Dinoflagellates!!!!!!

Discussion in 'Algae' started by OlopezNYC, Sep 15, 2012.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. OlopezNYC

    OlopezNYC Fire Worm

    Joined:
    May 27, 2012
    Messages:
    166
    Location:
    NYC
    I've been dealing with this around 2 weeks now, my tank is a 75 gallon mixed reef that I started on April 19 2012. I started the tank with NutriSea Water and have used RO/DI from day one.
    My water parameters are:
    Ammonia 0
    Nitrite 0
    Nitrate 0
    Phosphates 0

    I'm just not sure what it is, the color is dark brown looks like a carpet on my sandbed. I've stirred it up and sifted sand to then just come back in a few hours.
    Any help and advice on what to do about this?

    I attached some pictures:

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2012
  2. Click Here!

  3. gabbyr189

    gabbyr189 Bubble Tip Anemone

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2011
    Messages:
    666
    Location:
    Philadelphia
    Looks like diatoms to me. They are feeding off silicates. Once consumed, they will disappear on their own. In my experience, a week or two.
     
  4. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Looks like diatoms to me as well.
     
  5. OlopezNYC

    OlopezNYC Fire Worm

    Joined:
    May 27, 2012
    Messages:
    166
    Location:
    NYC
    Some of it has stringy bubbles, doesn't look like that from the picture cause I turned it over. I just added a gfo reactor see if that helps. I tested and all my levels are good I assume all the nutrients are suspended in the diatoms. I will post more pictures of when it gets bad. Is there any good solution for this?
     
  6. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    If it is diatoms, the issue will resolve over time as the silicates are used up.
     
  7. OlopezNYC

    OlopezNYC Fire Worm

    Joined:
    May 27, 2012
    Messages:
    166
    Location:
    NYC
    Look even my Jawfish is mad as hell, look at this stuff. :angry:

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Click Here!

  9. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Love, love those fish.

    How old is the tank and have you added any new equipment or sand?
     
  10. OlopezNYC

    OlopezNYC Fire Worm

    Joined:
    May 27, 2012
    Messages:
    166
    Location:
    NYC
    The tank is 5 months old I used bio active aragonite sand. I stirred the sand a few weeks ago and I think that's when it started.
     
  11. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    1 person likes this.
  12. swreefer

    swreefer Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2012
    Messages:
    82
    Location:
    Bay Area
    I steered my sand after my tank got cycled and after 3-4 days i had the same thing all over my sand. I decided not to do anything but 20% WC and it went away within a week followed by cyano and then bryopsys outbreak :)