3 month old tank with Dinos. Help!

[Bubblebass]

120g being torn down and had issues with Dinos for a couple of years off and on since bottoming out phosphates with GFO. Tore down tank and restarting with 40g IM. Fishless cycle started 10/6/2020 and all was well. Added a few fish, turned lights on and slowly ramped up. Added BTA's from old tank. Within a week Dinos all over. Microscope pics attached.

Phosphates 0.15
Nitrates 3-5

Nems are looking very rough and the couple zoa frags are not doing well either. I will start H2O2 and lights dimmed today.

Why am I getting these things again with phosphates and nitrates? Also, how is coraline algae forming UNDER the Dino mats?

Any other suggestion...I'm open. I'm about to throw in the towel on the hobby at this point.

 

[McCarrick]

120g being torn down and had issues with Dinos for a couple of years off and on since bottoming out phosphates with GFO. Tore down tank and restarting with 40g IM. Fishless cycle started 10/6/2020 and all was well. Added a few fish, turned lights on and slowly ramped up. Added BTA's from old tank. Within a week Dinos all over. Microscope pics attached.

Phosphates 0.15
Nitrates 3-5

Nems are looking very rough and the couple zoa frags are not doing well either. I will start H2O2 and lights dimmed today.

Why am I getting these things again with phosphates and nitrates? Also, how is coraline algae forming UNDER the Dino mats?

Any other suggestion...I'm open. I'm about to throw in the towel on the hobby at this point. since it's a smaller tank, they are naturally less stable. Are you using RODI or distilled water? Dinos are composed of silicates that could come from water.

Keep in mind that smaller tanks are less stable. I have a 29 and its a bit of a struggle so far. Dinos are made of silicates I believe, I'm assuming you used RODI? Did you have your lights on at all during the initial cycle? It could be delayed because your initial cycle wasnt "strong" enough? I think it's also possible to have a second cycle after adding livestock. When in doubt, change it out! I'd do a small water change and see how things go from there. Good luck!

 

[Bubblebass]

Hoping to not sound arrogant here....

I appreciate the feedback. I'm going to avoid the water changes at this point. I've been in this hobby a while now and a lot of that goes against Dino research. I started with a bio-cube 6 years ago also

A "strong" cycle? Hmmmm, I don't think that's a thing. The nitrogen cycle is either complete or not. Yes....RODI for ALL of my water.

Anyone else?

 

[jstabile316]

What’s your bio load looking like? In my experience adding a few more fish will make the diatoms go away. Also how often were you doing water changes? I would deff stop for a while and let the nutrients creep up a bit more.

 

[jstabile316]

Sorry meant to say dinos

 

[Bubblebass]

Solved the issue with H2O2, lights out, heat up to 82F and heterotrophic bacteria. One week and all gone. So much easier with a small tank and no finicky corals!