It's not Bubble Algae but what is it?

MatteZ · Dec 19, 2012

I wish I could get a better picture. I have been having this algae problem lately. It is like long strands of algae that have bubbles at the end of them. You can see it in this picture. They seem to mostly hang off my corals, but you can see them all over the rocks as well.

Paramaters:
pH 8.4
Ca 420
Mg 1480
Alk 7.7 dKH
NH 0
NO2 0
NO3 0

I just changed my sump around and removed some of the rock and added Cheato. This problem was before that. I use a GFO and Carbon reactor. I have 2 Radion gen 1 lights at 75%.

ERaquarists · Dec 19, 2012

Is it brown and slimy looking?

MatteZ · Dec 19, 2012

ERaquarists said:
Is it brown and slimy looking?

It's brown but not exactly slimy. I thought it was hair algae but I googled that and it isn't that. It is long strands of algae with one little bubble at the end. Imagine a helium filled balloon on a string.

downbeach · Dec 19, 2012

Sounds like dino's, look here.

MatteZ · Dec 19, 2012

downbeach said:
Sounds like dino's, look here.

That's it!!!:chargrined: I didn't like reading that at all. The other day I noticed that the very first snail I ever got almost like 5 years ago was dead on my frag rack. I thought it was strange. Now that I look I don't see a lot of my larger snails. I will reduce the strength and thelenght the lights are on. I will aslo go get some chemi-pure to add to it.

Thanks Jim.

MatteZ · Dec 19, 2012

This may sound strange but when I stick my arm in the tank and pull it out and it dries off it itches like crazy!

Sunny · Dec 19, 2012

It is Dino. Dose hydrogen peroxide 1ml / 10 gallon each day for a week. It will take care of it.

MatteZ · Dec 19, 2012

monroereef said:
It is Dino. Dose hydrogen peroxide 1ml / 10 gallon each day for a week. It will take care of it.

Will this have ill effect on my corals or livestock?

Sunny · Dec 19, 2012

Nope. I dose it in my tank weekly. Just to keep things at bay.

Here is a great thread to read

http://www.reef2reef.com/forums/reef-aquarium-discussion/52084-dinoflagellates-my-experience-h2o2-reefing-tool.html

downbeach · Dec 19, 2012

Here is another article worth a read.

jpelzer · Dec 19, 2012

I recently fought dinos and won... Mostly by no lighting for several days. Control your pH. Coral will handle that, dinos die. I'm haven't tried hydrogen peroxide. It gets suggested as a cure for so many things, it's either magic-awesome or a placebo. I don't understand why it would selectively target dinos and not zooanthae, I'd be careful.

Sunny · Dec 19, 2012

jpelzer said:
I recently fought dinos and won... Mostly by no lighting for several days. Control your pH. Coral will handle that, dinos die. I'm haven't tried hydrogen peroxide. It gets suggested as a cure for so many things, it's either magic-awesome or a placebo. I don't understand why it would selectively target dinos and not zooanthae, I'd be careful.

It is a trusted method to fight Dinos and several days of light will affect SPS corals for sure.

MatteZ · Dec 19, 2012

monroereef said:
It is a trusted method to fight Dinos and several days of light will affect SPS corals for sure.

Will it kill the Cheato in the sump?

Sunny · Dec 19, 2012

Did not kill mine. Do some reading in it. The thread I gave you have a lot of questions and answers.

MatteZ · Dec 19, 2012

monroereef said:
Did not kill mine. Do some reading in it. The thread I gave you have a lot of questions and answers.

I just looked at the first 5 pages. I plan on reading all 52 tomorrow at work. Shhh

Sunny · Dec 19, 2012

Good. No matter what anyone tells you, do your own research also. Every tank is different but I normally don't preach about something unless I have tried it myself

jpelzer · Dec 19, 2012

Hopefully I'm not coming off preachy... The terror I had with dinos is still fresh in my mind, so I'm very sympathetic. Right now Randy Holmes-Farley is recommending against peroxide (not because it can't work, just that there isn't yet scientific evidence that it does) and recommending the simpler approach of pH control and lights out. If that approach hadn't worked for me, you can bet I would have tried peroxide next.

It is toxic to all animals at a high enough level, and I don't trust myself to find that magic 'strong enough to work, weak enough not to nuke my tank' level. Many of the threads are pretty contentious, I don't want to start that here -- I don't have any facts to add other than that I beat dinos without it. What exact breed of dino did I have vs someone else? No idea, so take my experience with a grain of salt.

MatteZ · Dec 21, 2012

After reading ALL 52 pages and other info from other sites I am going to try H2O2. Day 1 I dosed about 8.5 ml and had no issues. This morning I dosed 10 ml when I woke up and before I went to work eerything looks fine still. I have a 90 gallon tank with about 20 gallon in the sump so I figure 10 ml is about right.

NyteGTI · Dec 21, 2012

MatteZ said:
After reading ALL 52 pages and other info from other sites I am going to try H2O2. Day 1 I dosed about 8.5 ml and had no issues. This morning I dosed 10 ml when I woke up and before I went to work eerything looks fine still. I have a 90 gallon tank with about 20 gallon in the sump so I figure 10 ml is about right.

depending on how much rock you have(104lbs in mine), I'm running the same setup & have right at 92 gallons total water volume including my 20L sump. 10ml is probably right at the top of your "strong enough to work" threshold.

Sunny · Dec 21, 2012

I have double dosed H2O2 with out no issues. I don't think it matters how much rock is there and what amount of water is displaced.

110G total - go with 10 ml.