New tank syndrome- need ID

[Johnic]

Tank is a reboot and it’s about 2 months old now and it seems to be growing Diatoms or Dinoflagellates ?
Need positive ID as to what’s growing now.

See pic. Note that lights have been off since start and I haven’t turned them on yet. This seems to be growing on the side facing the window.

 

[Johnic]

Forgot to mention. I don’t have coral in tank yet. Just 3 fish.
Also if you look close in pic, I think I have bryopsis ??

 

[Genetics]

Looks like base rock? It’ll turn brown from diatoms but should clear up. If not something isn’t quite right with your water chemistry.

 

[kharmaguru]

Forgot to mention. I don’t have coral in tank yet. Just 3 fish.
Also if you look close in pic, I think I have bryopsis ??

Looks like diatoms mixed with a bit of cyano. Do you know your nitrate/phosphate levels? Those tufts could be bryopsis but hard to tell. If it is I would nuke it while it's small. Literally take the rock out and chip off pieces where it's attached. Direct application with hydrogen peroxide could also work (again outside the tank, I use a spray bottle) but if it doesn't get the root it grows back.

On a side note, corals (not including anemones) can be added before fish. It's a common misconception that your tank has to be cycled and 'ready' for corals. As long as the water chemistry portion is stabilized, they can be added. Fish are way more sensitive than corals to ammonia. I've just been chomping to say that to somebody, lol.

Edit: I should add that my comment on coral addition is not directed at noobs who are inexperienced at maintaining water quality.

 

[Johnic]

Looks like base rock? It’ll turn brown from diatoms but should clear up. If not something isn’t quite right with your water chemistry.

Yes, its Marco Rock.

Looks like diatoms mixed with a bit of cyano. Do you know your nitrate/phosphate levels? Those tufts could be bryopsis but hard to tell. If it is I would nuke it while it's small. Literally take the rock out and chip off pieces where it's attached. Direct application with hydrogen peroxide could also work (again outside the tank, I use a spray bottle) but if it doesn't get the root it grows back.

On a side note, corals (not including anemones) can be added before fish. It's a common misconception that your tank has to be cycled and 'ready' for corals. As long as the water chemistry portion is stabilized, they can be added. Fish are way more sensitive than corals to ammonia. I've just been chomping to say that to somebody, lol.

Edit: I should add that my comment on coral addition is not directed at noobs who are inexperienced at maintaining water quality.

Nitrates as of yesterday are: 8.2
Phos as of yesterday is: .05
Calc: 400
Mag: 1409
Alk: 8.27
PH: 7.91

Gonna be too hard to remove the rock, its 2 heavy pieces. I'll try to apply hydrogen p locally with a dropper. How would bryopsis get in tank when i gutted it .. wild.

 

[kharmaguru]

Yes, its Marco Rock.

Nitrates as of yesterday are: 8.2
Phos as of yesterday is: .05
Calc: 400
Mag: 1409
Alk: 8.27
PH: 7.91

Gonna be too hard to remove the rock, its 2 heavy pieces. I'll try to apply hydrogen p locally with a dropper. How would bryopsis get in tank when i gutted it .. wild.

Numbers are beautiful, PH could be better but don't chase it. Bryopsis spore could have come in on a fish, it's definitely pesky. Could be something else too. If you can get a closer shot maybe we can be more decisive. Here's the evil I had before finally nuking it with fluconazole.

 

[Johnic]

Numbers are beautiful, PH could be better but don't chase it. Bryopsis spore could have come in on a fish, it's definitely pesky. Could be something else too. If you can get a closer shot maybe we can be more decisive. Here's the evil I had before finally nuking it with fluconazole.

View attachment 32376320

Thanks regarding the numbers. It’s been a conscious effort this time to do it right.

I heard fluconazole works great ??

Let me see if I can get a better picture today.

 

[kharmaguru]

Thanks regarding the numbers. It’s been a conscious effort this time to do it right.

I heard fluconazole works great ??

Let me see if I can get a better picture today.

Yes fluconazole works but you would have to turn your lights on and have it actively growing. It tends to survive in shaded areas for whatever reason. I did lose 1 colony of orange zoanthids that were sensitive to it but everything else including invertebrates was fine. It took me two tries to nuke it. This thread on R2R is pretty much the definitive source:

Bryopsis Cure: My Battle With Bryopsis Using Fluconazole

There's also the high magnesium trick. The product to use is Brightwell Hydrat-MG which is the original Kent TechM formula. Keeping mag above 1500ppm for several weeks with this product is known to also nuke Bryposis.

 

[Johnic]

That’s right, I once had this issue and raised my mag using the kent manuf and it did work.
Ok, lights are on, let’s see what grows. Lol

 

[Paul B]

Looks normal to me and I would leave it alone and let it play out. My tank is over 50 years old and I still have some cyano and plenty of diatoms. I kind of like them. They are like family.

If you start adding chemicals to that tank at this part of it's life, you are in for a lot of tweeking that you may never get right.

Just my opinion of course.

 

[Johnic]

Looks normal to me and I would leave it alone and let it play out. My tank is over 50 years old and I still have some cyano and plenty of diatoms. I kind of like them. They are like family.

If you start adding chemicals to that tank at this part of it's life, you are in for a lot of tweeking that you may never get right.

Just my opinion of course.

Very true point. Was thinking the same, leave it and see what happens.
Should I leave my lights on?

 

[Paul B]

It doesn't matter but if there are no fish or corals you don't need them on.

 

[Johnic]

Got it. Thanks

 

[griss]

@Johnic any updates?

 

[Johnic]

Well, I have Dinos and Bryopsis growing.

 

[Johnic]

Should I chemically treat the bryopsis or wait it out. I haven’t added any coral since the reboot in late sept.

 

[kharmaguru]

Should I chemically treat the bryopsis or wait it out. I haven’t added any coral since the reboot in late sept.

I would never let bryopsis grow. It is so good at uptaking nutrients that everything else in your system will suffer. If you know for sure that's what it is and you can still chip it off the rocks, then you should (you have to get the root). Don't break it into pieces however because every piece will turn into new sprouts. If it's gone too far already then fluconoazole will definitely work but the lights need to be on.

 

[griss]

I would never let bryopsis grow. It is so good at uptaking nutrients that everything else in your system will suffer. If you know for sure that's what it is and you can still chip it off the rocks, then you should (you have to get the root). Don't break it into pieces however because every piece will turn into new sprouts. If it's gone too far already then fluconoazole will definitely work but the lights need to be on.

As someone who battled Bryopsis, this advice is 100% on.

 

[Johnic]

Got it. fluconoazole it is.

 

[Johnic]

Is this bryopsis?