Algae Identification, killing my sps

[dwest]

Yea I use a salifert test kit for Nitrate and a Hanna ULR for my phosphates, and I have 15ppm Nitrates and 0.009 for phosphates which isnt to far from 0.01 so is that perhaps not my issue?

Perhaps. It’s certainly hard to pinpoint a true cause. Higher nitrates with low phosphates are often a trigger. And you were certainly pushing zero phosphates. Did you use GFO or other phosphate reducers?

 

[Mrcote1]

I stopped using GFO like 9 months ago probably. Now I use a filter sock, protein skimmer, fuge with cheato and Deep sand bed, and I run GAC for filtration. All water is RODI as well

 

[dwest]

I stopped using GFO like 9 months ago probably. Now I use a filter sock, protein skimmer, fuge with cheato and Deep sand bed, and I run GAC for filtration. All water is RODI as well

Often dinos are associated with heavy GFO use or other heavy phosphate strippers. It’s odd yours started after you removed it TBH. Anyway, I would still get farther away from zero if I were you. I had to remove my chaeto to achieve that. Let us know what you find with the scope.

 

[Mrcote1]

Alright will do! So should I continue blowing the algae off my corals or is there anything I can do in the meantime to save the rest of them? I've already lost quite a bit of money since some of those corals list are certainly not cheap. Or is all efforts just useless until I can just get rid of the stuff

 

[Hemmdog]

Your mags a little low, what light are you using? I think the acros died first then are being stripped by dinos. Also what’s your flow?

 

[Mrcote1]

I'm using the reefbreeders photon V2+ over a 75. I'm getting anywhere between 275 par at the bottom to about 400 par at the top of my rocks. For flow I have about 4,000 gph split between 2 power heads and my return pump

And I can try bumping up my magnesium a bit

 

[Hemmdog]

I'm using the reefbreeders photon V2+ over a 75. I'm getting anywhere between 275 par at the bottom to about 400 par at the top of my rocks. For flow I have about 4,000 gph split between 2 power heads and my return pump

And I can try bumping up my magnesium a bit

Sounds like a nice set up, I was hoping it was something easy, but the mystery continues.

 

[Mrcote1]

Yea, I hate how stuff like this happens. If I lose all my corals from this it may be game over for me once and for all in reef keeping. So I'm gonna try and beat it. But this stuff is like wildfire. I have hydrogen peroxide... but I'm hesitant to use it since sps are already touchy and stressed as it is and I do have a maxima clam

 

[dwest]

Alright will do! So should I continue blowing the algae off my corals or is there anything I can do in the meantime to save the rest of them? I've already lost quite a bit of money since some of those corals list are certainly not cheap. Or is all efforts just useless until I can just get rid of the stuff

I would blow off the corals and replace GAC weekly for now.

 

[Mrcote1]

Alright got a picture of what I'm dealing with from the microscope... about one in ten of these circle things in the picture are slowly moving around. Is this Dinos and if so what kind and what is the preferred method to kill them? Or where can I find the information? It's hard to find anything to use in the reef2reef thread that has thousands of posts

 

[Mrcote1]

Okay so I got another batch I looked at and they are like rolling around so I'm thinking they are ostreopsis

 

[Mrcote1]

I'm super concerned now because apparently that's the highly toxic kind and almost every single one of my corals has strands of them on them. I cant really find a straightforward answer on how to beat them or at least keep all my livestock from being overwhelmed. I have Phopshate on hand for dosing and I also have Nitrate I can dose. Should I crank those way up? Or let them drop? And will hydrogen peroxide or dinox work on ostreopsis?

 

[dwest]

Okay so I got another batch I looked at and they are like rolling around so I'm thinking they are ostreopsis

Hard to tell for sure. You might be right. Check this link out.

http://www.algaeid.com/identification/

 

[dwest]

If you think its ostreopsis, they are one of the most easily eradicated, on a relative dino scale IMO.

 

[Mrcote1]

Yea that's actually what I referred to for identification. they move EXACTLY like the ostreopsis. So I'd put money on it that its them. And what is the best method for getting rid if them?

 

[dwest]

I'm super concerned now because apparently that's the highly toxic kind and almost every single one of my corals has strands of them on them. I cant really find a straightforward answer on how to beat them or at least keep all my livestock from being overwhelmed. I have Phopshate on hand for dosing and I also have Nitrate I can dose. Should I crank those way up? Or let them drop? And will hydrogen peroxide or dinox work on ostreopsis?

If they are ostreopsis, I would get a UV sterilizer that is at least one watt of UV per every tank gallon of water. Plumb it from DT back to DT with a pump that will put about 1-3 tank gallons of water through the unit. This should eliminate them in the short term.

Longer term, keep nitrates and phosphates elevated to encourage dino competition. I’m not a fan of any chemical cures as I don’t believe they have a lots of successes in the long run.

 

[dwest]

Yea that's actually what I referred to for identification. they move EXACTLY like the ostreopsis. So I'd put money on it that its them. And what is the best method for getting rid if them?

Did you see the sesame seed shape? The others are more round or oval-ish.

 

[dwest]

Yea that's actually what I referred to for identification. they move EXACTLY like the ostreopsis. So I'd put money on it that its them. And what is the best method for getting rid if them?

I think you are right in your ID BTW.

 

[dwest]

If they are ostreopsis, I would get a UV sterilizer that is at least one watt of UV per every tank gallon of water. Plumb it from DT back to DT with a pump that will put about 1-3 tank gallons of water through the unit. This should eliminate them in the short term.

Longer term, keep nitrates and phosphates elevated to encourage dino competition. I’m not a fan of any chemical cures as I don’t believe they have a lots of successes in the long run.

The size of UV should be at least 1 watt UV per every 3 gallons of tank water my mistake.

 

[Mrcote1]

Yea they are sesame seed shaped and they spin at a fixed point just like that article states