Alage? ID

[rtparty]

1 watt per 2 gallons worked for me, though not all UV sterilizers are created equal.

Yep, time to start that research and try to find money in the budget. I guess it will be good though to have a UV on hand. Years ago my dad ran a FW planted tank with a UV and the water was always crystal clear. Very noticeable difference overnight after he installed it

 

[Beardo]

Yep, time to start that research and try to find money in the budget. I guess it will be good though to have a UV on hand. Years ago my dad ran a FW planted tank with a UV and the water was always crystal clear. Very noticeable difference overnight after he installed it

I personally think they can be benificial and have never seen a negative to running a UV.

My only experience with UV brands have been AquaUV, they work great but they are pretty proud of their units. IIRC your tank is 50g, a 55 watt Jabeo may be a reasonably priced solution and the extra wattage should overcome any design weaknesses.

As you are probably already aware, Ostreopsis, along with many other species do form cysts, which can then germinate many moths later. I haven't see Ostreopsis popping back up yet but am seeing a few Coolia in my samples since I have had my UV offline. It's only been off because of a treatment I have been doing for Amphidinium. I am finding cysts as well. I plan on turning the unit back on tonight and leaving it on.
I guess my advice would be to run the unit for as long as 6 months to catch any cysts that "hatch" even though the outbreak may clear relatively quickly. Also, don't forget to run carbon to help deal with the toxins released.

 

[ImpossibleKid]

I personally think they can be benificial and have never seen a negative to running a UV.

My only experience with UV brands have been AquaUV, they work great but they are pretty proud of their units. IIRC your tank is 50g, a 55 watt Jabeo may be a reasonably priced solution and the extra wattage should overcome any design weaknesses.

As you are probably already aware, Ostreopsis, along with many other species do form cysts, which can then germinate many moths later. I haven't see Ostreopsis popping back up yet but am seeing a few Coolia in my samples since I have had my UV offline. It's only been off because of a treatment I have been doing for Amphidinium. I am finding cysts as well. I plan on turning the unit back on tonight and leaving it on.
I guess my advice would be to run the unit for as long as 6 months to catch any cysts that "hatch" even though the outbreak may clear relatively quickly. Also, don't forget to run carbon to help deal with the toxins released.

I'll second the importance of a UV against Ostreopsis. I blasted the rocks and sand to get them into the water column and ran the UV. I went with the Jebao 55 watt UV for my 55 gallon tank and a Rio pump running at around 200gph. Ran it in the display, and never saw Ostreopsis re-emerge after the first day. I only ran the UV for a week and they haven't returned but I have it on hand if they do.

In my case I also spent a lot of time setting up the microfauna before attempting to outright kill the dinos with UV. Introducing pods, chaeto, rocks/sand/water from a healthy system, GARF Grunge, etc. I'm hoping that this prevents the dinos from coming back. I'm guessing that since you first posted this thread your biodiversity may have taken a hit, so it might be something worth looking into.

 

[mcarroll]

IIRC, isn't UV and elevated nutrients best for ostreopsis?

Yes. But not "nutrients" in general...all we're messing with is N and P, which are usually at ultra-low levels or even non-existent. And we have specific levels to shoot for....0.10 ppm for PO4 and 5-10 ppm for NO3.

 

[rtparty]

UV Sterilizer has been ordered. Went with the 36w Jebao and hoping my pump I have on hand will be enough. I'm not sure it will be but we'll cross that bridge when the time comes. I do have an MJ1200 on hand but it's pretty noisy so it can't be a long term option.

Time to test my water for the big 3, N, P and salinity. I'll post the results when finished

 

[rtparty]

Okay tests are done.

Alk: 8.6
Calcium: 425
Mag: 1400
Nitrate: 12
Phosphate: .03

So dosing is working and I have started to elevate my N and P!

 

[rtparty]

Some really promising results so far and I don't have the UV yet! Just by raising N and P, removing all Matrix and letting my glass algae grow has eliminated almost all dinos from the rocks and about 50% from the sand.

Fingers crossed that the tank will continue this positive trend

 

[mcarroll]

It's nice when it can be caught in time for results to show this quickly!

 

[rtparty]

It's nice when it can be caught in time for results to show this quickly!

Another day and even less dinos overall! I'm not setting my expectations high because I'll be let down but this has gone way better than I expected!

Thank you so much for all those that have helped and continue to help.

 

[rtparty]

Here's a picture update:

Dinos are 95% gone. Still haven't gotten the UV hooked up but am heading out to get some plumbing parts that I need.

Last time I tested N and P were sitting close to where I want. I'm even seeing some hair algae in spots.

So things are looking really good. Hope this thread has helped a few people. I'm not sure if there is a Chrysophytes thread but maybe @mcarroll is interested in starting one to piggyback the Dino thread? Just thinking out loud

 

[reeferfoxx]

Wow! Your tank is looking great!

 

[rtparty]

Wow! Your tank is looking great!

I jinxed it. This weekend the dinos came back ticked off. Tested N and P.

N was at 16 and P was at .04 so I need to up my P dosing. However, I'm getting hair algae now and dinos are back.

I tried to hook up the UV this weekend and the vinyl tubing I bought is way too stiff so I ordered soft silicone tubing from BRS. Should be here Thursday and I can finally get that project going.

I've also added 2 dosing pumps and will have them online this week to help dose alk and calcium.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I jinxed it. This weekend the dinos came back ticked off. Tested N and P.

N was at 16 and P was at .04 so I need to up my P dosing. However, I'm getting hair algae now and dinos are back.

I tried to hook up the UV this weekend and the vinyl tubing I bought is way too stiff so I ordered soft silicone tubing from BRS. Should be here Thursday and I can finally get that project going.

I've also added 2 dosing pumps and will have them online this week to help dose alk and calcium.

I know all about jinxing myself haha! Curious if you can do another microscope ID to see if its the same dinos or if they changed?

 

[rtparty]

I know all about jinxing myself haha! Curious if you can do another microscope ID to see if its the same dinos or if they changed?

I'll try to get some pics tonight and post them for others to positively ID

 

[Beardo]

I jinxed it. This weekend the dinos came back ticked off. Tested N and P.

N was at 16 and P was at .04 so I need to up my P dosing. However, I'm getting hair algae now and dinos are back.

I tried to hook up the UV this weekend and the vinyl tubing I bought is way too stiff so I ordered soft silicone tubing from BRS. Should be here Thursday and I can finally get that project going.

I've also added 2 dosing pumps and will have them online this week to help dose alk and calcium.

I went through the same thing myself. When I first started dosing P and N dinos faded pretty quickly and corals looked great, then BAM, they came back with a vengeance. The UV should really help you out with the Ostreopsis though. Don't forget the activated carbon to deal with the toxins.

If you have more than 1 species of dinos it is possible for the dominant species to shift based tank conditions. I personally identified 7 different species in my tank and saw different ones become dominant as I went through treatments.

Good luck.

 

[mcarroll]

@rtparty it could be time to boost your CUC.

Ditto what @Beardo said too. Make sure your activated carbon stays fresh. I'd run a 1/4 dose (usually 1/4 cup per 100 gallons) and change it weekly.

 

[rtparty]

This sterilizer saga is going to make me pull what little hair I have left, out! I have a no Jebao rule and I broke it. Now I'm paying for it as I can't get it to stop leaking at the threaded parts!

Time to get the thread cement and try that. After that, it goes in the garbage I guess

 

[reeferfoxx]

This sterilizer saga is going to make me pull what little hair I have left, out! I have a no Jebao rule and I broke it. Now I'm paying for it as I can't get it to stop leaking at the threaded parts!

Time to get the thread cement and try that. After that, it goes in the garbage I guess

Darn that sucks.

 

[rtparty]

Darn that sucks.

Worse case I'll have a Jebao DC back up return pump.

In other news, the dinos have gone out of control. N and P are good but they are worse than ever. Haven't had a chance to scope them and see if it changed but hope to tonight if the sterilizer leaves me any time

 

[rtparty]

Got some pictures and videos