Amphidinium Dinoflagellate Treatment Methods

[Miller535]

Yep! The Low Range Si, Hi705.
Si is consumed by many organisms if it's present and other nutrients are not limiting.

What Si level do you target? Triton recommends 100 ug/l. According to my ICP I am at 67 ug/l. It was 135 2 months before when I did the last ICP test.

 

[taricha]

Anywhere from a few tenths up to ~1ppm Silicate (what the meter reads).
I didn't notice faster diatom growth at 1ppm than 0.2ppm.

 

[taricha]

Triton recommends 100 ug/l.

100ug/L Si would be ~0.2ppm SiO2 on the hanna meter, btw.

 

[Miller535]

Anywhere from a few tenths up to ~1ppm Silicate (what the meter reads).
I didn't notice faster diatom growth at 1ppm than 0.2ppm.

O.K, thanks

 

[Ioncewaslegend]

I'm a former lab rat who is currently dealing with a case of dinoflagellates. Seeing the threads here have been very helpful, but oftentimes the data is incomplete. With that in mind, I'm interested in

1. Putting together a curated group of 'case studies' that include (among other things) positive ID of dinos, dino subtype, treatment methods, etc, and

2. Using this data set to try and do some meta-analyses and see what treatment(s) statistically significantly help treat/hold dino outbreaks at bay.

I'll be combing these threads and archives for additional data, but - if you're willing - I'd greatly appreciate any data you'd be willing to contribute by filling out this form. Thanks all! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1...wsDqNWvYGOGBIU-zAsVdzaXQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

 

[Miller535]

I'm a former lab rat who is currently dealing with a case of dinoflagellates. Seeing the threads here have been very helpful, but oftentimes the data is incomplete. With that in mind, I'm interested in

1. Putting together a curated group of 'case studies' that include (among other things) positive ID of dinos, dino subtype, treatment methods, etc, and

2. Using this data set to try and do some meta-analyses and see what treatment(s) statistically significantly help treat/hold dino outbreaks at bay.

I'll be combing these threads and archives for additional data, but - if you're willing - I'd greatly appreciate any data you'd be willing to contribute by filling out this form. Thanks all! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1...wsDqNWvYGOGBIU-zAsVdzaXQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

This would be great. Problem is I think most people who "beat dinos" ultimately do not know why. As they threw everything but the kitchen sink at it and only have a guess or working theory of which thing or combination actually worked.

 

[Ioncewaslegend]

This would be great. Problem is I think most people who "beat dinos" ultimately do not know why. As they threw everything but the kitchen sink at it and only have a guess or working theory of which thing or combination actually worked.

True. Hence why I'm trying to gather as large a dataset as I can, since not everybody tries the same things. It's not ideal, but hopefully something will come of it (even if it's just statistical proof that, hey, most dino outbreaks were preceded by zero nitrates, for instance).

Ideally, when I have the space, I'd like to set up a few small tanks and run controlled experiments on treating dinos. But I have neither the space nor budget to do that right now, haha.

 

[Miller535]

True. Hence why I'm trying to gather as large a dataset as I can, since not everybody tries the same things. It's not ideal, but hopefully something will come of it (even if it's just statistical proof that, hey, most dino outbreaks were preceded by zero nitrates, for instance).

Ideally, when I have the space, I'd like to set up a few small tanks and run controlled experiments on treating dinos. But I have neither the space nor budget to do that right now, haha.

I still personally believe it to be caused by a system imbalance. My working theory is it is not one thing that "fixes it", but whatever it takes to get the system back in balance. And I think that usually is several things.

If you are interested, Fish of hex has a video where he talks about purposely giving one of his tanks dinos to see if he could get rid of it, and he said he did. He also offers a service for like $30 where you send him to samples and he ID them for you and says he can tell you how to get rid of them. Maybe you could even contact him. Just food for thought.

 

[Ioncewaslegend]

I still personally believe it to be caused by a system imbalance. My working theory is it is not one thing that "fixes it", but whatever it takes to get the system back in balance. And I think that usually is several things.

If you are interested, Fish of hex has a video where he talks about purposely giving one of his tanks dinos to see if he could get rid of it, and he said he did. He also offers a service for like $30 where you send him to samples and he ID them for you and says he can tell you how to get rid of them. Maybe you could even contact him. Just food for thought.

Thanks for the heads up! I just might.

I'd hazard a guess that you're correct, and that current dino treatments fall into two categories: restoring balance to a system (e.g., making it so that other stuff in your tank can compete against the dinos) and reducing dino populations long enough to make that happen (siphoning, UV sterilizers, etc).

 

[Cwentz758]

So I’ve got the diatoms blooming hard. All over my glass and elsewhere. How long before I start to notice them starving out dinos? Also do I keep adding the silicate?

 

[CDavmd]

So I’ve got the diatoms blooming hard. All over my glass and elsewhere. How long before I start to notice them starving out dinos? Also do I keep adding the silicate?

Yes keep dosing. Keep the bloom going. I noticed a dramatic drop in amphidinium after 3-4weeks.

 

[Miller535]

Thanks for the heads up! I just might.

I'd hazard a guess that you're correct, and that current dino treatments fall into two categories: restoring balance to a system (e.g., making it so that other stuff in your tank can compete against the dinos) and reducing dino populations long enough to make that happen (siphoning, UV sterilizers, etc).

That's been my experience.

 

[alilogan1983]

Hi All, Ive been told I have Prorocentrum and also Large cell Amphidinium can anyone help with an ID please.

I've got a video too which i will try and upload too.

 

[Cwentz758]

Update. Diatoms full bloom. Not cleaning the glass or does it not matter? Hopefully in a few days I see dinos leaving. My SPS is P.O’d

 

[Miller535]

Update. Diatoms full bloom. Not cleaning the glass or does it not matter? Hopefully in a few days I see dinos leaving. My SPS is P.O’d

I still clean the glass on the front and sides, I do not touch the back glass.

 

[RMS18]

Another update:

So it's been just over 5 weeks since I stopped bacteria dosing, silica dosing, messing with light intensity, dosing po4 and no3 to high levels, blackouts, h202 and heavy UV use.

Stopping the bacteria dosing and no3 and po4 dosing really helped to keep alk stable. I brought no3 down to 10ish and po4 to .06-.08.

I went back to weekly 20% water changes and clean 1/3 of the sand bed each week.

Things definitely got worse before they got better. Dinos covered everything in thick slimy mats. Coming back less than 1 hour after a cleaning. They covered the burnt tips of my acros, covered my sea fans, powerheads, Coraline, and cables. The clean up crew and fish wouldn't touch the sand for cleaning. The dinos even started to creep up the base of rocks. I stayed strong and let it go.

Then one day I started to see red (cyano) within the dinos. Again I left it alone. Each day more and more of the brown was replaced with cyano. After about 2 -2.5 weeks cyano was everywhere and I couldn't see any dinos. There was more cyano than dinos. Again I left it alone and kept my focus on the big 3 keeping stability and nutrients within a decent range.

Then after each cleaning which now occured twice a week. Less and less cyano returned. Until about 3 days ago that the sand went white. I started to dose phyto each night.

The past 2 days I have some green algae growing on the sand which my snails, star and fish enjoy eating. It's not GH just a film I guess. Same stuff that grows on glass after a day. I love it and embrace it.

My sea fans are clean and open again, clean up crew is active along with my star.

I have gone back to weekly w/c, still 1/3 of the sand bed is cleaned each w/c. Skimmer shuts off for 5 hours a day to keep bacteria levels up more.

It's been almost a year since my dino out break and this was the least costly and most progress out of them all.

I challenge some of you to do the same, let the system do it's thing and come back naturally. I feel the system will be stronger in the end.

It's still early for me. The fear that dinos has imprinted in me leaves with not sure when I can say I'm in the clear.

 

[JoeyDiesel]

I've attached a video below can anyone identify? I think I see Ostreopsis?

 

[ScottB]

I've attached a video below can anyone identify? I think I see Ostreopsis?

Wow, that is quite the potpourri you have there. Not sure I have ever seen that much diversity. And the variety of organism colors is new too. Did you stain this sample? I won't speculate on the ones that are not brown.

Ostreopsis - Certainly.
Small cell amphidinium - possible.
Large Cell Amphidinium - possible, the big fella running in circles.

@taricha , you gotta see this.

 

[Miller535]

Wow, that is quite the potpourri you have there. Not sure I have ever seen that much diversity. And the variety of organism colors is new too. Did you stain this sample? I won't speculate on the ones that are not brown.

Ostreopsis - Certainly.
Small cell amphidinium - possible.
Large Cell Amphidinium - possible, the big fella running in circles.

@taricha , you gotta see this.

I agree that I see all 3. The one running in circles kind of made me chuckle. Lol

 

[Rwade]

I have continued dosing Water Glass at a rate of 1ppm daily, I’m about 3 weeks into SI dosing but started slow. The Salifert test still only shows cloudy water (not blue) and the Hannah Checker is on back order. I sent off an ATI/ICP on Friday so I should get an idea where I’m at on SI. I will continue dosing 1ppm til I get a reading on the Salifert kit or the Hannah Checker comes in. Diatoms are increasing and Dinos seem to be decreasing slightly. I’m still blowing off the Dinos that get on the rocks and leaving the sand alone.