Could this be anything other than Dinos?

[Lavey29]

Not yet. It's a small tank, so water changes are easy and seem to keep things where they should be. Do you know how much those are?

True water changes should suffice and I was doing weekly changes but was amazed to see how some of my parameters were very high and others very low. Things we cant test for. I had high aluminum for example. I ordered my test from Amazon for $45. You make an account, they send you everything in a small postage paid packet. The samples went to Germany for testing. Then they upload your analysis to your account. They check your RODI too. I used ATI labs for my first test 3 weeks back and am now making corrections to my parameters accordingly.

 

[Garf]

Not yet. It's a small tank, so water changes are easy and seem to keep things where they should be. Do you know how much those are?

You can do a lot of water changes for what an ICP test costs.

 

[Lavey29]

You can do a lot of water changes for what an ICP test costs.

But how do you if something like high metals from a tiny rusty part in your equipment is slowly killing your corals? Water changes not really going to cure that. I think a test every 4 months is worth it.

 

[Just John]

True water changes should suffice and I was doing weekly changes but was amazed to see how some of my parameters were very high and others very low. Things we cant test for. I had high aluminum for example. I ordered my test from Amazon for $45. You make an account, they send you everything in a small postage paid packet. The samples went to Germany for testing. Then they upload your analysis to your account. They check your RODI too. I used ATI labs for my first test 3 weeks back and am now making corrections to my parameters accordingly.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Just John]

I just started a new thread on this when I should have just asked here, but I can't delete it now. If dipping frags in something like Coral Rx or something else will kill them, I will set up a 10 gal tank to keep the frags I can remove in while I sort out the dinos in the dt. Some of these frags may not do well with a h2o2 dip, which I assume would kill the dinos.

 

[vetteguy53081]

True water changes should suffice and I was doing weekly changes but was amazed to see how some of my parameters were very high and others very low. Things we cant test for. I had high aluminum for example. I ordered my test from Amazon for $45. You make an account, they send you everything in a small postage paid packet. The samples went to Germany for testing. Then they upload your analysis to your account. They check your RODI too. I used ATI labs for my first test 3 weeks back and am now making corrections to my parameters accordingly.

Dude- No. . . . each holiday keep your eyes open for ICP specials- Buy one get one free.
I bought two sets black Friday and have 4 on hand and cost me $86 (thats like $21.50 each)

 

[Lavey29]

Dude- No. . . . each holiday keep your eyes open for ICP specials- Buy one get one free.
I bought two sets black Friday and have 4 on hand and cost me $86 (thats like $21.50 each)

Excellent tip thanks

 

[Just John]

Dude- No. . . . each holiday keep your eyes open for ICP specials- Buy one get one free.
I bought two sets black Friday and have 4 on hand and cost me $86 (thats like $21.50 each)

Yeah sorry, I know you responded to both threads. I stupidly posted to both of them and can't remove the other thread.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yeah sorry, I know you responded to both threads. I stupidly posted to both of them and can't remove the other thread.

No biggie. Gives others an opportunity to see this method

 

[Dan_P]

I was hoping to hear someone identify it as an algae, but I guess I get back to treating for diatoms.

It looks like a single cell algae. I was just going through the post to see if someone else suggested it.

 

[Dan_P]

Thanks for the picture and details. CUC is just snails and they seem fine. What concerns me is that all of my corals are miserable. Most zoas have that crumpled up look or are closed and most Ricordea Fl. are oddly curled or closed. I put in some charcoal last night and did a 50% water change (I have done that occasionally and nothing cares - it's just softies and a couple LPS) but very little improvement this morning.

It might be difficult to distinguish between the coral reacting to the single cell algae and what you are doing to the system. Don’t end up killing your coral in an attempt to control a microorganism.

 

[Dan_P]

Have you done a recent ICP test? I was amazed at how far off some of my Hanna checkers were. Healthy corals = nutrients, lighting and flow. If one of these is out of sync then the corals begin to decline.

I will put in a plug for the Hanna Checker producing more accurate data than ICP analysis.

 

[Lavey29]

I will put in a plug for the Hanna Checker producing more accurate data than ICP analysis.

That's what's confusing to me at times. It's almost like you need a third method test validation when you find a large discrepancy.

 

[Dan_P]

That's what's confusing to me at times. It's almost like you need a third method test validation when you find a large discrepancy.

If you keep a reference standard around, you can confirm that the Hanna Checker or whatever test you are using is performing correctly when a discrepancy occurs. That should be enough to resolve the confusion.

ICP tests have trouble with phosphorous. The vendors should really either stop testing it or give a warning that the results are semi-quantitative. There are other troublesome elements.

 

[Lavey29]

If you keep a reference standard around, you can confirm that the Hanna Checker or whatever test you are using is performing correctly when a discrepancy occurs. That should be enough to resolve the confusion.

ICP tests have trouble with phosphorous. The vendors should really either stop testing it or give a warning that the results are semi-quantitative. There are other troublesome elements.

My biggest margin was calcium. Hanna was 470 and ICP was 379?

 

[damsels are not mean]

But how do you if something like high metals from a tiny rusty part in your equipment is slowly killing your corals? Water changes not really going to cure that. I think a test every 4 months is worth it.

While I think ICP tests can be good and will help with these issues, if you are regularly thoroughly inspecting and servicing your equipment, these things don't happen.

 

[Dan_P]

My biggest margin was calcium. Hanna was 470 and ICP was 379?

Are you using distilled water in the calcium test?

 

[Lavey29]

Are you using distilled water in the calcium test?

My RODI

 

[Lavey29]

While I think ICP tests can be good and will help with these issues, if you are regularly thoroughly inspecting and servicing your equipment, these things don't happen.

Totally agree but little things in trace elements can add up and we don't test for them. I was surprised to find low iodine number even though I weekly water change with coral pro salt and was dosing chaeto gro for the fuge.

 

[Just John]

@ScottB and @taricha do you have an idea of how long it would take for fresh water to kill dino cysts? I want to add water to another tank, but I have been using my containers with the tank that has dinos and I let some of the water sit in the container for a couple of days.