So I'm really thinking the deal with my "new" 50 is that I've managed to run it too clean and I don't have the microfauna, which is likely allowing dinoflagilates to take over my tank. Either way to decide a good course of action I need to find someone with a microscope to positiviely identify if this is indeed dinos. Then I need to get a really good population of many different types of pods going. I ran by FishTank and I want to say all they have are Tigger pods, which are free floating - not really good to start a varied population of microfauna. Ideas? Suggestions? I'll call the Fish Tank anyway in the AM but thought I'd also ask you guys.
You probably have a lot of pods, you just aren't seeing them. Do you have a sump? How much rock do you have? A small pile of rubble that fish can't get into is a great place for pods to breed. John
So I have slimy clear snot. A few weeks ago it had about clogged up my skimmer. Stringy and looked classic dinos. Abated a bit after cleaning up and really vacuuming the tank out. But it's always there. Then when i think I'm getting a hold on it I change the water and it exploded. I'm really getting tired of my tank looking like this all the time. The clear stuff gives way to the brown/red stringy stuff.
It's looking a bit better as I've held off with a water change this week so it's now been two weeks since water change. And I've found Mg is 1350 and Ca is 380 with 9.5 dkh. I've used reef crystals so I got out of the habit of testing Ca and Mg. but still I had this stuff when those parameters are "perfect". Never tested positive for phosphate nor any nitrates either. None. So I've read where folks have had good luck restablishing their pod populations. And I can tell you I don't see any critter action in the sand bed, either. Had a skunk shrimp and probably s whelk (maybe? Misidentified as a nassarius snail?). I'm supposing between them they've eaten my little critters. Had put in little starfish, pods, and bristle worms. Never a sign in the sand these days. Don't have a Refugium and my rock work is pretty open.
