Diatoms, Cyano or Dinoflagellates

[Gouldian]

Hi guys,

Was speaking a reefer yesterday and he told me that he have some golden brown slimy growth in his tank (he suspects it diatom) whereby he already limited the silicates in his tank by using only distilled water for his set-up.

Went to his place and realized that it is Dinoflagellates.

Reefer: "What the hell is Dinoflagellates? I thought blue green means its Cyano and Diatoms is brown??"

Hmmm, sounds like a good opportunity for me to do some posting in SRC?

Why is the brown mess in my friends tank not diatom?

1. Diatoms are limited by silicates
   
2. Diatoms will usually appear right after cycling if the are silicate present
   
3. Diatoms appears powdery
   
4. Being non motile diatoms remains generally at the same spot
   
5. Remedy - Pods, Ceriths and Nerites will feed on Diatoms
   
6. Remedy - Can be controlled by limiting silica
   
7. Remedy - Reduce nutrients
   
8. Remedy - Toothbrush and siphon
   

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatom

http://www.aquariumslife.com/headline/brown-diatom-algae-control/

http://www.garf.org/diatom.html

http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/83/m083p281.pdf

Dinoflagellates

1. Dinoflagellates are highly mobile possesing a tail (flagellates) that propel them to different parts of the tank
   
2. Dinoflagellates are not limited by silicates
   
3. Dinoflagellates appears slimy vs powdery (Diatoms)
   
4. Dinoflagellates appears in both low and high flow area vs usually low flow (Cyano)
   
5. Remedy - Reduce Phosphates and increase pH have known to help
   
6. Remedy - Toothbrush and siphon
   

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinoflagellate

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/rhf/index.php

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/protista/dinoflagellata.html

http://www.assurecontrols.com/info-dinoflagellates.htm

Cyanobacteria

1. Cyanobacteria prefers low flow area
   
2. Able to survive in low or zero lighting
   
3. Not limited by Nitrates but needs Phosphates
   
4. Remedy - Increase Flow
   
5. Remedy - Phosphate media
   
6. Remedy - Reduce nutrients
   
7. Remedy - Toothbrush and siphon
   

Source:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm

http://netclub.athiel.com/cyano/cyanos2.htm

http://w3page.com/fishline/micro.html

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=381d4ce5-89a2-4901-864e-34239419bf67

I am not a proponent of dosing antibiotics to address any of the problems above thus they are not in the remedy list.

Also, I strongly believe keeping a high pH will minimize some of the above as seen in the below article:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-11/rhf/index.php

Happy reading.

[Jameshong]

Also, I strongly believe keeping a high pH will minimize some of the above as seen in the below article:

http://reefkeeping.c...1/rhf/index.php

Happy reading.

Hi Gouldian,

Will it be having side effect if pH too high?

[Gouldian]

Hi Gouldian,

Will it be having side effect if pH too high?

Hi James,

According to Randy Holmes, there is little effects on inverts and fishes as long as we do it gradually to between 8.4 to 8.6 and gradually reduce to 8.1 to 8.3 after the problem is solved.

Source:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php

[vcysteo]

Hi bros

I am quite new to the marine tank. I notice that there are brown slimy patches on my sand during cycling. May I know what is this? Should I clear it and do a water change?

Thanks

[CY2010]

Hi Vcysteo,

IMO, it should be diatoms. Try cycling ur tank under low light condition or with natural sunlight only for a few days until it disappears, then gradually resume ur normal photoperiod, and also u need to keep NO3 as low as possible. My 2 cents n hope it's helpful:)

[vcysteo]

Hi CY2010

Thanks for your advise. Will try it for the next few days.

[Marine_fanaticz]

Hi guys... my tank have been running for about 4 months and I think I have a case of Dinoflagellates. they look like tiny short brown stuff with tails and have attatched themselves to my glass and sand bed .

earlier the above mentioned to lower PO4. I've stumbled upon this product "goodbye po4" however, in currently keeping zoas. Can this product be used? Thanks:)

[Marine_fanaticz]

Hi guys... my tank have been running for about 4 months and I think I have a case of Dinoflagellates. they look like tiny short brown stuff with tails and have attatched themselves to my glass and sand bed .

earlier the above mentioned to lower PO4. I've stumbled upon this product "goodbye po4" however, in currently keeping zoas. Can this product be used? Thanks:)

[inwear]

Hi guys... my tank have been running for about 4 months and I think I have a case of Dinoflagellates. they look like tiny short brown stuff with tails and have attatched themselves to my glass and sand bed .

earlier the above mentioned to lower PO4. I've stumbled upon this product "goodbye po4" however, in currently keeping zoas. Can this product be used? Thanks:)

Goodbye P04 is a good stuff. i doses it every 2 days. Good result.

[Terryz_]

Hi guys... my tank have been running for about 4 months and I think I have a case of Dinoflagellates. they look like tiny short brown stuff with tails and have attatched themselves to my glass and sand bed .

earlier the above mentioned to lower PO4. I've stumbled upon this product "goodbye po4" however, in currently keeping zoas. Can this product be used? Thanks:)

Bro, Dun think you will see the flagellates of the dinoflagellate unless under the microscope.. Taking a photo will help.. Dino is one of the worse algae to combat in the tank if your tank is full with corals and fishes.. There is a lot of ways to counter dino but all are not confirmed as works for some and not for some.. so it is a hit and miss..

Do a search and there are a lot of articles and posts on RC that will help you combat dino..

[Marine_fanaticz]

Still thinking if its diatoms or dinoflagellate. took some pictures or them.

what happen was that i left for an overseas trip for two weeks, in which my tank had already been running for 3 months. at that time my tank had only one clownfish and no corals. My ex-maid then without consulting me, overfed the fish. When i came back,I saw fish food floating around and my woodblock skimmer which is usually useless had foam which was very very dark brown!Thankfully my clown still alive> i did an immediate 40%WC and 10%WC two days later. Then i continued to do my 10%weekly WC. However, I noticed that these stuff started showing up. (which i strongly suspect due to high nitrates from the nutrients of the overfeeding. two weeks have passed and these stuff are still here. I did a 10% WC yesterday also but looks like theres not very much effect. Worst of all i recently added zoas into my tank which are very healthy but now i have no choice but to leave the lights on for their growth. My clownfish looks very healthy. any advise on how to get rid of these stuff. btw i only use pure distilled water from NTUC "LIFE". thx:)

[Marine_fanaticz]

Still thinking if its diatoms or dinoflagellate. took some pictures or them.

what happen was that i left for an overseas trip for two weeks, in which my tank had already been running for 3 months. at that time my tank had only one clownfish and no corals. My ex-maid then without consulting me, overfed the fish. When i came back,I saw fish food floating around and my woodblock skimmer which is usually useless had foam which was very very dark brown!Thankfully my clown still alive> i did an immediate 40%WC and 10%WC two days later. Then i continued to do my 10%weekly WC. However, I noticed that these stuff started showing up. (which i strongly suspect due to high nitrates from the nutrients of the overfeeding. two weeks have passed and these stuff are still here. I did a 10% WC yesterday also but looks like theres not very much effect. Worst of all i recently added zoas into my tank which are very healthy but now i have no choice but to leave the lights on for their growth. My clownfish looks very healthy. any advise on how to get rid of these stuff. btw i only use pure distilled water from NTUC "LIFE". thx:)

[Ahhyi]

Ehhh bro. I think u need to do something fast. Doesn't look good.

[rekian]

Your live rock look "white" no algae growth at all? Do you have test kit for your water parameter?

[Marine_fanaticz]

those are the ones below... They arent live rocks..theyre dead rocks. I use dead rocks as a base to place my live rocks on. These diatoms are growing on my dead rocks and at the back of the tank and on the glass.

[rekian]

Rocks are technically dead, live rock is 'alive' because of the bacteria for nitrification. A tank which is 3 months old and no algae growth seem weird. Tested your water parameter?

[Marine_fanaticz]

I tested for nitrite-zero.... nitrate swings from 0.25- 2 when I tested one month ago..ph 8.4. Specific gravity is .23 . any advise how to get rid of these brown stuff?

[Marine_fanaticz]

Didn't test for phosphates though... I use distill water for my top up... eh but I tought algea growth isn't a good thing?

[rekian]

coralline algae = algae.

[Marine_fanaticz]

Oh correction my nitrate swings from 5-10 ppm... but it rose up to 15 once due to my ex-maid over feeding it while I was away. then after several wc it dropped to 5-10 again. should I dose purple up to encourage more coranaline algea to grow? But how will that solve the problem of my brown stuff?

[[V]tEc]

some snails should take care of that in a day or 2

[Marine_fanaticz]

Oh mean turbo snails?

[sherman]

5 to 10 ppm is high for nitrate.

Must keep to close to zero.

Need a lot of wc and get cleanup crew like snails, abalone,

urchin and sea hares to help

[Marine_fanaticz]

5 to 10 ppm is high for nitrate.

Must keep to close to zero.

Need a lot of wc and get cleanup crew like snails, abalone,

urchin and sea hares to help

I do a 10% wc using distilled water every week.. mine is a nano 34l. Time to invest in some cleanup crew. but these brown stuff really looks damn bad now haha they grow super fast

[Marine_fanaticz]

Latest update: I just removed all zoas and now planning to run the tank without any light for a few days.. Hopefully it goes away