Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[living_tribunal]

I've even heard of people adding some new arganite and dosing diatoms following blackout to basically ensure the dinos get the boot.

 

[12gallonsofhex]

Large amphidinium or small? If I remember correctly, small is a doozie. It too up to 8 days of blackout in one test to eradicate them.

All you want to accomplish by the blackout is knock out the majority of them and weaken them. They will be super easy to turkey baste once you turn the lights on. So go immediately to town. I'd consider doing a light gravel suck and dump in some fritz turbo start and also get a cheap $25-$50 uv to prevent a bacterial bloom.

A bacterial bloom is chump change compared to dino which is by far the worst thing I've experienced since starting this hobby.

Once they are weak, the algae will prevail if your nutrients are up.

I think I have both. The larger ones I can see easily in the microscope. There is also small round dots moving around at 1200x that may be small anphydinium but I cant tell on this cheap microscope. My luck, its definitely them. Lol.

 

[living_tribunal]

I think I have both. The larger ones I can see easily in the microscope. There is also small round dots moving around at 1200x that may be small anphydinium but I cant tell on this cheap microscope. My luck, its definitely them. Lol.

You've got this man. If there are still a bit of them, run blackout for a fourth day. I went on for a fourth day and I think it made all the difference.

Also hit them with hydrogen peroxide for like the first 1-2 days post blackout. They hate it and you'll see the strands just float on up into the water column. Stop after a day or two so that it doesn't prevent the algae coming in.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

The problem is that they are only in the sand. There may be a small amount on the rocks, but its not at all noticeable. I have the anphydinium that are hard to rid, but not very toxic. I have had no losses of cuc, corals, or fish.

Siphon out all the sand and leave it bare bottom for a little while?

 

[sfin52]

Siphon out all the sand and leave it bare bottom for a little while?

Thats my thoughts. I would add some kind of blocks in the sump to replace the lost sand. The prob with amph is they go inti the San bed. Making leave it is a pain but not toxic.

 

[Katrina71]

This may be why I don't battle dinos. I let at least one side of my tank stay dirty with film algae. I let gha grow in spots. I never have an algae free tank.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

This may be why I don't battle dinos. I let at least one side of my tank stay dirty with film algae. I let gha grow in spots. I never have an algae free tank.

What is algae free?

 

[Katrina71]

I'm pretty sure I've had Dino's on a small scale though. Gha took it over.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I'm pretty sure I've had Dino's on a small scale though. Gha took it over.

I had dinosaurs in the tank we do not speak of. Then again, I think I had everything in that tank.

 

[Katrina71]

I think feeding phyto to the tank in very small amounts may help as well.

 

[Katrina71]

@najer curious about your opinion on Dinos. Have you seen them in your tank in small amounts that go away naturally?

 

[NY_Caveman]

I agree. I say it all the time, it will photosynthesize and use nutrients in the tank. Offers food and possibly other unknown benefits as well.

EDIT: regarding phytoplankton

 

[najer]

@najer curious about your opinion on Dinos. Have you seen them in your tank in small amounts that go away naturally?

I have never had them as far as I am aware.

 

[Katrina71]

I have seen a few strands in my tank. 99% sure.

 

[Katrina71]

I have a spot behind my main rock structure that has gha and sponges. A few Tufts of gha in the viewing area as well. My tank is never "clean".

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I got green stringy stuff, green bubbly stuff and red matty stuff. Doubt theres any room for brown snotty stuff but I'm sure if you brought some over I could find a spot somewhere.

 

[NY_Caveman]

FWIW (may have said before), red legged hermit crabs destroyed Cyanobacteria in my tank quickly. Added 10 into 30 gallon display. Could not believe it as I watched it. Was certain they were probably just picking at food.

 

[Katrina71]

Organic Reefing. That's my motto. Let nature do what it's been doing for millions of years.

 

[Katrina71]

I see more and more buzz about phyto and microfauna. I think the key to success is there.

 

[Katrina71]

My ideal lights would replicate the sun's movement too. Cloud cover and everything. Long term goals.