Battle with Dinoflagellates got a question.

[leptang]

Ok a update on my battle with dinoflagellates. Been running a UV sterilizer. I dont want to cut the light because I want other life growing on the rock not Dino's. Been trying to keep up with nutrients, nitrate/phosphate they both keep on dropping to 0. So I started dosing both nitrate and phosphate but after a day or two the phosphate drops from .03 to 0 and the nitrate will go from 5ppm to 0. So I've been trying to keep up with dosing. I tried turning off my skimmer for a week, still no slowing on the consumption of a nutrients. So I've been thinking what in the world is giving a carbon source to the bacteria to deplete the nutrients? I am using limewater, I heard that limewater drops phosphate, but I'm not sure that's the case or even true. So after months of battling Dinoflagellates I think I know what's dropping my nutrients, a Xport NO3 Brick from Brightwell aquatics. The brick has been in my tank from day one starting the tank. The brick is dosed with sulfur. I believe but not sure this is my cause of my nitrate and phosphate dropping to 0. I have 7 fish and I'm afraid if I remove the brick I'll get a bad ammonia spike.
Should I add several blue chromis and try to match the depletion rate of the nitrates and phosphates dropping, or just remove the brick? Keep in mind the tank is a 40g breeder.

 

[wesman42]

Ok a update on my battle with dinoflagellates. Been running a UV sterilizer. I dont want to cut the light because I want other life growing on the rock not Dino's. Been trying to keep up with nutrients, nitrate/phosphate they both keep on dropping to 0. So I started dosing both nitrate and phosphate but after a day or two the phosphate drops from .03 to 0 and the nitrate will go from 5ppm to 0. So I've been trying to keep up with dosing. I tried turning off my skimmer for a week, still no slowing on the consumption of a nutrients. So I've been thinking what in the world is giving a carbon source to the bacteria to deplete the nutrients? I am using limewater, I heard that limewater drops phosphate, but I'm not sure that's the case or even true. So after months of battling Dinoflagellates I think I know what's dropping my nutrients, a Xport NO3 Brick from Brightwell aquatics. The brick has been in my tank from day one starting the tank. The brick is dosed with sulfur. I believe but not sure this is my cause of my nitrate and phosphate dropping to 0. I have 7 fish and I'm afraid if I remove the brick I'll get a bad ammonia spike.
Should I add several blue chromis and try to match the depletion rate of the nitrates and phosphates dropping, or just remove the brick? Keep in mind the tank is a 40g breeder.

How much filtration outside of the rock is there? If you have sand, and live rock...then I wouldn't worry about it causing an ammonia spike. You could even add a bottle of biospira or fritz 9000 to be on the safe side.

I've never used anything like that brick, but it would probably be a good idea (since dealing with Dino's requires close eyes on both parameters) to remove the brick and see what happens.

I'm dealing with Dino's in one of my tanks right now...after beating them in another.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Nitrifying bacteria in the rock and brick both drop no3 AND Po4.

Removing it most likely not cause an ammonia spike , evidenced by the low no3 in your system already.

Lime water does not drop Po4

Also rember that the dinos now are consuming no3 and Po4. Esp if they are in large numbers.
You may need to consider increasing the amount of no4 an Po4 you are dosing.

Manual removal is needed to. Blowing off the Dino Matt’s filter sock changes etc. to reduce the competition. Add bottled bacteria, dr tims one and only or fritzyme , to avoid “ammonia spike” and increase the bio filter sonit can compete with the dino.

 

[leptang]

I have bare bottom tank, no sand. I blow off the Dino's every other day with a turkey baster and I do dose bacteria every other day. Yes I know Dino's consume no4/po4 but not as well as bacteria does. I believe the bacteria in my tank is getting a carbon source to process the nitrates and phosphates base on how the redfield ratio works.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redfield_ratio
With the skimmer off it did slow down the consumption of nutrients but not much. I just think the Dino's are getting the upper hand, when the nitrate and phosphate drop to fast the bacteria are losing their foot on the rocks. Then the Dino's spread in the zero po4/no4 depleted water. The brick doesn't have a trace of Dino's on it, not surprisingly. bacteria are at home on this brick eating the no3/po4 to fast to leave food for bacteria to colonize the rock in the display tank leaving room for the Dino's to do there thing. For what I'm guessing.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

The red field ratio is on study based on the uptake of one planctonic algae.

The bacteria is on and in the rock.
It’s surmised that the lack of higher concentration of bacterial colonies within the rock in new tanks lessens it’s abilities to process nutrients and dinos get a foot hold.
The process of killing the nitrifying bacteria with low p04 is phosphate block.
Dinos appear to be resistant to this as are other organisms.
It’s not just one rock or brick. It’s systemic. If there is no Po4 for the bacteria in the water , it dies and other organisms take over.