Cyano ? Dinos?

birddawg · Jul 24, 2022

What’s up everyone, just have a quick question on what I got in the tank. Is it Cyano or Dinos? This tank has been up and running for 2 months and I have not had this algae but till about 2 weeks ago. I use an Ai Prime for the light mainly for my GSP. Just wondering what this is and what I can do to treat it. Should I just wait it out, or should I get this figured out? If anyone could help that would be great!

jrmailo · Jul 24, 2022

Impossible to tell without a microscope. Considering that your tank is 2 months old, It could very well just be diatoms (the color certainly looks like one).

Do they disappear overnight and comeback in the morning? If so, it could be benthic specie(s) of dinoflagellates.

Lavey29 · Jul 24, 2022

Post dup

Lavey29 · Jul 24, 2022

Not cyano but with a 2 month old tank probably diatoms or could be dinos if stuff is bottomed out.. You will have various ugly stages over the course of the first year

birddawg · Jul 24, 2022

jrmailo said:
Impossible to tell without a microscope. Considering that your tank is 2 months old, It could very well just be diatoms (the color certainly looks like one).

Do they disappear overnight and comeback in the morning? If so, it could be benthic specie(s) of dinoflagellates.

I will check tonight and come back in the morning. Is there any bacteria I could be dosing just in case? Thank you!

birddawg · Jul 24, 2022

Lavey29 said:
Not cyano but with a 2 month old tank probably diatoms or could be dinos if stuff is bottomed out.. You will have various ugly stages over the course of the first year

Did not mean to put cyano lol, meant to say Diatoms. I do not have access to a microscope so I can not officially diagnose what it really is? Should I be dosing Phosphates and Nitrates regardless? I dose nothing at the moment and I am wondering if and what I need to be dosing on a regular basis. Thanks!

jrmailo · Jul 24, 2022

birddawg said:
I will check tonight and come back in the morning. Is there any bacteria I could be dosing just in case? Thank you!

I would try to confirm what your out break is first before taking any action or spending money on products.

I tried multiple bacteria in a bottle products and some just outright made my dino outbreak worse.

Lavey29 · Jul 25, 2022

birddawg said:
Did not mean to put cyano lol, meant to say Diatoms. I do not have access to a microscope so I can not officially diagnose what it really is? Should I be dosing Phosphates and Nitrates regardless? I dose nothing at the moment and I am wondering if and what I need to be dosing on a regular basis. Thanks!

With a 2 month old tank weekly water changes are key. You shouldn't have any corals in there yet which means you can cut your lights off. Allow your tank to develop biodiversity before adding corals and light. Increase your cleaner crew since you have nuisance algae already. Dose phytoplankton and PNS probio.