Ostreopsis ID?

[Gexx]

Hi all,

Pretty sure i have ostreopsis, and have for a while. Corals arent opening like they used to and colors have faded on the SPS. Poor polyp extension on SPS as well. Cerith snails have all died as well...

Nitrates: 30
pH: 8.4
Calcium: 400-450
Alk: 8-9
Salinity: 1.026
PO4: reading 0

I have recently added a refugium with Caulerpa racemosa/prolifera and Chaeto. This has reduced the nitrates and my small amount of hair algae is starting to disappear (yay!).

True to Dinoflagellate fashion, the tank is spotless in the morning. But by the evening it is covered in brown slime with bubbles.

Attached is a photo taken under my microscope. Ill be adding a UV sterilizer this week to help, but wanted someome else to confirm my ID

 

[sfin52]

Go to algea forum and look at the Dino posted to the forum. Not having po4 is not good. Look at that the first post and ask loads of questions.
Don’t stop running activated granular carbon.

 

[Gexx]

Any second opinions? UV sterilizer will be here tomorrow

 

[Gexx]

Sorry @sfin52, just saw your comment. Will do, thanks!

 

[Oldsalt01]

Is you PO4 test "low-range"? My "API Master" test kit came with a PO4 test, but they neglected to say it was "high-range". When I finally got a "low-range" kit (Salifert), thanks to a very knowledgeable individual on another forum, I discovered my PO4 was a lot higher than the "0" my original test showed. I've since up-graded to a Hanna ULR Phosphorus Checker which gives me super-accurate readings without these old eyes trying to decide between 0.03 and 0.05 on those stupid color charts.

 

[K. Steven]

Looks like Ostreopsis to me. This is the video I took of mine when I had them:

 

[Gexx]

@Oldsalt01 it is a salifert PO4 test kit

 

[Gexx]

@K. Steven any advice on getting rid of them?

 

[K. Steven]

@K. Steven any advice on getting rid of them?

I had to dose phosphate. I had high nitrate and zero phosphate and found out they thrive in a phosphate-starved environment.

 

[Gexx]

@K. Steven That is where i am at now. What method of phosphate dosing did you use? Did your coral also look a bit pathetic when this was going on? Mine do

 

[K. Steven]

@K. Steven That is where i am at now. What method of phosphate dosing did you use? Did your coral also look a bit pathetic when this was going on? Mine do

I used Seachem Flourish Phosphorus. My zoas closed up a bit and my corals looked pale from the Ostreopsis slime growing on them, but I'm now convinced it was from the lack of dissolved nutrients that ultimately fueled the dino invasion. I have a zoa and LPS dominated system, so they colored back up when my NO3 and PO4 went back up.

 

[Gexx]

.

 

[Gexx]

I used Seachem Flourish Phosphorus. My zoas closed up a bit and my corals looked pale from the Ostreopsis slime growing on them, but I'm now convinced it was from the lack of dissolved nutrients that ultimately fueled the dino invasion. I have a zoa and LPS dominated system, so they colored back up when my NO3 and PO4 went back up.

Whats the dosing regime for seachem phosphorus? I may pick some up

 

[K. Steven]

Whats the dosing regime for seachem phosphorus? I may pick some up

Avoid letting PO4 bottom out at zero.

 

[Gexx]

Im picking up the seachem phosphorous tomorrow. My refugium has my nitrates down to 10ppm post water change. Stats are:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10ppm
Phosphate: 0, using salifert and doing the double tank water/ reagent test for higher sensitivity
Alk: 9dKH
Salinity: 1.027
pH: 8.6
Calcium: 425

UV sterilizer has been in place for a couple days, 5w for my 12 gallon.

I added some carbon to take care of toxins for now. Hopefully the phosphate supplement will help reduce the dinos...

 

[sfin52]

Start slow on the phosphate addition I ended up at five mil a day for a solid week before I seen readings.

 

[Gexx]

With my small tank and shooting for .03ppm, i will be adding .4ml addition.

My plan is to:
Add .4ml phosphate
Test
Test again in 24 hours to see how much is used daily.

My goal is to keeo it at a stable .03ppm

I have a small amount of hair algae, but it has been withering since the refugium addition.