Serious Dinoflagellate (?) prob. in new 20g!! Help?! (1 Viewer)

[PygmyAngel]

I have a SERIOUS dinoflagellate prob. (I think that's what it is anyway) in my recently set up 20g. It's been up for about a month only....I used old water from 75g, w/ everything already cycled, including live rock....& the sand. Sand was seeded w/ live sand from my 75g, but is still very....unalive. So now I have a BUTTload of slimy brown long airbubble-containing, overgrowing, icky crap growing in there - on the sand mostly, but also covering glass and equipment, and overgrowing well, everything - including rocks and corals. I know tank still has had to go through a mini-cycle, and I expected to see diatoms, hair algae, some cyano - which I HAVE seen....but this, this is different, and growing at extremely accelerated rates. I think it's dinoflagellates from the looks of it. I have a skimmer and large filter on back. Skimmer gets full of gunk daily, and filter has media, including carbon in it, good flow, and there are only 2 pc lights on the tank. I have a fan blowing thru the canopy, and that's about it.

I have already done a 50% water change, and have physically taken out, sucked up, and scraped. But the crap keeps multiplying like crazy. Not only does it look ugly, it is hazardous to health of this tank.

I know I am dealing w/ a much smaller tank, and maybe this is why I am having such a prob...as I am used to dealing only w/ a 75g for a reef tank for the past few years, and I did not have this kind of problem when it cycled, nor have I seen dinoflagellates to this degree.

I've already used chemiclean, cleaned equipment, and whatnot. And I am getting ready to do another water change and cleaning asap, but the crap grows back as soon as I clean it....

For creatures, I have 2 large snails, 3 red hermits, and 3 of the Galv. Sarg. shrimp, a small Argi (Pygmy) Angel, and Galv. puffer in there, a few small corals, and clam. That's it.

Anybody have any ideas, experience, suggestions before I tear this tank down and put everything into the 75g?

I don't have a photo - will supply one if I can soon....

Sorry so long....I'm just frustrated and concerned. :?

Thanks,
Kim

 

[Guest]

When I had a problem like that in one of my smaller tanks, I treated it the same as I treated cyanobateria. I increased my circulation and current throughout the tank. I continued 20% water changes every other week, and continually removed the nasty stuff with my net. It took a little while, but after about a month or so the infestation receded and I have not seen it since. I also have never had the problem in my current tank because I make absolutely sure that there are no dead spots anywhere in my system.

Jim 8)

 

[PygmyAngel]

Jim,

Thanks for your response. I'll give it a try - I guess I feel like there is enough flow in the tank...I mean there's not really much room for a powerhead, but I'll see what I can do.

Anybody else have other experiences, suggestions as well?