Brown Algae - fine strands - ??

Krchfam · 09/06/2020, 12:44 PM

Tank is a year and half old, struggling with some sort of brown algae that is growing on the bottom. It looks like fine strands that cover the surface and when I vacuum the sand it doesn’t seem to come off easily. I have battled Cyno about a month ago but this is different and the chemical war does nothing on this stuff. Have also started to find fine strands of string (algae?) on some on my corals.

Parma - 1.026, ph - 8, calc 420, nit 8, alk 8.4, phosphates 0 - but who knows.

Mars Augustine lights, blues at 70%, Whites at 35% , on at noon and off at 10.

Any thoughts? Thanks. - best pics I could get

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sk8r · 09/06/2020, 02:49 PM

Looks like dinoflagellates. Look in the 'algae' post up at the top of the forum.

dannyfish · 09/07/2020, 01:02 AM

A bullet goby will take care of your algae sand problem.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Krchfam · 09/08/2020, 11:14 AM

This really sucks. Guess I’m hitting the frustrating phase of Verm Snails, Aptasia and now Dino’s. Good grief!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Michael Hoaster · 09/09/2020, 05:06 PM

I agree it looks like dinos. They are a challenge but can be beaten. Do your research and start listing things to do, and form a plan. The one thing that consistently seems to help is UV. Good luck!

Krchfam · 09/09/2020, 05:13 PM

Just ordered a new bulb for
Mine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A Aaron · 09/17/2020, 08:50 PM

Only thing that ever worked for dinos was getting phosphate and nitrate up a little. When ever one of those was 0 or very close I got dinos. I tired every other thing people recommended.

Krchfam · 09/18/2020, 10:13 AM

I’m in middle of “Dr Tim’s” recipe and blackout. Will see. My phosphates are always 0 no matter what I do but my nitrates at usuallly around 5-8. Maybe I need to dose phosphates ?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Michael Hoaster · 09/18/2020, 11:30 AM

I've never believed the theory that low nutrients can lead to dinos. Both of my dino experiences occurred after high nutrient events. But there are over 1000 species of dinos, so who knows? This is why dinos can be so challenging. My dinos respond differently to treatments, compared to your dinos. Plus, we often throw the kitchen sink at these things, so we may not know which thing we did was effective.

I just treat it like algae and focus on the basics. Food reduction, food competition, and predation. Since we don't know what exactly their food is, the surest bet is manual removal of the dinos. When you're an alga, you are what you eat. So where is their most concentrated food source? The water column? Nope, it's dinos themselves! I recommend manual removal every other day.

For food competition, I like a fast growing macro like Ulva. In Nature this algae ebbs and flows with nutrient inputs from runoff. It can also perform this function in our tanks very well.

Predation should be provided by snails, fish and pods, unless you are unfortunate, and have the dinos that kill anything that eats it. Pods are overlooked as algae controllers. Order 1000. Mollies can be acclimated to full strength sea water. They will eat it, provided you don't feed them. I like reproducing snails like Cerith and Mini Strombus (ipsf.com). Having a variety is key, so get several species to boost diversity.

During this battle, keep the UV going 24/7. Good luck!

09/06/2020, 12:44 PM	#1
Krchfam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 92	Brown Algae - fine strands - ?? Tank is a year and half old, struggling with some sort of brown algae that is growing on the bottom. It looks like fine strands that cover the surface and when I vacuum the sand it doesn’t seem to come off easily. I have battled Cyno about a month ago but this is different and the chemical war does nothing on this stuff. Have also started to find fine strands of string (algae?) on some on my corals. Parma - 1.026, ph - 8, calc 420, nit 8, alk 8.4, phosphates 0 - but who knows. Mars Augustine lights, blues at 70%, Whites at 35% , on at noon and off at 10. Any thoughts? Thanks. - best pics I could get Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/06/2020, 02:49 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Looks like dinoflagellates. Look in the 'algae' post up at the top of the forum. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/09/2020, 05:06 PM	#5
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	I agree it looks like dinos. They are a challenge but can be beaten. Do your research and start listing things to do, and form a plan. The one thing that consistently seems to help is UV. Good luck! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

09/18/2020, 11:30 AM	#9
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	I've never believed the theory that low nutrients can lead to dinos. Both of my dino experiences occurred after high nutrient events. But there are over 1000 species of dinos, so who knows? This is why dinos can be so challenging. My dinos respond differently to treatments, compared to your dinos. Plus, we often throw the kitchen sink at these things, so we may not know which thing we did was effective. I just treat it like algae and focus on the basics. Food reduction, food competition, and predation. Since we don't know what exactly their food is, the surest bet is manual removal of the dinos. When you're an alga, you are what you eat. So where is their most concentrated food source? The water column? Nope, it's dinos themselves! I recommend manual removal every other day. For food competition, I like a fast growing macro like Ulva. In Nature this algae ebbs and flows with nutrient inputs from runoff. It can also perform this function in our tanks very well. Predation should be provided by snails, fish and pods, unless you are unfortunate, and have the dinos that kill anything that eats it. Pods are overlooked as algae controllers. Order 1000. Mollies can be acclimated to full strength sea water. They will eat it, provided you don't feed them. I like reproducing snails like Cerith and Mini Strombus (ipsf.com). Having a variety is key, so get several species to boost diversity. During this battle, keep the UV going 24/7. Good luck! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

09/07/2020, 01:02 AM	#3
dannyfish Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: rosemead Posts: 391	A bullet goby will take care of your algae sand problem. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/08/2020, 11:14 AM	#4
Krchfam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 92	This really sucks. Guess I’m hitting the frustrating phase of Verm Snails, Aptasia and now Dino’s. Good grief! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/09/2020, 05:13 PM	#6
Krchfam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 92	Just ordered a new bulb for Mine. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09/17/2020, 08:50 PM	#7
A Aaron Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 37	Only thing that ever worked for dinos was getting phosphate and nitrate up a little. When ever one of those was 0 or very close I got dinos. I tired every other thing people recommended.

09/18/2020, 10:13 AM	#8
Krchfam Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 92	I’m in middle of “Dr Tim’s” recipe and blackout. Will see. My phosphates are always 0 no matter what I do but my nitrates at usuallly around 5-8. Maybe I need to dose phosphates ? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk