Dinos/Cyano/Diatoms?

[Swalt20]

Hello Fellow Reefers! I setup this tank about 4 months ago. I used all dry rock and dry sand. I went through the ammonia cycle within the first month. Since then I have been battling what I believe to be Diatoms, I am unsure what it is for sure. I knew i'd hit the ugly stage but this blew me out of the water. This algy is incredibly stringy and stubborn. Regenerates overnight after water change. I have never seen anything like it. If you have any idea I would love to hear what you think!

125 gallon tank
8 Chromis
1 yellow tang
One full cube of frozen mysis shrimp food a day.
Reading 0 Nitrate and Phosphate. Not sure about Silicate, ordered a test kit
All Other parameters normal. Test Corals are happy

 

[Subsea]

Zero nitrate & zero phosphate are a recipe for nuisance macro algae.

@Swalt20
can you better describe the algae? Is it easily blown off? Is it slimy? There are several variety of Cynobacteria. I suspect you have a mixture of Cynobacteria & Dinoflagellates.

 

[doubleshot00]

That is most likely dinos. You need to get a microscope to figure out what strain you have so you can take the correct actions.

I'm going through this now. IF money is no object then I suggest ordering pods LOTS OF THEM and phyto. Add them asap.

 

[BAMatter]

Second the microscope recommendation. Really the only way to get a positive ID and figure out best way to handle it. Find Mack’s Reef Dino Support Group on FB for detailed instructions and help with the algae and ID. I went through cyano, then 2 types of Dino’s… got it all handled, minus some cyano in my sump but it stays there so I’m not concerned much.

 

[BaliReefBox]

do you have any edible algae for the tang... i believe they are like veggos..

 

[Swalt20]

@Subsea
The algae is easily blow off. It is very slimy and stringy. When I do a water change the algae clumps together in the bucket. I have been dosing nitrate and phos. I have only brought the phosphate up to .01ppm and nitrate to 1ppm. Dosing nutrients make me nervous because I don't have an end goal. 10ppm nitrate? 5ppm nitrate? .05 phos? .1 phos? Thank you for the help!

@doubleshot00 I did put some pods in but not as many as you are suggesting. I am going to try and get an ID under microscope then decide my course of action. Thank you for the help!

@BaliReefBox I Feed Yellow tang nori soaked in vitamins daily. Sorry forgot to mention that!


I'll id under microscope! And report back. Thank you for all the help!

 

[Subsea]

@Swalt20
I am not a fan of low nutrients. When starting a tank with dry rock & dry sand, there is little to compete with opportunistic algaes that thrive in low nutrients without competition. After 50 years of Reefing, I focus on biodiversity by bringing in micro fauna & fana with uncured diver collected live rock & live sand. I suggest you introduce healthy biodiversity to address the root cause of the problem and feed the system. If you don’t inoculate good stuff, nuisance opportunistic algaes will fill the vacum.

Gulf Live Rock.com

gulfliverock.com

Can you post a full tank picture under white light?

Consider competitive macro algae either in a refugium, ATS or use ornamental macro in display tank. This is 30G macro algae tank set up for 18 months.

 

[Swalt20]

@Subsea
Wow 50 years Congrats, not many can say that. Your tank looks awesome. So much calcareous algae! I would love to pick your brain some more in the future!

I do have a friend who has had a tank up for 3 years now. I might see if I can get some of his rock, or at the local fish store. I get nervous about rock from ocean because of how much biodiversity there is. I do have a refugium in the sump. Cheto lives in the refug, but I don't think I have enough to out-compete but I also have no nutrients.

This pains me to post. I am unable to keep up with how quickly it comes back. I think the biodiversity as you were saying plus macro algey and nutrients will help kill this back.

 

[Subsea]

With respect to dosing nutrients, I add Chaeto Grow for trace minerals and often add ammonia for nitrogen. I think phosphate comes in with the air. End goal for nitrate is > 5ppm, Phosphate can range from
.01 - 1.0 ppm

In a mature reef tank, micro fauna & fana along with bacteria establish multiple nutrient pathways to process inorganic & organic nutrients into live food for hungry mouths. I find the corals and macroalgae to be the biggest consumer of nitrate & phosphate. N ratio of micro algae (phytoplankton) is 16:1, Redfield Ratio. Chaetomorphy & Gracilaria Parvispora have a N ratio of 30:1.

I don’t do nutrient export, I do nutrient recycling. When I frag & sell, I do nutrient export.

 

[Subsea]

@Swalt20

If your live rock can be removed from tank, consider a 10 minute soak in 10% solution of hydrogen peroxide. I have not injured corals with this dip, but it is lethal to algae and collateral damage to sensitive inverts like pods & micro stars.

This 75G display is my oldest setup at 25 years mature. Lights on 10 minutes ago.

Build Thread - 25 year old 75G Jaubert Plenum on top with 30G EcoSystem Mud/Macro

I worked as a pool mechanic off the west coast for my father. Nothing like working in Boca Grande around multi million dollar homes. Walking over to the seawall and being physically unable to breath(from the algae bloom), then there's the dead fish..... The warning posted about not swimming...

www.reef2reef.com

PS: correction on phosphate range
0.01 - thru 0.10 ppm.