ID This Snot Please?

MileHighSeaLevel · Mar 27, 2021

Have some snot on the back glass, that's growing in an interesting pattern. It's ONLY growing on the glass, and both the turbos and nerites are eating it, so I don't think (fingers crossed) it's dinos. Some of the strings are nearly a foot long, but no bubbles. Where it's growing best is on the overflow glass, directly under the lights. Microscope should be here today, so Ill post microscope pics today or tomorrow depending on when it shows up.

Tank: RSR 250 (65g)
Lights: Kessil AP9X (65% for 12hr including ramp time)
Flow: 2 SLW-20 Power heads on sine setting
Jebao Return (oversized, running at 70%)
Filtration: 250 micron socks, Skimmer, drop in refugium (DIY), canister filter running Matrix carbon.
Parameters:
Temp:77.9
PH: 8.22
DKH: 8.3
CA: 454
MG: 1290
Phosphorus: 6ppb
Nitrate: 0 (Testing 0, but think it's getting sucked up)
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
RODI TDS: 1ppm

Tank was up for ~7 years before I bought it. It was moved and re-sent. Rock was kept in original water. Sandbed was replaced (Fiji pink washed in RO until my hands bled).

vetteguy53081 · Mar 27, 2021

Its a form of dinoflagellates. This light brownish menace feels like snot growing up from the rock or sand, with trapped air bubbles in it. Not to be confused with algae that has an air bubble that has landed on it, dinos make them. Not all species of dinos are bad the one pictured is though, and has caused many aquarists to tear down their tanks. Scrape glass with algae scraper or edge of credit card into a net or siphon and discard.
if on rock, remove the rock and place it in a large saucepan. Add water enough to cover the rock. LIGHTLY Boil the rock. Rinse and repeat with scrubbing in between. Let dry for 3 days in sun. Scrub it as best you can. No cleaner crew will remove it.
You can Increase skimming, to take down nutrients which are likely elevated. Some people have had success treating it by raising their ph and alk, but if you do so, do it with caution.

MileHighSeaLevel · Mar 27, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
Its a form of dinoflagellates. This light brownish menace feels like snot growing up from the rock or sand, with trapped air bubbles in it. Not to be confused with algae that has an air bubble that has landed on it, dinos make them. Not all species of dinos are bad the one pictured is though, and has caused many aquarists to tear down their tanks. Scrape glass with algae scraper or edge of credit card into a net or siphon and discard.
if on rock, remove the rock and place it in a large saucepan. Add water enough to cover the rock. LIGHTLY Boil the rock. Rinse and repeat with scrubbing in between. Let dry for 3 days in sun. Scrub it as best you can. No cleaner crew will remove it.
You can Increase skimming, to take down nutrients which are likely elevated. Some people have had success treating it by raising their ph and alk, but if you do so, do it with caution.

That's why I don't understand... My cuc IS removing it... and it's not making any bubbles. There's literally not one bubble on it... What looks like bubbles are actually snail eggs.

MileHighSeaLevel · Mar 27, 2021

Looking to be dinos after all. Scraped the snot and siphoned as much as possible. Water was initially brown, but the snot pulled itself back together in short order, suggesting dinoflagellates. Will confirm with microscope.

vetteguy53081 · Mar 27, 2021

MileHighSeaLevel said:
That's why I don't understand... My cuc IS removing it... and it's not making any bubbles. There's literally not one bubble on it... What looks like bubbles are actually snail eggs.

Its the type of flagellates why they are moving it