Chrysophytes in new tank

[Rudyduck]

(Posted in algae Discussion too but wanted it to reach the most amount of people)

Hello,

New to reefing...my tank is a month old. I had my water tested and look like I'm dealing with Chrysophytes. Looking for any help on how to remove it from the tank.

In tank:
2 Clownfish
1 Cleaner Shrimp
6 Blue Legged Hermit Crabs

Was told water parameters were all okay.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Tahoe61]

I don't think that's Chrysophytes especially in a tank that's only a month old.
Add some snails like Astrea.
Are you testing N/P?

 

[pooootiqe]

You sure it’s not Dino? Try taking a picture under white light only

 

[Rudyduck]

I don't think that's Chrysophytes especially in a tank that's only a month old.
Add some snails like Astrea.
Are you testing N/P?

I don't really know what it is then, we thought it looked like it under the microscope but I just tested my water and
Nitrate: 5.6
Phosphate 0.0

I have some blue legged hermit crabs in there, won't they kill the snails?

Any ideas how to fix it?

Thanks!

 

[Rudyduck]

You sure it’s not Dino? Try taking a picture under white light only

I'm not totally sure, I'll attach a new white light only photo. Any suggestions for best way to remove Dinos?
(I know the tank looks dirty.... just cleaned it 2 days ago and here we are again, will clean now)

Thanks

 

[Lavey29]

I'm not totally sure, I'll attach a new white light only photo. Any suggestions for best way to remove Dinos?
(I know the tank looks dirty.... just cleaned it 2 days ago and here we are again, will clean now)

Thanks

It's stringy diatoms in a new tank. Your lights should be off the first 3 months to allow tank to develop biodiversity and microfauna then when you turn lights on and add corals your ugly phases will be more manageable.

 

[Rudyduck]

It's stringy diatoms in a new tank. Your lights should be off the first 3 months to allow tank to develop biodiversity and microfauna then when you turn lights on and add corals your ugly phases will be more manageable.

Oh great! Thanks for getting back to me so fast. Ill shut the lights off and see what happens.

 

[Lavey29]

Oh great! Thanks for getting back to me so fast. Ill shut the lights off and see what happens.

Fish don't need light. If you really want to Jumpstart your biome get a couple pieces of real live wet ocean rock shipped and cure them for pests then add to your tank. You will then be way ahead in the process.

 

[Rudyduck]

Fish don't need light. If you really want to Jumpstart your biome get a couple pieces of real live wet ocean rock shipped and cure them for pests then add to your tank. You will then be way ahead in the process.

I do have 1lb of live rock in there, Australian christmas but I will see about getting some more.

Really appreciate the help.

 

[Lavey29]

I do have 1lb of live rock in there, Australian christmas but I will see about getting some more.

Really appreciate the help.

Did you cure it first? Also increase your cleaners with some more snails. Do you use RODI water?

 

[Rudyduck]

Did you cure it first? Also increase your cleaners with some more snails. Do you use RODI water?

-I did not cure it, was told not to.
-I'm going to get some snails today, how many would you add?
-Yes I do and I always flush the membrane and it's always been 0 TDS.

 

[Lavey29]

-I did not cure it, was told not to.
-I'm going to get some snails today, how many would you add?
-Yes I do and I always flush the membrane and it's always been 0 TDS.

Well it's possible the live rock brought something in but it's ok, it can be remedied. Get like 5 trochus and 3 tongan nacarius to start and one turbo to. Then build onto that as needed over months.

 

[Rudyduck]

Well it's possible the live rock brought something in but it's ok, it can be remedied. Get like 5 trochus and 3 tongan nacarius to start and one turbo to. Then build onto that as needed over months.

Interesting, well I hope nothing was but for now I'll add the snails and see what they can do and go from there. I'll update here if something changes....hopefully it does!!

 

[Lavey29]

Interesting, well I hope nothing was but for now I'll add the snails and see what they can do and go from there. I'll update here if something changes....hopefully it does!!

Just manually remove what you can and let snails do their thing. Leave lights off a few months. Add pods to the tank. Keep parameters stable with correct amount of nitrates and phosphate.

 

[Rudyduck]

Just manually remove what you can and let snails do their thing. Leave lights off a few months. Add pods to the tank. Keep parameters stable with correct amount of nitrates and phosphate.

Sorry don't mean to be ignorant here but what are pods and what levels would you think are ideal for nitrates and phosphates?

 

[Lavey29]

Sorry don't mean to be ignorant here but what are pods and what levels would you think are ideal for nitrates and phosphates?

Copepods and amphipods are good to start your biodiversity in the tank. Since you don't have corals yet (until lights come on) you can focus on .05 phosphate and 5 nitrates. Once you add corals .1 to .2 phosphate and 10 to 20 nitrates are your ranges.

 

[Rudyduck]

Copepods and amphipods are good to start your biodiversity in the tank. Since you don't have corals yet (until lights come on) you can focus on .05 phosphate and 5 nitrates. Once you add corals .1 to .2 phosphate and 10 to 20 nitrates are your ranges.

Oh okay, well I started with Brightwell Aquatics NeoPhos to increase the phosphate and got a the snails you recommended. Ill see if I can get the parameters to come back within the range and hopefully it clears up.

Thanks!!

 

[Lavey29]

Oh okay, well I started with Brightwell Aquatics NeoPhos to increase the phosphate and got a the snails you recommended. Ill see if I can get the parameters to come back within the range and hopefully it clears up.

Thanks!!

Feed the fish more frozen and nitrates will come up. Don't over dose the neophos. You need that number around .5. Until you get coral. Manual removal . You will experience ugly phases throughout the first year.

 

[Rudyduck]

Feed the fish more frozen and nitrates will come up. Don't over dose the neophos. You need that number around .5. Until you get coral. Manual removal . You will experience ugly phases throughout the first year.

Yeah I will go easy on the neophos and make sure it gets to and stays around .5 until I get corals. Next time I’m at the store I’ll give the frozen food a try too.

 

[pooootiqe]

hermits would be better to deal with stringy algae. See if you can find bigger ones at a LFS.

I would guess the Australian rock released a lot of nutrients if it was shipped to you and promoted the algae it brought in.

It will go away eventually, or here’s a potentially more aggressive method - let it grow uncontrolled under full light until the algae turns white and semi-translucent (nutrient low enough to starve it out), then take the rocks out and give it a real good scrub.

Very different strategy to whats already mentioned, but could result in a quicker turnaround tho especially when you don’t have corals to worry about. Be sparing on your feeding never hurts when the coral load is low.