This is dinos, yeah?

Alpha_and_Gec · Nov 1, 2023

I've been running with bottomed out nutrients for a while. This is dinos, yes? It's a stringy, slimy mess with bubbles trapped inside it, and the algaescape seems to change every day. The sea hare does eat it, but nowhere near fast enough. No definitive IDs yet.

Gimme a sec.... images didn't attach

JoJosReef · Nov 1, 2023

Not looking too good. Does it blow off the rocks and come back after a bit? First thing I'd do is make sure NO3 and PO4 are not bottomed out at zero--if so, find a way to bring them up to ~2-5ppm / 0.03-0.1ppm, respectively. Best bet is to put it under a microscope. If no microscope, second thing I'd do is start running UV 24/7 in case it is ostreopsis dinos or, to a lesser extent, prorocentrum dinos. If prorocentrum, I'd also start dosing something like Fiji mud or AF Life Source--hopefully the diverse microfauna begins to outcompete the dinos. If amphidinium, I'd go whole hog on Fiji mid + live rock rubble + work diligently on nutrient management.

Alpha_and_Gec · Nov 1, 2023

JoJosReef said:
Not looking too good. Does it blow off the rocks and come back after a bit? First thing I'd do is make sure NO3 and PO4 are not bottomed out at zero--if so, find a way to bring them up to ~2-5ppm / 0.03-0.1ppm, respectively. Best bet is to put it under a microscope. If no microscope, second thing I'd do is start running UV 24/7 in case it is ostreopsis dinos or, to a lesser extent, prorocentrum dinos. If prorocentrum, I'd also start dosing something like Fiji mud or AF Life Source--hopefully the diverse microfauna begins to outcompete the dinos. If amphidinium, I'd go whole hog on Fiji mid + live rock rubble + work diligently on nutrient management.

Yeah, takes a bit more blasting than I expected but it comes off just with the turkey baster. I’m not exceptionally worried. Was gonna say I needed to bring a sample to the school microscope to id it but I think I’ll just start out with dosing nitrates(still has detectible phos) and see how much that helps. It’s certainly much easier to rip off the rocks than hair.
Unfortunately I don’t have enough space for a UV, so I have to do this the old fashioned way.