Algae ID - Overrun tank

RockyProndoa · Jul 16, 2022

Hello, I have a 135g reef tank, which has unfortunately been neglected for the past 6 months or so due to the birth of my son. I'm now trying to correct problems and I seem to have encountered an algae that has me stumped and is very quickly taking over the tank. Tank has been running for about 5 years, orphek icon lighting, Apex controlled, Trident dosing.

I'm on day 14 of a fluconazole treatment, standard dose. Cyano is starting to appear now as well. It seems I have a combination of uglies, looking for proper ID from you fine folks. And pardon the pics, so trying to figure out how to take pictures through the microscope.

RockyProndoa · Jul 16, 2022

A few more...

RockyProndoa · Jul 18, 2022

Anyone? Something I can do to make the post better to garnish a response?

moz71 · Jul 18, 2022

You have a combination of several algae. I see hair Dino’s, etc. so flux will not help at all of them. Big question is what are your nutrient levels? Phosphate and nitrate? It sounds like probably sky rocketed during time so will need to get those down.

BanjoBandito · Jul 18, 2022

Your best bet is to get in there and elbow grease it up, turn your lights off a few days, and try to get stuff under control. If you fluc it you'll probably get rid of the GHA but bring on something else or make the dinos worse. If you can get it tamped down and reasonable, plop about 50 snails in there.

RockyProndoa · Jul 18, 2022

BanjoBandito said:
Your best bet is to get in there and elbow grease it up, turn your lights off a few days, and try to get stuff under control. If you fluc it you'll probably get rid of the GHA but bring on something else or make the dinos worse. If you can get it tamped down and reasonable, plop about 50 snails in there.

Appreciate the advice, I did quite a bit of cleaning over the weekend and things look much better, at least for the moment.

On a side note, what leads you to believe I have dinos? The top Pic? Of so, those are immobile and definitely not dinos - I actually believe it to be chrysophytes.

RockyProndoa · Jul 18, 2022

moz71 said:
You have a combination of several algae. I see hair Dino’s, etc. so flux will not help at all of them. Big question is what are your nutrient levels? Phosphate and nitrate? It sounds like probably sky rocketed during time so will need to get those down.

Nutrient levels read zero - phosphate and nitrates. Also assume this isn't exactly correct due to the excessive algae.

I don't see dinos in the pics, I see what I believe to be GHA, cyano, and chrysophytes. Could you indicate where you see dinos?