Dino or Cyano

Dino or Cyano

  • Cyano

    Votes: 3 18.8%
  • Dino

    Votes: 13 81.3%

  • Total voters
    16

gbru316

Active member
I've been battling some form of brown snot for the past month or so. Nothing seems to really affect it, a 5 day blackout only stunted growth.

When disturbed, the strands of snot break apart into near translucent snot-strands that float around the tank. Eventually, these join other snot-strands to form brown snot-globs.

Whatever it is, it's ultra-invasive and is irritating the crap out of the coral.

The pics below were taken while I was manually removing it. Prior to this, it looked like brown, rust colored snot/spider webs draped over everything.


photo1_zps3bb37a39.jpg


photo2_zps1d957870.jpg


Tank is a 10g AIO, circulation provided by mp10 @ 100% lagoon. Lighting is a DIY LED array. Filtration consists of a hydor nano slim-skim, chaeto (w/reverse photoperiod) and GAC/GFO.

I utilize biopellets (IO NNR) and dose microbacter7. Feeding is minimal.

Parameters are within spec:
SG: 1.025 (refractometer, calibrated)
Temp: 77
pH: 8.2 (API)
NH3: 0 (API)
NO2: 0 (API)
NO3: 1-2 (Elos)
PO4: <0.1 (Elos)
Alk: 8.2 dKh (API)
 
Looks like cyano to me.
Your using bio pellets on a 10gal tank ?

Instant ocean natural nitrate reducer. It's a form of biopellets.



I'll also add that exposure to air kills it, it tends to detach from the strands and float to the top where it forms half-dead snot rafts (whiteish in color) and bubbles are present on/in the snot strands.
 
Last edited:
Instant ocean natural nitrate reducer ? might be the cause of the snot. this is not bio pellets, so why say you use pellets. also, a 10 gallon tank is way to easy to just do water changes to control nitrates.
 
Instant ocean natural nitrate reducer ? might be the cause of the snot. this is not bio pellets, so why say you use pellets. also, a 10 gallon tank is way to easy to just do water changes to control nitrates.

biopellets = a biopolymer carbon source

IO NNR = a miniaturized biopolymer carbon source suspended in an inert gel.


The tank is about 6 months old and is still going through the standard new tank processes. I started this thread to identify the pest, not what's causing it. Please keep this thread on topic.
 
It's Dino.....continue the manual removal. Use zeovite coral snow with the mb7 mixed in it daily doe a few weeks along with the manual removal with a brush and turkey baster.... Secular water changes... Although some say that makes it worse.....
 
biopellets = a biopolymer carbon source

IO NNR = a miniaturized biopolymer carbon source suspended in an inert gel.


The tank is about 6 months old and is still going through the standard new tank processes. I started this thread to identify the pest, not what's causing it. Please keep this thread on topic.

I have similar looking stuff, so I want to tag along and see what feedback you get :) My tank is not as bad as yours but I also see brown stringy things, but less of the "snot". I thought I heard there was some creature that causes the "spider web" looking things. Snail? Can't remember.
 
Instant ocean natural nitrate reducer. It's a form of biopellets.



I'll also add that exposure to air kills it, it tends to detach from the strands and float to the top where it forms half-dead snot rafts (whiteish in color) and bubbles are present on/in the snot strands.

Ok, gotcha. I know your not looking for what's causing this, but, this is a side effect of carbon dosing.
 
Ok, gotcha. I know your not looking for what's causing this, but, this is a side effect of carbon dosing.

that's why I'm dosing the MB7. I've been dosing MB7 with the carbon source since I started dosing carbon 4 months ago.

Why do you think it's cyano?

I have 125x turnover in the tank (1600 gph) and water flow doesn't seem to have much of an effect on growth. By that, I mean it grows just as much in the high flow areas as the low flow areas.
 
the MB7 is a wast of money, there is plenty of bacteria in the tank already. you have good turnover but lack skimming for dosing carbon. the "snot" will just keep building up. stop adding carbon for now and it will clear up.
 
the MB7 is a wast of money, there is plenty of bacteria in the tank already. you have good turnover but lack skimming for dosing carbon. the "snot" will just keep building up. stop adding carbon for now and it will clear up.

I have a skimmer....
 
that's why I'm dosing the MB7. I've been dosing MB7 with the carbon source since I started dosing carbon 4 months ago.

Why do you think it's cyano?

I have 125x turnover in the tank (1600 gph) and water flow doesn't seem to have much of an effect on growth. By that, I mean it grows just as much in the high flow areas as the low flow areas.

It looked like cyano at first glance, but more than likely it is a bacterial biomass, due to the carbon dosing.
Try cutting the dose in half and observe the live rock.
 
I've stopped carbon dosing in the past and it got worse. I've also never heard of bacterial mulm being brown in color. Usually it's translucent.




The majority says it's dino. :(
 
3 out of 4 dentists say you wont get cavities if you brush with colgate. 5 out of 6 dosnt mean its dino. 5 out of 6 may be saying its not cyano. and i didnt bother with the poll. you are under skimming regardless. what you are adding is a waste of money and is the root of your "snot" i know you dont want to hear why just what, but IMO you need to know both to solve what it is.
 
Last edited:
3 out of 4 dentists say you wont get cavities if you brush with colgate. 5 out of 6 dosnt mean its dino. 5 out of 6 may be saying its not cyano. and i didnt bother with the poll. you are under skimming regardless. what you are adding is a waste of money and is the root of your "snot" i know you dont want to hear why just what, but IMO you need to know both to solve what it is.

So how does this explain the increase in the pest when I stopped dosing mb7 and io Nnr for a few weeks?
 
i cant explain all whats going on in your tank but i know what that snot is and i know what is causing it. your skimmer is really not doing much because of its size. so you are left with the bio mass. dosing carbon and mb7 in such a small tank over time is the cause IMO. small water changes is better for export on such a small system and probably cheaper. cheers and good luck
 
i cant explain all whats going on in your tank but i know what that snot is and i know what is causing it. your skimmer is really not doing much because of its size. so you are left with the bio mass. dosing carbon and mb7 in such a small tank over time is the cause IMO. small water changes is better for export on such a small system and probably cheaper. cheers and good luck

i forgot to mention, I also do 10% weekly water changes and have been doing them since day 1.

So filtration/cleaning =

1. chaeto
2. skimmer
3. IO NNR/MB7
4. weekly water changes w/ manual detritus removal (turkey basting)

I also didn't mention that the tank is barebottom.
 
I'm not sure what answer your looking for here, but I think Jimmy and I have given you good advice. Its up to you if you decide to take it or not. It could be cyano or bacterial, but either way both can be a side effect to carbon dosing.

You need a much better skimmer when carbon dosing.
 
Back
Top