0 nitrate algae takeover

[Shnetts]

Can someone please guide me on what to do here. Ever since I had flukes kill of all the fish in my tank I’ve been trying to balance it out for the corals while I wait the 4 months fishless. Over the past week I’ve noticed HEAVY algae growth to the point it’s growing over my corals. My acans, Duncan’s, and candy canes seem to not be bothered. But my big spa colony is melting away along with the smaller zoas and mushrooms. I’ve been using a coral feeder to blow off the algae and I scrub the rocks daily but it doesn’t seem to get better. Nitrates are at 0 last time I tested(I’ve been feeding extra Red Sea ab+ to try and bring them up. Phosphates were 0.07 and alkaline was 10.2.

 

[DatReefGuy]

Picture is a little blurry with low light. Are you able to take a better one? Also, what is your phosphate level? Is there a CUC?

 

[Troylee]

Looks like Dino’s my friend! Sigh.. it’s a battle! Need a scope to confirm the strain and take action

 

[Shnetts]

Sorry here’s a better one under white light

 

[Shnetts]

I’m sorry if this isn’t an emergency tag worthy but I feel like I’m going to lose my whole tank and idk what to try next

 

[Red_Beard]

Yepper, looks like dinos and a little bit of cyano...
i would start dosing some ammonium. Per RHF's outline(https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/), i would recommend getting some bakers ammonia(ammonium bicarbonate) mixing it 20g/Liter. Dosing: "To add 0.1 mg/L ammonia to an aquarium, you would need to add 2.3 mL of either stock solution to a 100 L (26 gallon) aquarium. You may need to add this amount multiply times per day to dose enough."

Either that or brightwell's neonitro.
Getting some Nitrates into that system should help with less nasty stuff being able to outcompete the dinos.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Can someone please guide me on what to do here. Ever since I had flukes kill of all the fish in my tank I’ve been trying to balance it out for the corals while I wait the 4 months fishless. Over the past week I’ve noticed HEAVY algae growth to the point it’s growing over my corals. My acans, Duncan’s, and candy canes seem to not be bothered. But my big spa colony is melting away along with the smaller zoas and mushrooms. I’ve been using a coral feeder to blow off the algae and I scrub the rocks daily but it doesn’t seem to get better. Nitrates are at 0 last time I tested(I’ve been feeding extra Red Sea ab+ to try and bring them up. Phosphates were 0.07 and alkaline was 10.2.

Please repost under white lighting for clear identity and assessment. White lighting best.

 

[Troylee]

Run some carbon also! Those appear to be the procerum of how ever you spell it! They’re nasty and release toxins if it’s indeed that!

 

[CHSUB]

In “reality” stuff grows because of nutrients, doesn’t matter what hobby test kit reads. Manual removal to clean it up, unless this is “The Matrix” than it’s not actually there.

 

[Jmcg89]

I would also suggest running uv if you aren't yet.

 

[Shnetts]

should i continue the daily removal? the daily vacuuming of the sand bed i feel like is only helping bottoming nitrates

 

[Troylee]

should i continue the daily removal? the daily vacuuming of the sand bed i feel like is only helping bottoming nitrates

It def helps! Start dosing some ammonium bicarbonate or Neo nitro to bring nitrates up.

 

[joshwaggs]

should i continue the daily removal? the daily vacuuming of the sand bed i feel like is only helping bottoming nitrates

Eh, I would just slow down a little. Those dinos aren’t going anywhere fast. Your first step should be to make sure it is actually dinos by IDing them via a microscope or coffee filter method. Then you need to figure out what type you have (you’ll need a microscope for that), then start looking at ways to treat. UV doesn’t work on all of them. The one thing that seems to be constant is the need for nutrients. Once you identify the type, then think about doing nitrate and phosphate. One thing that seems to help is dosing silica to get a diatom bloom to out compete dinos.

There is a very helpful thread in r2r called something like “tired of battling dinos”. It has a ton of solid knowledge in it.

 

[Shnetts]

Eh, I would just slow down a little. Those dinos aren’t going anywhere fast. Your first step should be to ID them. Figure out what type you have, then start looking at rooms to treat. UV doesn’t work on all of them. The one thing that seems to be constant is the need for nutrients. Once you identify the type, then think about doing nitrate and phosphate. One thing that seems to help is dosing silica to get a diatom bloom to out compete dinos.

is there a way to identify the type without a microscope?

 

[CHSUB]

Your tank in no way needs additional inorganic nutrients. If the corals look pale and more importantly the tank is completely void of algae then maybe. Otherwise keep removing algae manually.

 

[joshwaggs]

is there a way to identify the type without a microscope?

You can use the coffee filter method to id as dinos, but you’ll need a microscope to get the type of dinos.

 

[Shnetts]

Your tank in no way needs additional inorganic nutrients. If the corals look pale and more importantly the tank is completely void of algae then maybe. Otherwise keep removing algae manually.

nothing looks pale, alot of them look fine but my big zoas are fully retracted

 

[ninjamyst]

Your tank has no fish so your nutrients bottomed out. Now you have dino and you need to increase nutrients

1. Manual removal as much as possible and very often. Blow the dinos off rocks multiple times a day with a turkey baster or something. Change filter pads / filter socks daily.

2. Dose nitrate and phosphate directly or just feed your tank more. Reef roids is great at raising phosphate.

3. Add pods and live phyto. Pods are great at cleaning up dino and will also feed your corals

Good luck. You got this. All of those go through this stage at some point. You will loose a few corals but this is very fixable.

 

[joshwaggs]

Also, make sure your DI resin is still good. A spike in silicates from exhausted DI resin could cause a diatom bloom, which can look like dinos, too.

 

[Fishy888]

Sorry here’s a better one under white light

Definitely dinos. It’s likely because the fish were being fed and the poop was feeding the beneficial bacteria. With them being gone the nitrates crashed.

I’m battling dinos as well but I’m making progress. Don’t skim (you can keep the skimmer on without the collection cup if you just want the oxygenation, that of course assumes your skimmer is an in-sump skimmer). Also don’t perform any water changes. Dinos love, love, LOVE trace elements!

If you can get some live rock from an established tank, even a small amount would work, you’ll have new beneficial bacteria that’ll outcompete the dinos pretty quickly.

The key is you need detectable nitrates and phosphates for this to work! Feed heavily even though there aren’t any fish in there. That’ll encourage more beneficial bacteria and prime the system for when you get fish again.