Algae or Cyano ID help

dstrickland · 02/12/2020, 06:49 PM

Found my rodi was producing 115 tds and I’m battling this algae or Cyano. It’s on rocks and sand bed and goes away lights off and comes back. Blows off easy with baster but I don’t see any air bubbles. Also in high flow areas. Any idea what it is and suggestions welcomed.

RBU1 · 02/12/2020, 06:51 PM

Hard to tell with all the blue in the photo what color is the algae?

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dstrickland · 02/12/2020, 06:52 PM

Reddish brown no green

RBU1 · 02/12/2020, 06:53 PM

I’m going to say cyano

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dstrickland · 02/12/2020, 06:54 PM

I was thinking same just really stringing and not matting

RBU1 · 02/12/2020, 07:00 PM

Do a chemi clean treatment see if it gets rid of it. Try to figure out your nutrient issue or it might come back.

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dstrickland · 02/12/2020, 07:02 PM

Will do, ordering a new rodi and using distilled water checked with tds meter. Thanks for the help

RBU1 · 02/12/2020, 07:03 PM

Just make sure if
You do the Chemiclean you add an airstone and let your skimmer run just let
It overflow.

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mcgyvr · 02/12/2020, 08:31 PM

If you want a positive ID please retake the pictures with the blue channel of your lights off or way down...All that blue ruins color rendition and often results in focus issues.
Color and focus can be very important for a proper id and treatment plan..

dstrickland · 02/13/2020, 09:13 AM

I will post some later today

drillsar · 02/13/2020, 11:18 AM

Checking with a tds on RO maybe not enough as I just learned.

TDS checks for solids and
Silicate will not show up well on a TDS meter unless the pH is high enough to form silicate (Si(OH)3O-; pH above about 9). Otherwise, it will mostly be in the form of silicic acid, Si(OH)4, which is not conductive.

Therefore, if you have an algae problem could be that your high on Silicate which I am. I got my RO water tested by a lab and a whopping 506.8 µg/l and my TDS showed zero.

Get a test kit to check for Silicate like Salifert. I am going to make a video of my results soon.

I am going to try different methods to see whats best for my case. RO/DI it will have different results based on everyones water supply. The issue with Silcate it's hard to remove from RO alone so you may need a special resin or 2 or 4 DI to get it to 0. Spectrapure makes Silicon Buster

My current system has this:
1 micron sediment>1 micro carbon> 1 micron Chlorguard> 98% Membrane > Mixed DI Resin with this I get 506.8 ug silicon still getting through system. Ouch

I am going to change it to:
1 micron sediment>0.5 carbon>1 micron Chlorguard>99% Membrane>Silica Buster> Mixed Di Resin that is my plan.

mcgyvr · 02/13/2020, 02:30 PM

The only algae I know that uses silicates are Diatoms.
Regular blue-green,etc.. algae does not from what I understand.

But yes a TDS meter may not tell the whole story..

dstrickland · 02/13/2020, 02:57 PM

More pics

dstrickland · 02/13/2020, 04:47 PM

Looks worse after light on for awhile

dstrickland · 02/14/2020, 05:36 PM

Anyone think it’s Dino’s?

mcgyvr · 02/14/2020, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dstrickland

Anyone think it’s Dino’s?

<----this guy does

Ranarian · 02/15/2020, 11:30 AM

Chemi clean treatment should be able to clean that.

dstrickland · 02/20/2020, 02:23 PM

Update
Did three day blackout and all clear 24 hours after lights on
Started UV Sterilizer and no return and I increased feeding and test results are nitrate 5 and phosphate 0.02

02/12/2020, 08:31 PM	#9
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	If you want a positive ID please retake the pictures with the blue channel of your lights off or way down...All that blue ruins color rendition and often results in focus issues. Color and focus can be very important for a proper id and treatment plan.. __________________ Who me?

02/13/2020, 02:30 PM	#12
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	The only algae I know that uses silicates are Diatoms. Regular blue-green,etc.. algae does not from what I understand. But yes a TDS meter may not tell the whole story.. __________________ Who me?

02/15/2020, 11:30 AM	#17
Ranarian Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 1	Chemi clean treatment should be able to clean that. __________________ ..

02/12/2020, 06:51 PM	#2
RBU1 Moving on Up Join Date: May 2004 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 5,167	Hard to tell with all the blue in the photo what color is the algae? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

02/12/2020, 06:52 PM	#3
dstrickland Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oak Island NC Posts: 130	Reddish brown no green

02/12/2020, 06:53 PM	#4
RBU1 Moving on Up Join Date: May 2004 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 5,167	I’m going to say cyano Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

02/12/2020, 06:54 PM	#5
dstrickland Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oak Island NC Posts: 130	I was thinking same just really stringing and not matting

02/12/2020, 07:00 PM	#6
RBU1 Moving on Up Join Date: May 2004 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 5,167	Do a chemi clean treatment see if it gets rid of it. Try to figure out your nutrient issue or it might come back. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

02/12/2020, 07:02 PM	#7
dstrickland Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oak Island NC Posts: 130	Will do, ordering a new rodi and using distilled water checked with tds meter. Thanks for the help

02/12/2020, 07:03 PM	#8
RBU1 Moving on Up Join Date: May 2004 Location: Southern NJ Posts: 5,167	Just make sure if You do the Chemiclean you add an airstone and let your skimmer run just let It overflow. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

02/13/2020, 09:13 AM	#10
dstrickland Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oak Island NC Posts: 130	I will post some later today

02/13/2020, 11:18 AM	#11
drillsar Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: West Orange, NJ Posts: 2,838	Checking with a tds on RO maybe not enough as I just learned. TDS checks for solids and Silicate will not show up well on a TDS meter unless the pH is high enough to form silicate (Si(OH)3O-; pH above about 9). Otherwise, it will mostly be in the form of silicic acid, Si(OH)4, which is not conductive. Therefore, if you have an algae problem could be that your high on Silicate which I am. I got my RO water tested by a lab and a whopping 506.8 µg/l and my TDS showed zero. Get a test kit to check for Silicate like Salifert. I am going to make a video of my results soon. I am going to try different methods to see whats best for my case. RO/DI it will have different results based on everyones water supply. The issue with Silcate it's hard to remove from RO alone so you may need a special resin or 2 or 4 DI to get it to 0. Spectrapure makes Silicon Buster My current system has this: 1 micron sediment>1 micro carbon> 1 micron Chlorguard> 98% Membrane > Mixed DI Resin with this I get 506.8 ug silicon still getting through system. Ouch I am going to change it to: 1 micron sediment>0.5 carbon>1 micron Chlorguard>99% Membrane>Silica Buster> Mixed Di Resin that is my plan.

02/13/2020, 04:47 PM	#14
dstrickland Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oak Island NC Posts: 130	Looks worse after light on for awhile

02/14/2020, 05:36 PM	#15
dstrickland Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oak Island NC Posts: 130	Anyone think it’s Dino’s?

02/20/2020, 02:23 PM	#18
dstrickland Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oak Island NC Posts: 130	Update Did three day blackout and all clear 24 hours after lights on Started UV Sterilizer and no return and I increased feeding and test results are nitrate 5 and phosphate 0.02