Rocks and sand covered in red. Dino/cyano/other?

[KonradTO]

Hi everyone,
Few weeks ago I started to over-feed my tank since I have only 1 fish and a lot of macros. Nitrates and phosphates were at 0, my algae were slowing down so I was concerned about not having enough nutrients. As soon as I started overfeeding I noticed some sand being "reddish" in color. Then I was suggested to keep nutrients higher because that was dinoflagellates. I started dosing micro and N/P, but the situation got only worse. Some people suggested it could be cyano, but it doesn't go away on night.
I have access to pretty powerful microscopes at work, today I tried to scrape some red stuff off the rocks but I did not have enough cells in the water to find out what was (I definitely saw few cells of cyano and Dino, but not many)
What is the best way to collect them in high concentration?
You can see some pics below

The clump above is around 1mm wide

 

[vetteguy53081]

Blow loose with a turkey baster and siphon up as much as you can
Clean filters and dump skimmer cup daily assure your phosphate hasn’t elevated
Cut white lights for 3-5 days and add 1.5 ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons
Add the following snails:
Margarita
Cerith
Nerite
Trochus

 

[KonradTO]

Blow loose with a turkey baster and siphon up as much as you can
Clean filters and dump skimmer cup daily assure your phosphate hasn’t elevated
Cut white lights for 3-5 days and add 1.5 ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons
Add the following snails:
Margarita
Cerith
Nerite
Trochus

Is then cyano? I don't have any skimmer and my phosphates were 0 and I have been suggested to dose for fighting dinoflagellates. I am confused now

 

[Theulli]

You can get cyano blooms easily simply from too much light and too little flow. How much white light are you using?

 

[KonradTO]

Blow loose with a turkey baster and siphon up as much as you can
Clean filters and dump skimmer cup daily assure your phosphate hasn’t elevated
Cut white lights for 3-5 days and add 1.5 ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons
Add the following snails:
Margarita
Cerith
Nerite
Trochus

Also what's the deal with liquid bacteria? My tank is not cycling, and I have been dosing phyto

 

[Not an IT guy]

What are you using to test?

 

[KonradTO]

You can get cyano blooms easily simply from too much light and too little flow. How much white light are you using?

I have not strong light for sure. One 20w led (stock fluval light) and one further 10w led spot over my caulerpa. Flow might be a problem, I am getting soon a powerhead. So you think this is cyano not dinoflagellates?

 

[KonradTO]

What are you using to test?

Sera tests. Very common here in EU, they are supposed to be good-ish quality

 

[Not an IT guy]

Looks like cyano.

 

[Not an IT guy]

Cyano usually comes from high phos and not enough nutrient export but stranger things have happened. I was fighting cyano myself. It’s almost all gone

 

[KonradTO]

Cyano usually comes from high phos and not enough nutrient export but stranger things have happened. I was fighting cyano myself. It’s almost all gone

OK that's weird. I'm pretty sure I had low phosphates. I might try another test kit or bring a sample to the shop and double-check. Having very low nutrients was the first reason I started to dose P and N. Did you get rid of it by cutting nutrients? How long did it take?

 

[Not an IT guy]

I used the dr Tim’s method and it was a 6-7 week process. Also ICP test confirmed my po4 was extra high. Manual removal. I also run a skimmer and red ogo/cheato in my refu

 

[Not an IT guy]

And water changes. Extra 5 gallons and my parameters are on par. I didn’t want to watch them swing.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Also what's the deal with liquid bacteria? My tank is not cycling, and I have been dosing phyto

Hold off on phytoplankton which will support cyano culture
Deal on liquid is cyano itself is a bacteria and bacteria 7 as an example will outcompete the cyano
Light support cyano also hence suggestion to turn off temporarily

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is then cyano? I don't have any skimmer and my phosphates were 0 and I have been suggested to dose for fighting dinoflagellates. I am confused now

The fight with Dino is similar
Add 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons at night also which will help dissolve the bacteria

 

[WallyB]

I used the dr Tim’s method and it was a 6-7 week process. Also ICP test confirmed my po4 was extra high. Manual removal. I also run a skimmer and red ogo/cheato in my refu

So Dr. Tim's method worked for your Cyano? Sound like it took longer than then 14 day typical treament. Sound like you had to treat 3 times if 6 weeks. Or did you have to use Waste-Away longer till the bacteria finally kicked in.

I'm doing Dr Tim's method after patiently waiting a year for Cyano to go away. It didn't go away. Even after ChemiClean treatment, and drastically cutting back feeding. Stopping any additives like Aminos.

I just did 2nd dose of Refresh, before I start the Waste-Away treatment in a couple days. Considering doing Refresh 3rd time since I have enough.

 

[Not an IT guy]

So Dr. Tim's method worked for your Cyano? Sound like it took longer than then 14 day typical treament. Sound like you had to treat 3 times if 6 weeks. Or did you have to use Waste-Away longer till the bacteria finally kicked in.

I'm doing Dr Tim's method after patiently waiting a year for Cyano to go away. It didn't go away. Even after ChemiClean treatment, and drastically cutting back feeding. Stopping any additives like Aminos.

I just did 2nd dose of Refresh, before I start the Waste-Away treatment in a couple days. Considering doing Refresh 3rd time since I have enough.

How big is your tank? I have a 100 gallon with sump. And yes it did take a while but it will come back if you don’t find the answer. Mine was high phos and two dead spots. I still have some but very slowing dying

 

[WallyB]

How big is your tank? I have a 100 gallon with sump. And yes it did take a while but it will come back if you don’t find the answer. Mine was high phos and two dead spots. I still have some but very slowing dying

110 Tank Gallon Tank. 55 Gallon Sump..
I have lots of flow. Every corner, middle across the top. Strong pumps. (ie no dead spots)
My Phosphates has always been under 0.1ppm. Currently PO4=0.05ppm Nitrate around 5.
I run small amount of GFO regularilty, and have a ATS growing Cheato.

This tank is just over 3 years old after upgrade from 65. Live Rocks over 20 year old.
No Cyano issues for first 2 years.

I do blame myself for starting the Cyano. I started Amino's.
The SPS took off like crazy, on color and growth. Did that for a couple of months, which also fed the cyano (bloom).

Now it's been over a month with no Aminos. Yes things are improving, but just too slow after a year of looking at Red Rocks. I blow off the Cyano....Rocks look beautiful and purple coraline. 2 days later, cyano is back.

 

[attiland]

Hi everyone,
Few weeks ago I started to over-feed my tank since I have only 1 fish and a lot of macros. Nitrates and phosphates were at 0, my algae were slowing down so I was concerned about not having enough nutrients. As soon as I started overfeeding I noticed some sand being "reddish" in color. Then I was suggested to keep nutrients higher because that was dinoflagellates. I started dosing micro and N/P, but the situation got only worse. Some people suggested it could be cyano, but it doesn't go away on night.
I have access to pretty powerful microscopes at work, today I tried to scrape some red stuff off the rocks but I did not have enough cells in the water to find out what was (I definitely saw few cells of cyano and Dino, but not many)
What is the best way to collect them in high concentration?
You can see some pics below

The clump above is around 1mm wide

Looks like cyano

Is then cyano? I don't have any skimmer and my phosphates were 0 and I have been suggested to dose for fighting dinoflagellates. I am confused now

After or during dinos cyano is very common

Sera tests. Very common here in EU, they are supposed to be good-ish quality

I will never regret to invest to Hanna for alk and phosphate. When it comes below 1ppm of anything it is unbeaten. Make sure you if you go for it the phosphate check is ULR. EBay is your best friend

Cyano usually comes from high phos and not enough nutrient export but stranger things have happened. I was fighting cyano myself. It’s almost all gone

Cyano comes from nutrients imbalance and rapid changes of the levels because it can take advantage of shortage of available nutrients

I would use chemiclean you will get done with it in 3 days treatment.
if you are unsure if the Dinos gone get a microscope.

you want to keep nitrate and phosphate always detectable. Po4 0.1-0.03ppm and no3 5-10ppm. You can use ready mixed stuff for it or if you want to keep it on the cheap potassium nitrate and KH2PO4 - phosphorus is for pennies on eBay.

 

[peachyman]

The fight with Dino is similar
Add 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons at night also which will help dissolve the bacteria

What strength of peroxide? Typically it's 3% or 12%?