Brown algea vs dino after adding purple fusion and purple helix?

[holdthecoffee]

I added the purple/pink bottles in early October to a 4 month old tank. My skimmer went crazy when I turned it back on a day after adding the bottles.

Over the next week, I got a large brown explosion which I thought was a cyano or diatom outbreak. I then added a clean up crew of snails and crabs. My snails have been slowly dying off one by one, while all the other inhabitants have been fine. I'm now worried the bottles my have introduced dinos to my tank.

Before I added the bottles I had a clownfish, an anemone, a cleaner shrimp and fire shrimp that all underwent quarantine in a separate tank. The same quarantine tank is still up (now quarantining a pistol shrimp and hermit crabs) and hasn't had a brown explosion. Objectively, the other difference between the tanks is that the main tank has more bioload, more feeding, and an G5 XR30. Admittedly, all of this can cause cyano or diatom. But the snail issue makes me worried about dinos.

I emailed algea barn to see how they collect their coraline algea and how they insure microscopic pest like dino aren't collected. I've read of people introducing things like aptasia from macroalgea bought from them, so now I'm curious how they guarantee microscopic organisms aren't collected.

Anyone have thoughts on this or personal experience?

 

[ScubaFish802]

Algae Barn sells the helix coraline algae bottles (as do most other online retailers) but the actual product is made by Arc Reef. Though they heavily market this product as Reef Safe and Pest Free, you may want to reach out to them directly if you are looking for more answers about their process.

Using a basic microscope and posting pictures of what the brown stuff looks like up close could help people on this forum tell you what you have so you know what action to take to try and fix it.

 

[ShepherdReefer]

I don't like adding any additives to my tank unless it is a must. Has Algae Barn contacted you yet?

 

[holdthecoffee]

Algae Barn sells the helix coraline algae bottles (as do most other online retailers) but the actual product is made by Arc Reef. Though they heavily market this product as Reef Safe and Pest Free, you may want to reach out to them directly if you are looking for more answers about their process.

Using a basic microscope and posting pictures of what the brown stuff looks like up close could help people on this forum tell you what you have so you know what action to take to try and fix it.

Good suggestion. Will message ARC reef and see what they say.

Unfortunately don't have a microscope at this time. If someone has a suggestion for one that allows me to take clear photos with an iphone, I would be up to buying it.