on the rocks. With closer observation, they are skipping over the slightly thicker spots and going for the thinner areas.

The GFO didn't make much noticeable difference? It might have loosened up the base algae for easier cleaning?

@mcarroll If it does become some PITA that won't go away, I am afraid I might start over as well. That said, some folks that experienced this say it went away after a year and half. Not sure if it is true?

 

[melev]

I've never had much luck with GFO, and frankly this is the first time I've heard of anyone running it for a few hours. Most people set it up and keep it running for weeks, replacing it monthly. Your statement about running it 38 hours or so was surprising.

A canister filter is a great way to trap particulates you've kicked loose, sort of like running the vacuum cleaner. Run it overnight, then remove it.

You can siphon without the toothbrush, and have the water pour into a 100 micron sock so water isn't lost, but if this stuff is smaller than 100 microns it will be re-released into the water column. Still, trapping the majority would be my first goal, just to reduce its presence and screw up its lifecycle.

 

[mcarroll]

I would like to spend more energy encouraging some other organism rather than fighting this one. I've never been a coraline agae nut, but I'm warming up to the idea about now.

Does Purple Up (or anything else in particular) really work? <sigh>

Sure with wish I had a tank big enough for a Bristletooth.

Off for the toothbrush treatment again....wish there was a toothbrush that would fit behind my Stylo. that's grown up against the back wall.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I've never had much luck with GFO, and frankly this is the first time I've heard of anyone running it for a few hours. Most people set it up and keep it running for weeks, replacing it monthly. Your statement about running it 38 hours or so was surprising.

A canister filter is a great way to trap particulates you've kicked loose, sort of like running the vacuum cleaner. Run it overnight, then remove it.

You can siphon without the toothbrush, and have the water pour into a 100 micron sock so water isn't lost, but if this stuff is smaller than 100 microns it will be re-released into the water column. Still, trapping the majority would be my first goal, just to reduce its presence and screw up its lifecycle.

I read an article where tests were performed every hour to show how levels decrease. My goal wasn't to starve PO4 but to remove silicates. Or at least jump start it. There are other things in the tank that should have happened that didn't. For instance coralline algae. GFO makes me cringe and using at this stage, I don't think it would benefit the cause. Let me know what your thoughts are?

 

[reeferfoxx]

I would like to spend more energy encouraging some other organism rather than fighting this one. I've never been a coraline agae nut, but I'm warming up to the idea about now.

Does Purple Up (or anything else in particular) really work? <sigh>

Sure with I had a tank big enough for a Bristletooth.

Off for the toothbrush treatment again....wish there was a toothbrush that would fit behind my Stylo. that's grown up against the back wall.

I'm with you there. I want to see normal things happening, not this..

 

[StrangeDejavu]

I would like to spend more energy encouraging some other organism rather than fighting this one. I've never been a coraline agae nut, but I'm warming up to the idea about now.
Does Purple Up (or anything else in particular) really work? <sigh>

For what it's worth, my coralline is taking off right now, and directly beneath the chrysophytes at that.

While at the LFS yesterday, I bought some trochus which seem to be doing a number on it. For the first time in over a month, I can actually see clean, purple rockwork. Once the lights ramp up to full intensity, i'll post a before/after photo.

I'm pretty sure silicates are getting into my tank as i'm seeing sponges grow for the first time since my tank has been set up. Pineapple sponges on frag plugs are getting huge (1 inch long), and I have a clear sponge inside a rock that's growing every day. I've been using BRS's refillable resin packs but i'm thinking about switching to Silicabuster resin. Which resin are you using, @reeferfoxx ?

 

[reeferfoxx]

For what it's worth, my coralline is taking off right now, and directly beneath the chrysophytes at that.

While at the LFS yesterday, I bought some trochus which seem to be doing a number on it. For the first time in over a month, I can actually see clean, purple rockwork. Once the lights ramp up to full intensity, i'll post a before/after photo.

I'm pretty sure silicates are getting into my tank as i'm seeing sponges grow for the first time since my tank has been set up. Pineapple sponges on frag plugs are getting huge (1 inch long), and I have a clear sponge inside a rock that's growing every day. I've been using BRS's refillable resin packs but i'm thinking about switching to Silicabuster resin. Which resin are you using, @reeferfoxx ?

I'm not sure. Just a regular DI resin?

I've had sponges and other things growing. Just not coralline. Still have cyano lingering, though. Chrys. are still speculation. Its very difficult to determine that that is exactly what this is. Especially without a microscope. FWIW i cant get a clear picture of what marine chrysophytes look like under the scope? All that aside, i use the same RODI water on my other reef tank that isn't experiencing this at all.

 

[mcarroll]

#chrysophytes #aminoacids #kno3 #lightmeter

 

[reeferfoxx]

#chrysophytes #aminoacids #kno3 #lightmeter

Hashtags?

 

[reeferfoxx]

I'll give an update tonight. I pretty much knocked this out of the water....i think.. No visible chrysophytes or diatoms.

 

[mcarroll]

yes

 

[mcarroll]

If you aren't on the website you might not see the hashtags properly....I don't think the app deals with them. Switch to the mobile web version of R2R.....even picture uploads and live photos are slick and easy.

 

[reeferfoxx]

UPDATE
Okay. I'm going to try and not be too optimistic. It's been 10 days since I performed a toothbrush cleaning. Although, toothbrush cleanings weren't alien from the beginning. Just this time, I increased clean up crew and added GFO. Also within the 10 days I did a 3 day black out. I really didn't plan on doing a black out. However, after doing a deep toothbrush cleaning, followed by 10% WC, and using GFO for 46+ hours(@melev is laughing, lol), cyanobacteria grew rapidly.

CYANO
After the 46+ hours of running GFO, and for each day after, the Chrysophytes, golden algae, calothrix, ditaoms, what have you, became less compact and more light and stringy. So much so, I did one more toothbrush cleaning and collected it all with filter floss, again. By this time, all the snails and hermits were going to town on the rocks. Regrowth was almost unnoticed compared to before. Since then, like I was saying, the cyanobacteria took hold of almost every inch of the sandbed. (I forgot to get a picture) Nitrates tested lower around 1ppm and phosphates still reading 0ppm. It was becoming unsightly so I decided to try and knock it back. I didn't want to use chemicals either.

3 DAY BLACK OUT
Deciding not to use chemicals while still wanting to reduce water changes, hand removal and 3 day black out where my options. I did both. Friday the 9th, first thing in the morning, made sure lights were off. Started pulling cyano patches. When I got as much out as I could I put trash bags around the sides of the tank. I didn't cover the top and I'm thinking I should have, now. The black out lasted till Monday the 12th. Lights came on this morning. I did adjust lighting schedule for coral acclimation. I didn't want them stressing too much with all the light. So, I reduced lighting period by 2 hours and intensity was reduced by 50% from where they were.

LIGHTS ON!!
Everything looks cleaner today. Almost like new clean but with some green coralline and cyano spots still visible. Some of the rock still has some patches of diatom turf stuff(scientific right?)..LOL
Anyway enough chatting. The rocks haven't looked this good in 4 or months. tell me what you think? And here's a video.. .. or two...

Before

After (Today)

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

The appearance of the cyano is absolutely fascinating!

 

[reeferfoxx]

The appearance of the cyano is absolutely fascinating!

I've been letting the cyano do it's thing for a couple months now. Comes and goes. Still on going. I refuse to nuke it with anything. Just trying to slow it down and hopefully run it's course?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I've been letting the cyano do it's thing for a couple months now. Comes and goes. Still on going. I refuse to nuke it with anything. Just trying to slow it down and hopefully run it's course?

have you considered or have already used diverse bacterial supplements?
Some macros?

 

[reeferfoxx]

have you considered or have already used diverse bacterial supplements?

What type of bacterial supplements? Pro biotics or like Dr Tims waste away? Someone recommended pro bio stuff awhile back. I completely forgot about that.

Some macros?

I considered chaeto once. I didn't want risk getting cyano on the chaeto?

Since I needed to order a new batch of salt, and low on nitrate reagent I went ahead and added a new nitrate kit. Which supplements did you think?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Pro biotics or like Dr Tims waste away?

DR tims is not Pro biotic, it is bacteria. thats one, mb7 , prime, bio spira is a weaker blend, I just got some Probidio??at macna. Im not a bottle expert on what strains are in each though to keep them diverse.
Dr tims is a bit legendary, seven? strains?

Chato dont care, you can rinse it. if there's no crabs you can get good looking macros too.
Any of them you get will (macros) will of course carry some bacteria in with it too. a good thing. Imo
Im thinking competition for nutrients and processing what ever is feeding the stuff..

 

[reeferfoxx]

DAY 12

Still no golden algae. Rocks are starting to mature. Snails still keeping the rocks clean. Everything going good except for the cyano. Saturday the 17th will be cyano cleaning and sandbed vacuuming day with a 20% water change.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

k...whats next?