Red slime Vs. Dinoflaggelates (sp?)

[reptile guy]

I've also heard it can be seasonal similar to a red tide kind of thing and usually comes about in the spring but not sure how true that is. Mines started in spring and would be curious to know when everyone elses started

[whosinpower]

Hey - tagging along because I seem to have the very same problem!

Just to get the treatment correct.......
1. syphon as much out as possible with a water change.
2.lights out for 3-4 days?
3. slowly reaquaint tank with lighting
4. does a person do another big water change after lights out?????
5. GFO of some sort - assuming using a phosban reactor is much better than a bag - how often would you change out the media?????
6. run carbon - dino's release toxins?????? makes snails unhappy - I know mine are not in good shape - how often would you change out the media?????

I am asking if these steps are correct - so I can do this. Tried 3 days without lights, but did not wrap the tank - so there was ambient light - did not help much - maybe a little. - going to try it again with more aggressive use of phosban and carbon.

[Reefer Rob]

This is bugging me now, I can't seem to find where I read that the aquarium pest variety have a whip-like tail that they use to propel themselves through the water during the dark hours.

In my searching I did come across this article by Ron Shimek

From it:
"The Sarcomastigophora is a large group comprised of organisms that move either by flagella or pseudopodia, or both. One of the interesting properties of flagella is that the long process or “hair” that is the visible essence of this structure (there are other internal, typically invisible, subcellular structures connected to the hair) may be withdrawn into the body of the organism. Thus, the organism may have a flagellum at one moment and lack one at some other time."

From what I gather, there are a lot of organisms that produce the "bubbly brown snot" or "cyano with bubbles" type of crud. Eradication procedure would be the same for all of them IMO

[Keri]

Well, so far so good kids, couple'a losses (noticed an empty cerithsnail shell, my yellow wrasse is MIA andI think my bird's nest is on it's way out) and the 'nem is stressed - it's split in two, but the tank looks WAY better for now....now to deal with the issue of what's causing it....


I won't be able to make it over to Vancouver this week so I'm still on the fence about throwing the seachem phosguard in there (risking the corals) or just mail-order something in *shrug* I was really hoping to get to town tomorrow but it's not going to work out, shoulda just ordered when it first started!!

Maybe I'll try to take a picture of it tomorrow.

As to the tagger-alonger(whoisinpower): how's it going with your tank?
Reefer Rob: I know, I know! I keep lookin' for tails....the latin's tellin' me there ought'a be

[reef bound]

I'll be another to tag along as I'm battling the same thing with my 34G Red Sea Max. I thought it was just another algae phase in my tank seeing as it is only just over 2 1/2 months old. But helpful people (thanks colin) pointed out that it could be the dreaded dinos, and with further research, sure enough.....
We've done a 3 day black-out, and while the tank looked great yesterday, today I'm noticing some of that tell-tale brown stuff starting to return on the sand and floating around through the water.
We're running rowa-phos, and are doing everything suggested by the research findings, (thanks for everyone's experiences), and we've pretty much concluded that the skimmer from the red sea isn't doing it's job. So, we've got the tunze nano on order, should be here in a couple days, and I guess we just hold our breath and keep the lights out until it arrives. Only losses so far are about 7 or 8 snails and the jury is still out on my zoas.
Good luck to you Keri.

[Keri]

So far it's looking ok...*crosses fingers* Going to go to vancouver on thursday to p/u rowaphos and supplies.



Good luck to you too Reef

[whosinpower]

Keri - thanks for asking how my tank is doing. I did a 20 gallon water change last night. Ordered two phosban reactors - one for gfo, and one for carbon.
When they arrive, I am going to install them and run them for a bit and see if there is an improvement. Figured on running them for about a week, then doing another 20 gallon water change - and then lights out for 4 days, followed by another 20 gallon water change. (I have a 90 gallon tank)

My alk and cal levels were low as well - so have been dosing to get them up to where they should be. I also ordered kalk and once I get the alk and cal levels up, I will be using kalk with a top off system - so hopefully, with more stability in the tank and with the reactors, I will be able to get the tank back on track.

The other thing I have been thinking about is switching my t5 bulbs. They are about 8 months old - so perhaps a change in spectrum added to the issue - I am not sure though.

I lost most of my cerith snails. I will get more once this is more under control - there is no point in adding snails to a toxic tank. Fish are in good shape, and most corals look ok, but I think they must be under a bit of stress - they are not quite as colourful as before - a bit faded, but still inflated and big. I have mostly lps, a few zoos and ricordeas and one yellow leather.