Diatoms on SPS

BrooksReef

BrooksReef

New member
Hello, R2R!

I'm having a pretty big issue right now with Diatoms covering the tips of my SPS. These brown, bubbly, snot-like strings of crud rest on the tips (quickly, might I add) and kill the tips. I'm worried this is going to knock out my SPS population! I have to constantly blow the gunk off with a turkey baster. I have sucked some of it out, but it just reappears within 20 minutes.

My tank is less than 2 months old, so I realize that diatoms often occur within this time period... and will go away once the silicates (silica) gets used up. My PO4 is actually low, however... it comes up as undetectable. I am not using a fancy test kit; I am test with 3 different API test kits, varying in age. All of which, give me a similar reading.

Is there anything I can do to remedy this? Any help is appreciated!
 
Yeah, these don't create sheets on anything... it is just collecting on the tips. There are just small patches that have been showing up for a few weeks... the bottom of the tank is BB, and there isn't anything on the bottom, or on the sides, really... just appearing on the coral.
 
Diatoms tend to be more powdery and disintegrate with a blast of the turkey baster. Dino's tend to be snotty bubble slime that kills things it covers. Cyano tends to be the one that sheets.
 
Sounds like Dino to me.

" Bubbly, strings like snot"

Try removing what you can with a turkey baster before the lighting comes on. If you see the same this same type of bubbly snot sting growing back within hours after the lights have come on then I would consider Dino.
 
smtank said:
Sounds like Dino to me.

" Bubbly, strings like snot"

Try removing what you can with a turkey baster before the lighting comes on. If you see the same this same type of bubbly snot sting growing back within hours after the lights have come on then I would consider Dino.
Click to expand...

It still gets attached to the corals and everything at night as well, not just during the day when the lights are on.

What is the best way to go about fighting Dinos?
 
The tips are white because the Dino/Cyano/Diatoms are covering them... the Alk is fine at 9.5. The issue of white tips never appeared until this gunk started covering the tips.

The issue I'm worried about is the Dino/Cyano/Diatoms. Being that it is a new tank, and I never had a cyano or diatom outbreak, I am thinking it is more one of those two, versus Dino.
 
The tank isn't established yet. Siphon what you can and try killing the lights for about 3 days. Actually looks a more like Dino's. Have any of your snails died? You may have to do this a couple times. Hopefully, this should work for you, but you may need to get more aggresive down the road.

I am assuming that you have more nutrients in the tank than you think you do.That coral isn't looking good at all. Good luck.
 
Dinos for sure. try running a 4 hour photoperiod for a week. Ive seen great results in this matter. and then once a week move up an hour at a time.
 
This is typical of a new set up and the tank is probl still cycling. Try and keep nutrients added to the tank to a minimum. Also water is also key ensure ro/di water is used. Snails are also a good way to keep alge down. Give it time before adding anything new as far as sps goes. Also others have told you about your lighting schedule that may or may not help bu it's wortha try.
 
Thanks guys. I will try and keep the feeding levels down, keep the lights at 4 hours/day, and maybe add a HOB refugium to the sump.
 
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