What is this brown stringy stuff in my tank?

[porpoiseaquatics]

I'm trying to figure out what this brown stringy stuff coming from everywhere is. I've been have some issues with my frag/QT tank and then this stuff showed up. Nitrates were a little high....30 ppm when tested. I did a water change to begin lowering it. I'm going to do a couple of other things to help. There is a bare bottom tank. This stuff is so slick you can't grab it....you can only net it. It will pull loose and then float on the surface. Sorry, no pic, camera is down ATM. Will a massive water change help?

 

[ringo®]

Sounds like dinoflagellates. Best guess without a pic.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

Yeah...sorry...still can't get a pic. It's stringy, slimy and can be attached to anything. It's so slimy that it will slip through a regular net. I have to collect it with a brine shrimp net and even then some of it can get through.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

Ringo®;955228 wrote: Sounds like dinoflagellates. Best guess without a pic.

Based on reading...you may be right. My Nitrates are still at 30ppm. Interestingly enough, articles I've read indicate not to do a mass water change.

Thoughts?

 

[ringo®]

The one time I got it, I siphoned it out. According to some that's a no no.....worked for me though.

 

[ringo®]

Any updates on this, Jeff?

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

Ringo®;962210 wrote: Any updates on this, Jeff?

Yep. I found that my nitrates had slipped up to 40 and I think that was the largest cause. I did a large water change (40%) each week for 4 weeks. I've not had a chance to check the nitrates since getting back from vacation but just given the overall condition of the tank and corals, I'd say it's dropped considerably.

 

[containerman1]

porpoiseaquatics;962222 wrote: Yep. I found that my nitrates had slipped up to 40 and I think that was the largest cause. I did a large water change (40%) each week for 4 weeks. I've not had a chance to check the nitrates since getting back from vacation but just given the overall condition of the tank and corals, I'd say it's dropped considerably.

Jeff,
I have heard / read somewhere to raise your PH up and turn lights out couple days and it will help get rid of Dino.
Good luck

 

[declanisadog]

containerman1;962243 wrote: Jeff,
I have heard / read somewhere to raise your PH up and turn lights out couple days and it will help get rid of Dino.
Good luck

I have a bunch in my tank at work and this is what i am about to do. It has worked for me in the past. I also siphon out as much as possible before hand.

 

[bulkrate]

Watch your alkalinity, too. Apparently some dinoflagellate species can use that for growth and take it to dangerously low levels - to the point that a water change can shock your other livestock. 1st hand experience and a tank bereft of all LPS to show for it.

On a recent outbreak I just did manual removal w/ siphon and repeated RO (freshwater) dips of all tank hardware every few days. The worse sections (that could not be removed) I used a pipette & syringe to spray down rockwork with top-off water. Most dinoflagellate's will literally explode if subjected to a brief salinity swing below 1.015 or so. Switched carbon out frequently.

 

[ralph atl]

porpoiseaquatics;962222 wrote: Yep. I found that my nitrates had slipped up to 40 and I think that was the largest cause. I did a large water change (40%) each week for 4 weeks. I've not had a chance to check the nitrates since getting back from vacation but just given the overall condition of the tank and corals, I'd say it's dropped considerably.

just match your salinity, temp, and ALK and you are good to go! Insure it's mixed thoroughly with a powerhead that breaks the surface for high O2 water content!