Desperate Here - Losing Control of My Tank

[jennm]

Definitely looks like an algae of some kind. Dinoflagellates maybe? Not sure...

Could even be Bryopsis... I can't tell.

I'm looking at the zoanthid colony - they definitely aren't happy but they aren't dead. Closed up though - that's odd.

Jenn

 

[jonboyb]

That's a great representative colony of my zoas. I haven't really lost any, but all have pretty much stopped opening. If you look real close you can see small amounts of the fuzz in the zoa mat.

I am clueless about dino, but this looks nothing like bryopsis in person. No defined veins like the bryopsis tends to have (whatever it's called...like the veins in leaves). Just super fine stringy crap like plain old HA.

 

[jennm]

Then I'm going to guess that it's Dinoflagellates. I've read some stuff about treating for it with high pH... but I'll defer to somebody else who has dealt with it as I have no experience with that.

I've fought a number of different issues over the years - some may have been Dinoflagellates but I attacked them all the same way - with a toothbrush, lots of scrubbing and rinsing the rock in saltwater.

Jenn

 

[hn1]

Hey Jon. I can offer one possibly helpful thing afterall. When I come pick up the cap (hint, hint), I can bring over my camera. It's not great, but it's a DSLR with a decent macro mode. Maybe a better pic will help folks ID it for certain.

 

[jonboyb]

Update: Did another 2 day lights out and there has been no further detectable growth. A couple of the rocks seem to much cleaner. Lots of fuzz still there but I believe it is dead. 99.9% certain it's not dino (not slimy, FIRMLY attached, and no bubbles), it is some form of HA. Now the cleanup effort begins Removed all pumps and PH's and did a deep cleaning to ensure maximum flow. They were in pretty clean condition but it couldn't hurt.

I'm changing out my bulb today (Pheonix 14k) even though it's only 4 months old. The color with this bulb has never seemed "right" and I'm wondering if it's just a faulty bulb putting out poor spectrum...and we all know bad spetrum leads to nasty weird algaes. My SPS growth has certainly not been anywhere as rapid since this bulb went in (and I've always used Pheonix 14's). Going to throw an XM 20 in this time for giggles.

I'm going to continue with running the PO reactor and small amounts of carbon for safety.

 

[jennm]

Looked to me like bubbles in the pic... hence that conclusion on my part

Was going to ask about your MG level, but peeked back in the thread and it's 1300, perfectly good.

Has me stumped... for now.

Jenn

 

[jonboyb]

After a water change I get some minor skimmer bubbles and bubbles from the return pumps and I'll get collection in the zuzzy stuff. I see the bubbles you are referring to now in that picture...and I understand why you made that comment Tank is bubble-less though.

 

[jeep9783]

The lights out has always helped any algae problems for me...but you have to find where the nutrients are coming in at and fix that problem...i would give it another day of light then cut it again for two days...