Identify what I am dealing with on my sandbed

[brianfarm6767]

Hello, started noticing same reddish/brown algae growing on my sandbed. Seems to stay in the areas of the sandbed that get more light and lesser in the areas with lower light. When lights go out it looks like it reduces and then returns when lights get going the next day. Just wanted to confirm what I am dealing with being either diatoms, dinos, or cyano of some kind. All corals and fish seem to be doing fine.

Tank is 20 gallons and around 6 months old and the current levels are

Nitrate - 11
Phosphate - .15
Calcium - 450
Alk - 8.6
Mag - 1400
Salinity - 1.026

I do weekly 3-4 gallon water changes and these levels are at the tail end of the week before I do the next water change.

 

[Fishboy9227]

Mostly likely bacteria. I’d suggest dosing some bio digest.

 

[Evil1]

Looks like diatoms to me. How old is the tank

 

[brianfarm6767]

Looks like diatoms to me. How old is the tank

Right at 6 months old

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks to me like dinoflagellates.
What is your nitrate and phosphate level?

 

[brianfarm6767]

Looks to me like dinoflagellates.
What is your nitrate and phosphate level?

Nitrate - 11
Phosphate - .15
Calcium - 450
Alk - 8.6
Mag - 1400
Salinity - 1.026

 

[Evil1]

Right at 6 months old

Welcome to the ugly stage! Sorry but it’s pretty much unavoidable. Just keep everything in check do your water changes eventually it will go away.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Nitrate - 11
Phosphate - .15
Calcium - 450
Alk - 8.6
Mag - 1400
Salinity - 1.026

With these readings, often dino will not develop but rather feed on these levels. Can you post pics under pure white light intensity?

 

[brianfarm6767]

With these readings, often dino will not develop but rather feed on these levels. Can you post pics under pure white light intensity?

 

[jabberwock]

Welcome to the ugly stage! Sorry but it’s pretty much unavoidable. Just keep everything in check do your water changes eventually it will go away.

It is avoidable, but too late. Maybe slow it down a little, I see you already have corals. What do you have for live stock? A full tank shot is sometimes helpful. Keep up with husbandry, this too shall pass.

 

[brianfarm6767]

It is avoidable, but too late. Maybe slow it down a little, I see you already have corals. What do you have for live stock? A full tank shot is sometimes helpful. Keep up with husbandry, this too shall pass.

I just have two clown fish and a clean up crew of snails, hermits, conch and shrimp. I added corals once I felt like I could keep the parameters stable which has been about a month. Right now all I am doing is dosing 3ML a day of All for Reef and weekly 3-4 gallon water change and everything has been stable.

 

[brianfarm6767]

Using a coral feeder i can lightly suck it away off the rocks and if I lightly blow on the rocks it comes loose.

 

[jabberwock]

I just have two clown fish and a clean up crew of snails, hermits, conch and shrimp. I added corals once I felt like I could keep the parameters stable which has been about a month. Right now all I am doing is dosing 3ML a day of All for Reef and weekly 3-4 gallon water change and everything has been stable.

I've never used it, but I would stop dosing the All for Reef stuff. Lighten up on your feeding and keep up the husbandry. I dosed some AB+ for a week and ended up with Cyano for a month (25 gal). Most of the time when you put snake oil in your tank, it backfires...

Bigger tanks have different requirements. I am not saying dosing is patently bad, but I wonder if you need it.

 

[thedon986]

That looks like dinos to me. I’m a multi year veteran of hosting the sand dwelling types.

 

[brianfarm6767]

That looks like dinos to me. I’m a multi year veteran of hosting the sand dwelling types.

I have never let nutrients get any where near 0, isn't that what brings dinos out?

 

[Lavey29]

I have never let nutrients get any where near 0, isn't that what brings dinos out?

Typically but not always. Many forms or dinos in a reef tank system but 3 types are bad as you may be experiencing now.

 

[thedon986]

I have never let nutrients get any where near 0, isn't that what brings dinos out?

Nah this past week I had a resurgence and at the same time I noticed my hair algae really slowed down a few days before I noticed it. Phosphates have been over .2 and nitrates over 20 for months. Perhaps the imbalance in the ratio between the two. I also did start all for reef a month ago and wondering if the trace elements in there helped them get a foothold again. Either way they are already on the way out as I started sodium silicate dosing about a week ago and the sand is clearer every day.

At this point I plan on dosing sodium silicate weekly to help keep my diatom levels up indefinitely.

 

[Jmp998]

I've never used it, but I would stop dosing the All for Reef stuff. Lighten up on your feeding and keep up the husbandry. I dosed some AB+ for a week and ended up with Cyano for a month (25 gal). Most of the time when you put snake oil in your tank, it backfires...

Bigger tanks have different requirements. I am not saying dosing is patently bad, but I wonder if you need it.

All for Reef is a Calcium/Mag/Alk replacement with trace elements (basically a 2-part alternative). It is not a nutritive vitamins/amino acids product like Red Sea AB+.

 

[Evil1]

I have never let nutrients get any where near 0, isn't that what brings dinos out?

You are using RO water or at least distilled water for water changes?

 

[jabberwock]

All for Reef is a Calcium/Mag/Alk replacement with trace elements (basically a 2-part alternative). It is not a nutritive vitamins/amino acids product like Red Sea AB+.

Yep, I looked it up.