Dinos?

[reeferfoxx]

About 2 years

What do you have for filtration, your clean up crew, and nutrient parameters?

 

[Sottish_Reefer]

My microscope came today this is a photo of some algae I scraped off at 1200x. There are a couple of see through blobs moving around and the brown blob you can see is also moving slowly. I also saw what looked to be a transparent worm looking thing there as well but you can't see it from the picture

 

[Sottish_Reefer]

Caught the worm looking thing. Maybe these images are better?

 

[Sottish_Reefer]

On the other hand it looks like a head on my candy cane is about to split [emoji16]

 

[reeferfoxx]

Caught the worm looking thing. Maybe these images are better?

The worms are nematodes. The brown things moving are dinos. I can't stress anymore the diversity of organisms that need to be added. Live rock, live sand, pods, rotifers, plankton etc etc. Maintain nutrients and reduce water chances to once a month.

 

[Sottish_Reefer]

The worms are nematodes. The brown things moving are dinos. I can't stress anymore the diversity of organisms that need to be added. Live rock, live sand, pods, rotifers, plankton etc etc. Maintain nutrients and reduce water chances to once a month.

Are nematodes a bad thing?

I really thought I had enough rock and sand in my tank. Especially since I don't have a big bio load?

I take it is not a toxic form of dinos since my snails are still ok? I've had a couple of snails in there since I started my tanks 18 months ago.

I will have a look online for pods etc. I just don't think my LFS stocks them. I will hopefully get in to my LFS this weekend as well though and get more live rock.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Are nematodes a bad thing?

These are the beneficial nematodes. No worries about them.

I really thought I had enough rock and sand in my tank. Especially since I don't have a big bio load?

The amount of rock or sand in this case isn't important, it's what comes on the rock that is important. Organisms put on a daily fight for survival. Dinos actually suck at competing for nutrients BUT have many mechanisms to obtain nutrients.

I take it is not a toxic form of dinos since my snails are still ok? I've had a couple of snails in there since I started my tanks 18 months ago.

One of those mechanisms is the toxic snot that they produce. When nutrients are limited, the next step is for dinos to release toxins to kill off remaining organisms. When those organisms die, they release nutrients back into the water column. The result of this keeps dinos the dominant organism. Your dinos are comfortable for the time being. You are supplying the tank with a buffet of nutrients benefitting all organisms. Only time will shift dominance to beneficial organisms. However, without the diversity of organisms, it will be a long battle. That's why I suggest seeding the tank.

You only need a couple pounds of each live rock and sand. I would look for sand from an established tank and not bagged live sand.

 

[Sottish_Reefer]

These are the beneficial nematodes. No worries about them.

The amount of rock or sand in this case isn't important, it's what comes on the rock that is important. Organisms put on a daily fight for survival. Dinos actually suck at competing for nutrients BUT have many mechanisms to obtain nutrients.

One of those mechanisms is the toxic snot that they produce. When nutrients are limited, the next step is for dinos to release toxins to kill off remaining organisms. When those organisms die, they release nutrients back into the water column. The result of this keeps dinos the dominant organism. Your dinos are comfortable for the time being. You are supplying the tank with a buffet of nutrients benefitting all organisms. Only time will shift dominance to beneficial organisms. However, without the diversity of organisms, it will be a long battle. That's why I suggest seeding the tank.

You only need a couple pounds of each live rock and sand. I would look for sand from an established tank and not bagged live sand.

Will this be enough for my tank?

Will a bottle of BB like Dr tims etc be worth it?

 

[stacksoner]

What do you have for filtration, your clean up crew, and nutrient parameters?

Filtration:
- 4 Red Sea Filter Cups w floss, polyfilter, phosguard
- Refugium w chaeto + kessil h380
- Algae scrubber w 2 kessil h80's
- Geo Ozone Reactor
- NYOS Skimmer

CUC: 2 tuzedo urchins, and a handful of trochus, astrea, cerith snails, a few hermit crabs, 2 fighting conchs

I'm on Triton Method. 0 ammo, 0 nitrate; however, phosphate exhausts gfo/phosguard rather quickly.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Will this be enough for my tank?

Will a bottle of BB like Dr tims etc be worth it?

That should be a good start. Did they have amphipods?

 

[reeferfoxx]

Filtration:
- 4 Red Sea Filter Cups w floss, polyfilter, phosguard
- Refugium w chaeto + kessil h380
- Algae scrubber w 2 kessil h80's
- Geo Ozone Reactor
- NYOS Skimmer

CUC: 2 tuzedo urchins, and a handful of trochus, astrea, cerith snails, a few hermit crabs, 2 fighting conchs

I'm on Triton Method. 0 ammo, 0 nitrate; however, phosphate exhausts gfo/phosguard rather quickly.

You might be going a little overboard with nutrient reduction.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Will this be enough for my tank?

Will a bottle of BB like Dr tims etc be worth it?

Oh and I would pass on the Dr Tim's one and only. If they have Dr Tim's Eco balance, I would get that.

Also, 100ml of phyto isnti enough. Need at least 500ml.

 

[Sottish_Reefer]

Oh and I would pass on the Dr Tim's one and only. If they have Dr Tim's Eco balance, I would get that.

Also, 100ml of phyto isnti enough. Need at least 500ml.

Ok. I'll have a look for the Dr tims (any other substitute if I can't find that?)

No they don't have amphipods. I'll see if I can get from another site.

Do I just add all these straight into the tank when they arrive?

 

[reeferfoxx]

Ok. I'll have a look for the Dr tims (any other substitute if I can't find that?)

No they don't have amphipods. I'll see if I can get from another site.

Do I just add all these straight into the tank when they arrive?

I don't personally think adding bacteria will benefit fully. The Dr. Tim's Eco balance is a probiotic that helps proliferate available bacteria and any other bacteria already trying to establish. Since the nitrifying bacteria is already established, other types will follow suit. I wouldn't go to the ends of the Earth to seek out Eco Balance but if you run across it, it will help.

When you get the pods, it best to add them directly on to the rocks with the lights and pumps off. Allow them to settle for 20 minutes. Then turn the pumps and lights on. Turning the lights on will prompt them to hide which is what you want so fish don't get to them.

When dosing the phyto, dose about 50ml twice a day. It will go quick but should be enough to get the pods going.

 

[Sottish_Reefer]

I don't personally think adding bacteria will benefit fully. The Dr. Tim's Eco balance is a probiotic that helps proliferate available bacteria and any other bacteria already trying to establish. Since the nitrifying bacteria is already established, other types will follow suit. I wouldn't go to the ends of the Earth to seek out Eco Balance but if you run across it, it will help.

When you get the pods, it best to add them directly on to the rocks with the lights and pumps off. Allow them to settle for 20 minutes. Then turn the pumps and lights on. Turning the lights on will prompt them to hide which is what you want so fish don't get to them.

When dosing the phyto, dose about 50ml twice a day. It will go quick but should be enough to get the pods going.

Ok that's those 3 ordered.

Would this be the right amphipods? Seems a bit exrteam at basically £1/pod?

 

[reeferfoxx]

Ok that's those 3 ordered.

Would this be the right amphipods? Seems a bit exrteam at basically £1/pod?

Yikes. If it's the only option, go for it. That's too bad though

They will reproduce with the additions of rotifers and plankton but that's just such a low amount. If any of them are dead on arrival, see if they will replace them? ;Hilarious

 

[stacksoner]

You might be going a little overboard with nutrient reduction.

I

You might be going a little overboard with nutrient reduction.

Lol! I think you're right on the money. This clip is an accurate representation of my entire learning experience in the hobby! Enjoy!

 

[reeferfoxx]

I


Lol! I think you're right on the money. This clip is an accurate representation of my entire learning experience in the hobby! Enjoy!

ROFL ;Hilarious

 

[Sottish_Reefer]

Yikes. If it's the only option, go for it. That's too bad though

They will reproduce with the additions of rotifers and plankton but that's just such a low amount. If any of them are dead on arrival, see if they will replace them? ;Hilarious

I'm afraid that's all I can find. I'll maybe get some more next month.

Should I wait until I get this figured out before I get those extra snails if it's dinos then?

 

[reeferfoxx]

I'm afraid that's all I can find. I'll maybe get some more next month.

Should I wait until I get this figured out before I get those extra snails if it's dinos then?

Hold off on the snails they don't eat dinos. Honestly, I think the little bloom will be short lived. It's not uncommon for young tanks to see dinos especially if Coral were added prematurely. Most folks see them as diatoms, unless ID'd.

I would consider adding pods in steps. Purchase live rock and marine blocks, then add pods to display and sump, then start dosing rotifers followed up with plankton. The pods will go to town on rotifers and plankton but if I'm not mistaken rotifers will also eat plankton. So you are supplying the whole tank with food that it needs and enough food for procreation. That's the goal right now.

If the bloom persists between now and a week after the new additions, I suspect this bloom to only last a month at most. I think in the long run you'll be very happy with your decisions and start seeing corals and fish thriving. What you are adding is something that a lot of reefers neglect to add resulting in issues after issues. Trust me, I was that reefer lol.