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View Full Version : Looks like Diatoms but it's stringy?


todot62
12/11/2007, 07:50 PM
I have a one year old established 14g Bio-Cube. This is my first tank. I have not added anything new for 4 months or so. Everything has been running smoothly until about two months ago. I had some red slime and treated it with anti-biotics. I then got this stuff that looked like Diatom but it is stringy. This stuff is taking over everything and killed my snails. All my parameters are where they should be except just barely have some nitrites, still in the safe zone, but they are always at zero until now. I'm starting to lose my softies and my hammer. The only things really looking okay are my brain and plate coral. Everything else looks like it's on it's way out. My fish are stressed and not eating as well.

I changed out my lights, washed out pump, sponge, carbon. I don't have bio-balls, just micro in the center section in the back. I also just installed the new Bio-Cube skimmer today and I'm hoping that will help. Any ideas what this stuff is? Any ideas what else I need to do? I've already faced the fact that I'm going to lose hundreds of dollars worth of stuff, but If anyone has any ideas I would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Tod

gsusfreak
12/11/2007, 07:54 PM
i think it might be redslime again......i had red slime that looked stringy

todot62
12/11/2007, 07:58 PM
I know it's not red slime because the anti-biotics don't touch it and it's not red, it's brown. I also don't think that red slime would kill my snails. This stuff is BAD, water is BROWN and you can smell the corals dying.

stevelkaneval
12/11/2007, 07:59 PM
there are only like a million algeas out there a pic would help.:D

todot62
12/11/2007, 08:04 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11365237#post11365237 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stevelkaneval
there are only like a million algeas out there a pic would help.:D

I wish I could but I'm on the road right now, not at home. There is no red to it at all. Again, it looks like diatoms but it kind of strings together, and I think it killed my snails. I don't know what kind of algae kills snails.

stevelkaneval
12/11/2007, 08:12 PM
never heard of snail killing algea before. what do you have in your tank? how big is it?

todot62
12/11/2007, 08:17 PM
14g Bio-Cube, fuge, skimmer, stock lights, mainly softs, hammer, plate, brain, jaw fish, fire fish, redhead goby, clown, cleaner shrimp, some blue legs and one red leg.

stevelkaneval
12/11/2007, 08:20 PM
you put all that in there after only 3 months?

3fins
12/11/2007, 08:20 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11365348#post11365348 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stevelkaneval
how big is it?

14g Bio-Cube,

racksteris
12/11/2007, 08:31 PM
It's not algae that killed your snails. You need to find out what killed them.

todot62
12/11/2007, 08:50 PM
.

todot62
12/11/2007, 08:52 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11365407#post11365407 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stevelkaneval
you put all that in there after only 3 months?

Dude, read my first post.

todot62
12/11/2007, 08:55 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11365520#post11365520 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by racksteris
It's not algae that killed your snails. You need to find out what killed them.

I was told by someone at the LFS that there is an "algae" that looks like diatom but is toxic to snails. I was thinking one of you guys might know what it is. Maybe it's not algae, I don't know.

Rosseau
12/11/2007, 09:49 PM
Try posting in the Reef Dicsussion forum.

Also, google for something like "reef diatom", hopefully you can at least ID what you've got in your tank.

Canadian
12/11/2007, 10:52 PM
Sounds like dinoflagellates - from what I recall they can make quick work of snails and look a lot like "stringy" algae.

stevelkaneval
12/11/2007, 10:55 PM
just weird that you have a 1 year old tank but 3 months in the hobby. so dude clarify.

uhuru
12/11/2007, 11:07 PM
you have dinoflagellates, this can definitely kill snails and other invertebrates

3fins
12/12/2007, 06:31 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11366849#post11366849 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stevelkaneval
just weird that you have a 1 year old tank but 3 months in the hobby. so dude clarify.

no.....he has a 3 month old tank, with a 1 year in the hobby.
;) :rollface: :smokin:

im just messen with ya:D

todot62
12/12/2007, 07:10 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11366919#post11366919 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by uhuru
you have dinoflagellates, this can definitely kill snails and other invertebrates

Now that we've determined that I have Dino, Am I doing the right things, and what else should I do? I apologize in advance if this has been covered many times, but I need to do something quickly.

I’ll also do a search.

stevelkaneval, Sorry and I have corrected my profile ;)

uhuru
12/12/2007, 12:31 PM
unfortunately dinos are way harder to get rid of than diatoms or cyano for that matter, you can have perfect water but as long as you are feeding something and lighting something it will never go away :(

you can try siphoning out as much as you can everyday, drastically reducing feeding, and shortening the photoperiod - this will keep it under control, but it will come back.

The quickest solution I've heard (and maybe the only thing that really works) is to break down the whole tank and replace ALL of the LR, including anything that your corals may be attached to. Otherwise you'll see on these forums that there are people that have tried fighting dinos for months or even years with no success. There is one guy who said he was able to wipe it out completely with Algaefix (a pond product) but I would remove as many inhabitants (esp inverts) as possible before trying it.

todot62
12/12/2007, 08:00 PM
Well, not what I was hoping to hear. Everyone else agree? Anyone have personal experience with this stuff that got rid of it?

!wrass!
12/13/2007, 01:01 PM
Here (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1259450) is a thread with some additional info. Hope this helps.

ezcompany
12/13/2007, 01:48 PM
this is the stringy poop like algae?