Analyzing a Bacterial Method for Dinoflagellates (and cyano?)

[CoralClasher]

Don’t use any mechanical filters during this method.

 

[edolan]

Thanks for the response. I think I have everything I need. Aqualifter is running. Not putting out a heavy smoke like cloud but definitely have fine bubbles throughout the tank. Since I am stuck at home anyway I figure I will leave the doors open for fresh air. Also I have a fresh bottle of Seachem Stability so I am going to try it instead of ATM. Hope it works.

 

[CoralClasher]

Thanks for the response. I think I have everything I need. Aqualifter is running. Not putting out a heavy smoke like cloud but definitely have fine bubbles throughout the tank. Since I am stuck at home anyway I figure I will leave the doors open for fresh air. Also I have a fresh bottle of Seachem Stability so I am going to try it instead of ATM. Hope it works.

How is the battle going?

 

[edolan]

Okay got through day one. There is a heavy bloom going. PH dropped overnight from 8.04 to 7.71. I've got fresh air coming in and turned the skimmer back on with the cup off. Unless the pH comes up quite a bit gonna hold off of dosing day two vodka. With this bloom it looks like it is doing what it is supposed too.

 

[CoralClasher]

Okay got through day one. There is a heavy bloom going. PH dropped overnight from 8.04 to 7.71. I've got fresh air coming in and turned the skimmer back on with the cup off. Unless the pH comes up quite a bit gonna hold off of dosing day two vodka. With this bloom it looks like it is doing what it is supposed too.

I did stop my first attempt early also. Looking back I wish I didn’t. As long as you fallow the direction exactly you will be fine. I feel this method is a little on the weak side and I might add more vodka on days three and four because my cloudy water bloom doesn’t last past day three. I’m not sure if the cloudy water is supposed to last the full 7 days or not?

 

[edolan]

Not giving up yet. I may just ease up on dosing vodka. Maybe I am looking at this wrong but my understanding is that the vodka (carbon source) is added as a source of fuel to spark the bacterial growth. I have read that some people haven't gotten a bacterial bloom until day three or four. I may just already have lots of organics in my tank to fuel the growth. I am thinking I need to try to balance my pH with maintaining the bacterial bloom. I will see how it looks later today.

 

[taricha]

Okay got through day one. There is a heavy bloom going. PH dropped overnight from 8.04 to 7.71. I've got fresh air coming in and turned the skimmer back on with the cup off.

yeah, although you are running other aeration, absolutely need the skimmer operating based on those signs. Without cup is fine.

 

[edolan]

It is day seven of my first round. Everything looks good but I checked the sand under scope and I still see cysts embedded on sand. Lots of other critters in water as well though which I didn't notice before. Going to do a second round but I have a couple of questions.
How much time should I leave between treatments?
Will low or zero NO3 and PO4 levels limit a bacterial bloom? I plan on dosing both but what level should I shoot for?

 

[edolan]

I finished my second round of treatment on May 2 so it has been almost two weeks and my tank looks a lot better. Someone told me that they had success drying out their sand to fight back the amphidinium cysts I was seeing . We had some nice sunny weather so I pulled out my sand in sections, rinsed it, completely dried it out, then rinsed it again and placed it in the sump for a day before moving it back into display. It took about five days to work through all my sand and then I did a second round of treatment with bacteria. I didn't do full doses of vodka because my pH was a bit low but everything has survived quite well. I won't say the battle is completely over but I am super happy that two weeks have gone by and my sand bed is not completely grown over. Also good to see my tank is finally holding nitrate and phosphate. After finishing the treatment I dosed NO3 and PO4 once and it has been holding steady.

 

[nick9one1]

At what ratio should vodka be substituted for vinegar?

I can see taricha quotes vodka having 8* the carbon of vinegar.

Dosing 112ml vinegar in a 200l tank seems like a lot!

 

[dragon99]

At what ratio should vodka be substituted for vinegar?

I can see taricha quotes vodka having 8* the carbon of vinegar.

Dosing 112ml vinegar in a 200l tank seems like a lot!

Yes, you would need 8x vinegar to match the carbon. I would suggest adding that slowly.

 

[nick9one1]

Thanks. When you say slowly, I presume you mean space it out over the course of a day.
i.e. 28ml x4 over 24 hours instead of 112ml all in one go?

 

[CoralClasher]

Thanks. When you say slowly, I presume you mean space it out over the course of a day.
i.e. 28ml x4 over 24 hours instead of 112ml all in one go?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks. When you say slowly, I presume you mean space it out over the course of a day.
i.e. 28ml x4 over 24 hours instead of 112ml all in one go?

Yes.

For all at once dosing of vinegar, should that be needed, saturate it with calcium hydroxide. It won't lower pH on addition.

 

[CJBuckeyes]

The post treatment period seems like it would be pretty important. @Cruz_Arias I've seen your advice regarding promoting diatoms / diversity post treatment, but am curious about your opinions on:

• continued carbon dosing: Would an ongoing smaller dose of carbon continue to help bacteria growth?
• UV: Should this be turned right back on post treatment?
• Water changes: Should these be avoided for any period of time as the tank is recovering?

 

[AJsReef]

• UV: Should this be turned right back on post treatment?

Curious here, since H2O2 is recommended clear the water can UV be substituted without negative impact?

 

[CoralClasher]

Anyone having luck using this method for Cyano? It worked wonders on my Dino and I might try it for Cyano.

 

[Red2143]

I stumbled across this approach in deciding on a dino treatment plan. Whats the latest thinking on this approach since there hasn't been a post in a while.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I stumbled across this approach in deciding on a dino treatment plan. Whats the latest thinking on this approach since there hasn't been a post in a while.

This is a very long thread. Is there a specific procedure you are asking about?

It is a general practice to try to spur competition to beat dinos, either by boosting diatoms by adding silicate, or other organisms such as bacteria or algae by ensuring enough N and P is present (definitely not zero).

 

[Red2143]

This is a very long thread. Is there a specific procedure you are asking about?

It is a general practice to try to spur competition to beat dinos, either by boosting diatoms by adding silicate, or other organisms such as bacteria or algae by ensuring enough N and P is present (definitely not zero).

Thanks for the reply. The steps in the elegant coral regiment specifically. Is there a more updated protocol?