Dinos. What to do after blackout?

[40b Starter]

Looking for advice on what to do post 3 day blackout.
Blackout appears successful with glass and rocks fairly clear of Dinos. However sand bed is very dirty with what looks like “dead” cells. Much more black in color than previous brown/green mat.
should I siphon this out?
Turkey baster to get in water column?
Leave alone?

 

[Acros]

I would consider siphoning out the top layer.

What are your nutrients at?

Did you get an ID on the dinos?

 

[40b Starter]

This is what it looks like on sandbed and rocks

 

[Lavey29]

Unless you have corrected your parameters that caused the outbreak, the problem will continue.

 

[40b Starter]

I would consider siphoning out the top layer.

What are your nutrients at?

Did you get an ID on the dinos?

No ID on the Dino’s. I did the coffee filter test to confirm Dino’s but no microscope. I’m guessing ostreopsis. I was battling hair algae for months tried Vibrant = cyano. Tried chemiclean = Dino’s. Kind of textbook missteps.

It Killed all of my snails and 2 hammer corals so fairly toxic. Clowns and watchman goby have been okay. GSP and Xenia are upset but alive.

Tanks is about 2 years old. Added UV one week ago and dosing Neophos and Sodium Nitrate to raise levels.
Phosphate at .06 (Hannah) having trouble bringing this up. Targeting .1
Nitrate at 10-15. (Nyos) This came up quickly with dosing. Targeting 10.
See attached for changes over the last week.

 

[40b Starter]

Unless you have corrected your parameters that caused the outbreak, the problem will continue.

Agreed. I have been trying to get my nutrients straightened out. Made the rookie mistake with chemiclean that I think bottomed out my nutrients and opened the door for Dino’s.
Now that tank is relatively clear of Dino’s I am hoping to remove as much as possible to reduce chance they come storming back.

 

[Lavey29]

Agreed. I have been trying to get my nutrients straightened out. Made the rookie mistake with chemiclean that I think bottomed out my nutrients and opened the door for Dino’s.
Now that tank is relatively clear of Dino’s I am hoping to remove as much as possible to reduce chance they come storming back.

Even though you did the blackout, reduce lights to 6 hours with no whites just blue and UV while you siphon out as much as possible and get your parameters in check.

 

[Acros]

I would get an ID on the dinos. A $16 microscope like this works (anything with 1000x magnification will work for this purpose). Without ID, whatever you do is a shot in the dark.

Science Kits for Kids Microscope Beginner Microscope Kit LED 100X, 400x, and 1200x Magnification Kids Science Toys,red
IMO making any changes to the light, including blackout will not get rid of dinos. If anything it will tick off the corals.

Your nutrients are trending in the right direction.

 

[jmichaelh7]

How do you have the UV plumbed ?

 

[40b Starter]

How do you have the UV plumbed ?

I picked up the Aqua UV 15 watt hang on unit. A bit oversized for 40 gallons but price was right. I have small 200 gph pump in the tank connected directly to the UV that dumps right back into the tank.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Oh that’s good . You should be able to knock the Dino’s out with that method Alone

 

[Acros]

Oh that’s good . You should be able to knock the Dino’s out with that method Alone

Only if it is ostreopsis. Others are very reluctant or won’t go into water. UV will help some, but won’t eliminate anything other than ostreopsis.

If OP has another strain, then the solution is to dose silicates. In which case, UV would be counter productive as it will kill diatoms.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Only if it is ostreopsis. Others are very reluctant or won’t go into water. UV will help some, but won’t eliminate anything other than ostreopsis.

If OP has another strain, then the solution is to dose silicates. In which case, UV would be counter productive as it will kill diatoms.

Turkey baste and let it run into UV. Turkey baste and let it run into Uv.

Or if you want to do all these other black out methods , dose this , etc that’s fine too.

I had both Dino’s in the hobby . At the time they didn’t have the hang on kit for my Aqua uv but I make a custom pvc one

 

[40b Starter]

Thanks everyone.
I will remove what I can and go from there. Will keep nitrates and phosphates up with the lights low/blue/minimal. Keep turkey basting the rocks with UV running for the next week or two and see how things progress.

 

[Dan_P]

Looking for advice on what to do post 3 day blackout.
Blackout appears successful with glass and rocks fairly clear of Dinos. However sand bed is very dirty with what looks like “dead” cells. Much more black in color than previous brown/green mat.
should I siphon this out?
Turkey baster to get in water column?
Leave alone?

It seems like you have something besides dinoflagellates growing based on the picture. Not sure what it is though.

 

[40b Starter]

It seems like you have something besides dinoflagellates growing based on the picture. Not sure what it is though.

Any guesses?
The rock in the back is covered in GSP. Otherwise what’s on the sand and rock on left looks very different after blackout. It went from brown/green mat to very black and chunky. It came out in big pieces when I siphoned it out.

 

[Dan_P]

Any guesses?
The rock in the back is covered in GSP. Otherwise what’s on the sand and rock on left looks very different after blackout. It went from brown/green mat to very black and chunky. It came out in big pieces when I siphoned it out.

Not a clue. A microscope would sort it out quickly.

 

[chipchipbro]

@vetteguy53081 maybe you can help here.

 

[40b Starter]

Not a clue. A microscope would sort it out quickly.

It’s on the shopping list…

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looking for advice on what to do post 3 day blackout.
Blackout appears successful with glass and rocks fairly clear of Dinos. However sand bed is very dirty with what looks like “dead” cells. Much more black in color than previous brown/green mat.
should I siphon this out?
Turkey baster to get in water column?
Leave alone?

Yes- siphon and then:
You really want at least 5-7 days blackout.
Add 1.5ml of liquid bacteria during day next 5 days
Add 1 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide at night
Clean filters daily
Empty skimmer daily