Dino ID on 2 types

[RyansReef]

I have two types of problem algae going on and am looking for help identifying what these are and what the fix is.

Background on tank:
Was fighting GHA outbreak and now nutrients are very low. I believe nitrate fully bottomed out but is coming back up now at 0.025 to 0.05 on ReaSea test key and phosphate was a little high in the 0.12 range but has stabilized at 0.04 for GFO reactor. Trying to just feed heavier. Looking to add fish as only have a pair of 25+ yr old clowns, a 4.5-5" Blue Hippo, a YWG with tiger pistol shrimp and a mandarin goby in a 75 gallon tank with 20 long sump.

Problem 1: Top of tank showing a brown slime algae with bubbles I suspect is dinos. I purchased a microscope to help identify type after researching here on solutions. Small? roundish cells that do not swim around. Thought Coolia but supposed to be low on sand bed and low on bubbles from @taricha PDF I found in another post so maybe not. Maybe not best pic but havent used a scope or made a specimen slide in 30+ years so this is first attempt. Any pointers on taking better images welcome.

Problem 2: On sand bed dusting but clumps and doesnt break up when blasting so dont think it is diatoms. This one is definitely swimming. Smaller cells than the previous algae in problem 1. Possible Amphidinium? My MOV file from iPhone video seems to not want to upload here.

Solutions:
Not sure if UV would help as not sure these are free swimming after dark. I dont see a reduction at night on sand and more growth after some amount of lights come on. May have to watch closer.
Not sure if the H202 path would be best but thinking of trying this. Have seen 1 ml per 10 gallons suggested and worked for other posters without coral impact. I have only a few LPS and SPS as still trying to covert from FOWLER to mixed reef tank but dont want to lose what I have started.

Thanks in advance for any feedback or suggestions.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Dinoflagellate Identification Guide

I've had this laying around for a while. Had some recent interest, so I tweaked it a bit and am posting it. Not really about cures just ID pictures, videos, and a few short facts. Hope it can be helpful.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[BanjoBandito]

Is prob. 1 "tumbling" around or not moving at all? Does it get worse as the day/light progresses?

Prob. 2 is most likely small cell or large cell amph.


If you do have amph. on the sandbed, it can be a real bugger. When I dealt with it I literally sucked about an inch of sand out of my tank, removing it and some of the sand layer in the process. Once I got both the sandbed cleaned and the ostreopsis that I was dealing with at the same time sucked out i had success with UV and dosing silicates. But bear in mind, to really beat it I had to rip clean my tank. The tank in question is a 12 gallon nano though. It's not a 75. That's a mighty undertaking. I hate dinos. I swore I'd never use dry rock again after that battle.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Have you looked into chrysophytes small round cell non moving?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Im seeing amphidium, top pic possibly osreo
Prepare by starting with a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15% IF you have light dependant corals) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off.
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as bacter 7 or XLM) per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights - ramping up and work your white lights up slowly

 

[RyansReef]

Have you looked into chrysophytes small round cell non moving?

Possibly. Looks like it from the Dino Guide linked above. I need to figure out how to determine the real size of these cells. Other thread indicate UV can help. Need to do more research on killing it off though if it is. Thanks for the possible id.

 

[RyansReef]

Is prob. 1 "tumbling" around or not moving at all? Does it get worse as the day/light progresses?

Prob. 2 is most likely small cell or large cell amph.


If you do have amph. on the sandbed, it can be a real bugger. When I dealt with it I literally sucked about an inch of sand out of my tank, removing it and some of the sand layer in the process. Once I got both the sandbed cleaned and the ostreopsis that I was dealing with at the same time sucked out i had success with UV and dosing silicates. But bear in mind, to really beat it I had to rip clean my tank. The tank in question is a 12 gallon nano though. It's not a 75. That's a mighty undertaking. I hate dinos. I swore I'd never use dry rock again after that battle.

Not moving at all. Dont realy see increase in daylight but need to observe more closely so its possible.

 

[RyansReef]

Im seeing amphidium, top pic possibly osreo
Prepare by starting with a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15% IF you have light dependant corals) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off.
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as bacter 7 or XLM) per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights - ramping up and work your white lights up slowly

Thank you for the detailed fix. Will this work on all types of dinos so generally dont need as much positive id on which strain(s) I am fighting? Probably makes sense to try this and see what dies off and if anything makes it to then focus on that. I was sort of planning at least a multi prog attack as the green wire algae is my next battle after this slime algae is gone unless I can kill it all off at once.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Not moving at all. Dont realy see increase in daylight but need to observe more closely so its possible.

a UV will only help if it's entering the water column at night. We generally think that dinos are caused by a lack of nutrients or bottoming out of said nutrients...allowing the protozoas to basically become the alpha dog in your tank. The short answer is always "biodiversity". The long answer is...complicated. On a system your size, adding a properly sized UV and flow is not going to be cheap. And it's not even a guarantee that it'll work. I would try and suck out as much as you could and/or disturb it so it releases and do a water change. Water changes are a mixed bag, as you are removing the unwanted dinos, but you are also 'refueling' nutrients that can make them come back even stronger. I wish I had an "exact" plan for you, but it seems like anyone you ask has a different opinion/strategy. Dinos are the scourge of this hobby currently.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Thank you for the detailed fix. Will this work on all types of dinos so generally dont need as much positive id on which strain(s) I am fighting? Probably makes sense to try this and see what dies off and if anything makes it to then focus on that. I was sort of planning at least a multi prog attack as the green wire algae is my next battle after this slime algae is gone unless I can kill it all off at once.

A 4-5 day blackout as vette mentioned is a sure fire way to at very least knock em back. They are highly photosynthetic and need the light. The Dr. Tims method is built around this theory.