Red slime Vs. Dinoflaggelates (sp?)
 

So I have a problem

I thought it was red slime but I'm not so sure anymore, it's become stringier and is actually WORSE in areas of high flow, all my sps have brown banners of snot and they look very unhappy. We've been doing water changes and trying to manually suck the stuff out but it just seems to disperse, it's hard to get a good clump of it all at once like cyano.

My question is: Anyone know if I take some of this mung to work and look at it under a microscope will I be able to tell the difference between cyano and dinos? And can anyone point me to a good thread on how to get rid of it? The ones I've looked at never seemed to go very far.

Thanks!!

You tried Lights out method? I have been fighting Dino/Cyano. Acctually thought they are the same? But mine is stringy, seems to increase in higher flow areas too. Also cant grab it at all. I cover tank once a month for 2 days, and sand is brilliant white. Starting to reduce now, hasnt come back like it used to, just a couple small patches

I have not tried that! I will. Will the corals be ok?

Is it really that simple to fix? I keep finding so much conflicting information on dinoflaggelates that I'm not even sure what causes it! I had heard silicates? but I have no silicates...or phos... *shrug*

It just comes. It may be a response to nutrients but it might not.

It sounds like dinoflagellates. It's horrible to deal with and it's toxic to your snails.

I wouldn't say it's as easy as "lights out" because it can take several attempts and it needs to be as long as you can stand (at least a week). AND your corals will definitely get stressed, AND you'll need to acclimatize your tank back to lighting levels. ie. lights on for 20 minutes, 40 minutes off. After a few days, change it to 30 on 30 off. After a few days 45 on, 15 off and finally (by now it's at least a week post-lights-out-treatment) back to full on.

Lights-out treatment is the only way to deal with dinos. Cyano you can treat with red-slime treatment, dinos will not be adversely impacted by anything like that. You have to starve them of what they desire most, which is light.

Good luck. If it is dinos you will have a very tough slog ahead of you.

It does sound like the dreaded brown snot.

When you do the lights out, you must ensure that the light is completely out including all ambient light. Cover the tank with a tarp if you have to without suffocating it. I'd siphon out as much of it as you can to begin with as well and do a big WC.

sounds like dinos. i lost a ton of stuff fighting it with no luck. i blackout the tank for 8 days and that got rid of it

Ya, Corals will be just fine. Like stated, need complete blackout. I wrapped a towel around mine. As far as corals and light, therye are cloudy periods in the ocean too, right? Alot of corals are also shipped 3-4 days in a box, no light before you get them, so they should be just fine. When its time for lights to come back, i only have light a couple hrs the frist day, then back to the schedual

Sadness...


Well, I'll try siphoning and lights out and WC.... I wish the stuff would siphon out better!!
I might still take a sample to work sand look at it under the scope, i'll try to get a pic of it and maybe someone will know.

My snails appear to be doing ok tho....should I move them to another tank? Can I supplement their food with anything? If I put the snails from the 65 into the 27 there definately won't be enough algae to go around. Is there any risk of transferring the dinos from one tank to the other this way?
Should I bring some coral over too? I onlyt have PC lights on the 27 tho....insufficent light may be better than none at all?

Snails should be fine. Mine are not bothered by it

Can I cover the tank in tinfoil? it shouldn't hurt as long as it's not touching the water, right?

And ....the fish are going to be hungry, no?