Algae boom..what am I dealing with

jmareef1022 · 03/20/2018, 02:53 PM

Ok so I did a tank breakdown and reset it up after my house move.. All corals are doing great plus inverts and fish..now I have this type of brown film algae..it's been lingering around in one rock on the bottom and seems to be spreading..is it diatoms,dinos or something else..should I just keep up on my water changes and let nature take it's course or what.
Thanks again everyone

bertoni · 03/20/2018, 10:00 PM

I'm not sure. My first guess would be something microbial like dinoflagellates or cyanobacteria. Does it brush off very easily? If so, a microscope would be useful.

jmareef1022 · 03/21/2018, 07:38 AM

Thanks for the response bertoni..Yes it does brush off easily just don't really want to disturb it because it seems to float around..Sorry no microscope here.

bertoni · 03/22/2018, 11:22 PM

Well, I'd probably give the tank some time to settle after the move, but if you have a few spare minutes a day, siphoning out the slime will help remove nutrients. I wouldn't worry about getting all of it, and I wouldn't spend a lot of time or effort on this, either. Stopping the feeding for a bit might help, too.

jmareef1022 · 03/23/2018, 09:23 AM

Ok I'll try not to get discouraged and just give it time. I'll definitely use my Turkey baster and stay on it..I'll lower the feedings and maybe a black out for a day or two. Thanks again for the advice, just read so many bad things on dinos and want to make sure I can beat it

bertoni · 03/23/2018, 11:30 PM

Dinoflagellates can be a very difficult problem, but I'd give a few things a shot before worrying all that much.

Phixman · 03/24/2018, 03:36 AM

It's very likely Dinoflagellates. I got this algae during the first stages of my tank, the cause was the new live rock and overfeeding. When I stopped feeding, it eventually went away. I would just mow the lawn every couple days with a toothbrush water changes really helped.

03/20/2018, 10:00 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'm not sure. My first guess would be something microbial like dinoflagellates or cyanobacteria. Does it brush off very easily? If so, a microscope would be useful. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/22/2018, 11:22 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Well, I'd probably give the tank some time to settle after the move, but if you have a few spare minutes a day, siphoning out the slime will help remove nutrients. I wouldn't worry about getting all of it, and I wouldn't spend a lot of time or effort on this, either. Stopping the feeding for a bit might help, too. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/23/2018, 11:30 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Dinoflagellates can be a very difficult problem, but I'd give a few things a shot before worrying all that much. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/21/2018, 07:38 AM	#3
jmareef1022 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: S.Florida(Treasure Coast) Posts: 504	Thanks for the response bertoni..Yes it does brush off easily just don't really want to disturb it because it seems to float around..Sorry no microscope here.

03/23/2018, 09:23 AM	#5
jmareef1022 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: S.Florida(Treasure Coast) Posts: 504	Ok I'll try not to get discouraged and just give it time. I'll definitely use my Turkey baster and stay on it..I'll lower the feedings and maybe a black out for a day or two. Thanks again for the advice, just read so many bad things on dinos and want to make sure I can beat it

03/24/2018, 03:36 AM	#7
Phixman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Lynnwood, WA Posts: 176	It's very likely Dinoflagellates. I got this algae during the first stages of my tank, the cause was the new live rock and overfeeding. When I stopped feeding, it eventually went away. I would just mow the lawn every couple days with a toothbrush water changes really helped.