Dinos becoming a problem... what now

[Cwentz758]

Do you have a link to a microscope that cheap. When I looked the cheapest I found was like $40

Science Kits for Kids Microscope Beginner Microscope Kit LED 100X, 400x, and 1200x Magnification Kids Science Toys,red

 

[zalick]

I went the more "all natural" route battling dinos. Big mistake. It wiped out all my snails, SPS and some LPS. I kept nutrients elevated. Siphoned daily. Turkey baster rocks 2x a day. None worked. I battled it for maybe two years. Exhausting on a 300g.

Ended up dosing dinoX and running UV in my DT. It was gone in 2 weeks and hasn't returned. Wish I had done that at the beginning. Would have saved me time and my coral.

I'm not sure what a rip clean on your sand would do for the dinos. Dinos take over in a ULN system. That's how mine got a foothold. I was intentionally running ULN with undetectable PO4 and NO3.

 

[JosephM]

I went the more "all natural" route battling dinos. Big mistake. It wiped out all my snails, SPS and some LPS. I kept nutrients elevated. Siphoned daily. Turkey baster rocks 2x a day. None worked. I battled it for maybe two years. Exhausting on a 300g.

Ended up dosing dinoX and running UV in my DT. It was gone in 2 weeks and hasn't returned. Wish I had done that at the beginning. Would have saved me time and my coral.

I'm not sure what a rip clean on your sand would do for the dinos. Dinos take over in a ULN system. That's how mine got a foothold. I was intentionally running ULN with undetectable PO4 and NO3.

I think that’s how mine started with undetectable P04 and N03. I just reallyyy don’t wanna use UV route because it’ll make my daily dosing of live phyto pointless and harm my pod population. I’m hoping that elevated nutrients and changing sock daily in early Dino stages will solve it for me

 

[zalick]

I think that’s how mine started with undetectable P04 and N03. I just reallyyy don’t wanna use UV route because it’ll make my daily dosing of live phyto pointless and harm my pod population. I’m hoping that elevated nutrients and changing sock daily in early Dino stages will solve it for me

Good luck! I hope that works for you. I'd be prepared to change tactics quickly if it starts creeping on your sps at all.

Not only do dino smother but they are toxic.....


In the first 15yrs of reefing I'd never even heard of dinos.... Ugh

 

[JosephM]

Good luck! I hope that works for you. I'd be prepared to change tactics quickly if it starts creeping on your sps at all.

Not only do dino smother but they are toxic.....


In the first 15yrs of reefing I'd never even heard of dinos.... Ugh

I’ll probably purchase a UV to have on hand. Gonna buy that microscope today so I can get a true ID to you guys.

 

[brandon429]

Any degree of light reduction is safe just ramp up slow, experiment since anything that’s a lesser intensity can’t harm.

 

[brandon429]

One of the powerful things from the big thread you can see isn’t littered with dinos problems is that right when you see basic measures not working in a week or two, if the easy stuff doesnt help, a rip clean will set your tank straight and that alone might kill it off, but you’ll nonetheless have fractional target to be dealing with vs the full-on invaded, basted dinos tanks you can see in invasion posts. We have a cheat opt out button for all that, and it’s never harmful. All you’d do basically is lift out rocks, catch fish hold with corals, twist off rocks in tank water then set outside the tank, drain down the tank water and toss

hit the sandbed exactly as we do

fill up 29 gallons aged and heated and circulated to match temp and salinity only. Set rocks back in

add back fish and corals. When needed that’s the step but still check some completed jobs first from the roll to catch small details

most people expect a rip clean to end all access they’ll ever need, it’s an edge-gainer, we are still messing with the capital scourge in reefing. Right after a rip clean, if the light export modes from above are aimed as guidance, that can provide a cure just the same, quickly. Left to amass, dinos are being dinos.

 

[JosephM]

Just purchased the cheap microscope, it comes in tomorrow so I’ll have some pics for you guys. Would Micro Bacter 7 aid or just be a waste of money?

 

[JosephM]

One of the powerful things from the big thread you can see isn’t littered with dinos problems is that right when you see basic measures not working in a week or two, if the easy stuff doesnt help, a rip clean will set your tank straight and that alone might kill it off, but you’ll nonetheless have fractional target to be dealing with vs the full-on invaded, basted dinos tanks you can see in invasion posts. We have a cheat opt out button for all that, and it’s never harmful. All you’d do basically is lift out rocks, catch fish hold with corals, twist off rocks in tank water then set outside the tank, drain down the tank water and toss

hit the sandbed exactly as we do

fill up 29 gallons aged and heated and circulated to match temp and salinity only. Set rocks back in

add back fish and corals. When needed that’s the step but still check some completed jobs first from the roll to catch small details

Sounds good Brandon! Hopefully I’ll start seeing a breakthrough so I don’t have to go through all that. I’ll definitely keep this thread updated along the journey and I’m sure I’ll have lots more questions in the comings days

 

[1guydude]

Those ppl sellin those microscopes are makin a killin off u guys recommending them! Lol!
Another dino thread.
-d

 

[JosephM]

Don’t mean to be redundant but will microbacter7 help or hurt? I have like an hr to order so I get next day shipping. I’ve looked up and there’s mixed reviews on helping with dinos. Some say it helps to add that biodiversity but it’ll also lower what I’m trying to raise. Lowering N03 and P04 is fine by me because I’ll be testing daily until I beat dinos and I can just dose more to raise it if MB7 is lowering them

 

[brandon429]

It simply does not harm to try it, none of those digesting bac mixes are harmful you can indeed try some. Since test kit comparison threads show three brands varying wildly in readings off a same sample, evaluate the test kits knowing that. theyre approximations

 

[zalick]

Don’t mean to be redundant but will microbacter7 help or hurt? I have like an hr to order so I get next day shipping. I’ve looked up and there’s mixed reviews on helping with dinos. Some say it helps to add that biodiversity but it’ll also lower what I’m trying to raise. Lowering N03 and P04 is fine by me because I’ll be testing daily until I beat dinos and I can just dose more to raise it if MB7 is lowering them

I read tons and elected to use dinoX instead of MB7. I don't think it would hurt.

 

[JosephM]

I read tons and elected to use dinoX instead of MB7. I don't think it would hurt.

I’ve read so much about Dino x harming corals and to only use it as a last resort though?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Simplify the process.
First- Check phosphates and nitrates to assure theyre not elevated.
Prepare by starting with a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15%) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off.
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as bacter 7) per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights - ramping up and work your white lights up slowly

 

[zalick]

I’ve read so much about Dino x harming corals and to only use it as a last resort though?

Yeah, I guess my sps had all died already.

It didn't affect my LPS/softy at all.

I honestly don't think the dinoX did anything.

I think the cure for me was UV

 

[JosephM]

Simplify the process.
First- Check phosphates and nitrates to assure theyre not elevated.
Prepare by starting with a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15%) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off.
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as bacter 7) per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights - ramping up and work your white lights up slowly

Thank you for your recommendation. I’m going to get an ID tomorrow and start with a different less severe plan of attack since I’m in the early stages. If that doesn’t work I’ll go to this a little more extreme.

 

[JosephM]

Yeah, I guess my sps had all died already.

It didn't affect my LPS/softy at all.

I honestly don't think the dinoX did anything.

I think the cure for me was UV

I only have 3 SPS and haven’t seen any Dinos on them yet. They love my rocks first and then favia and zoas are attacked the most behind that

 

[JosephM]

Just got done with the first session of siphoning out as much nasty out and it went great. Some sand came out too but it’s all going through a filter sock so no biggie. Microscope is coming in later and I’m about to head to work so I probably won’t get an ID until late tonight or tomorrow. But the question is. I’m getting some of the usual green film algae, I’d normally scrape this as it’s just annoying to look through, but I feel with dinos it might be best to leave it be so it can help compete with dinos. What do you guys think?

 

[JosephM]

Welp. 99% sure it’s ostreopsis dinos UGHHH, right when everything was going well

I know the pictures are horrible and I don’t wanna go through all the trouble of uploading a vid to YouTube. I’m reading so much and everything is so conflicting. I’m thinking keep up with blowing off rocks, siphoning, dimmed lights, increased N03 and P04, adding bacteria and dosing live phyto. I’m seeing that quite a bit of people say lights out is only temporary and unless you change something they come right back. Others says UV works great and some say don’t do it because it might do more bad then good with destroying good micro fauna. MicroBacter7 is coming in tomorrow and I plan on dosing daily 1ml/10gal. What I see in common with most peoples plan of attack is increased nutrients in water column and as much biodiversity as possible. Should I pick up another bottle or two of bacteria or get a piece of live rock and smash it up to add some rubble to my sump (goin to LFS tomorrow)? I’m seeing H202 is useless against ostreopsis and many people having success with vibrant. I know vibrant is known to lower N03 (maybe P04?) so I’m assuming I’d need to be ready to dose N03 to keep them elevated