First post... Dino vs silicate question

[FastEddie]

Hello all!
I have had reef tanks up and running “somewhat” successfully since 2008 and I’ve run into an issue that I haven’t been able to defeat with research. I have been fighting Dinos for a couple months now and my corals are starting to suffer so I am desperate to rid my tank of this once and for all.

After exhausting all other avenues I’ve decided (with recommendation) to dose sodium silicate. From what I understand I should let diatoms take over and use the nutrients that the Dino’s would typically use, then after a few weeks, just rid the tank of the diatoms. Never tried this before but I am willing.

has anyone had success in this method? Thank you all in advance.

 

[Arthur_Dent]

Seems to be working well for me. Key is to keep nitrate and phosphate elevated, and make sure you have a positive ID on what type of dino you're dealing with.

I am keeping a detailed log of what I'm doing to deal with them here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-to-saltwater-the-story-of-a-recycled-tank.769289/

I think I've got them beat.

The main dino thread here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

And the amphi dino thread here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/amphidinium-dinoflagellate-treatment-methods.365850/

Both helped me a lot.

 

[FastEddie]

Seems to be working well for me. Key is to keep nitrate and phosphate elevated, and make sure you have a positive ID on what type of dino you're dealing with.

I am keeping a detailed log of what I'm doing to deal with them here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-to-saltwater-the-story-of-a-recycled-tank.769289/

I think I've got them beat.

Thank you. I will look through your progress. I don’t have a positive ID, a buddy of mine has a scope so I may have him take a look at it for me. Should I be running carbon while I’m dosing silicates??

 

[Arthur_Dent]

For me, this is a summary of what seems to be working:

- no3 above 10 (test 2x/day)
- po4 above 0.25 (but kept around 1 for the first week - test 2x/day)
- dosed microbacter 7 and microbacter clean daily
- no skimming / no water changes / no filter floss
- run carbon
- dose silicates (I didn't measure. just 20 drops a day in a 75g w/sump)
- added pods and live phyto (daily 20ml phyto doses)

After doing this about a week, bubbly slime started to show up on the rocks, green was growing everywhere including sand, and I started growing GHA. I saw a massive diatom bloom after a few days.

I then added a (too small) uv setup (8 watts), started skimming (very very dry), and put filter socks/pads back in place (changing 2x daily for now, since they're getting clogged to hell).

Bubbly slime went away overnight after adding the UV, floss and skimming. po4 and no3 also stopped dropping massively overnight. Dropped in 75 gallon cleanup crew from reefcleaners.

Not sure if any of these things in particular did the job, but seems to be working across the board.

 

[Willbiker]

Does the dino look like it had cleared up in the morning then gets worse throughout the day?

Some dino go waterbound at night when lights are off and cling back onto rocks and sand during the day when light is present.
If it looks like it clears up overnight, get a decent size uv with a slow flow water.

Here is is what is winning for me:
-Installed uv
-Up nutrients to 10ppm nitrate and phosphate over 0.1 This is the most important action against dino
-dose microbacter7
-Turn off white lights
-STOP ALL WATER CHABGES
-STOP ALL CORAL FOOD FEEDING


Hope this helps

 

[FastEddie]

Does the dino look like it had cleared up in the morning then gets worse throughout the day?

Some dino go waterbound at night when lights are off and cling back onto rocks and sand during the day when light is present.
If it looks like it clears up overnight, get a decent size uv with a slow flow water.

Here is is what is winning for me:
-Installed uv
-Up nutrients to 10ppm nitrate and phosphate over 0.1 This is the most important action against dino
-dose microbacter7
-Turn off white lights
-STOP ALL WATER CHABGES
-STOP ALL CORAL FOOD FEEDING


Hope this helps

It seems to somewhat disappear over night, gets really bad after a few hours of intense lighting.
I already took all white, red, and greens out of my lighting, only run violet and blue now.

I run a 36 watt UV sterilizer with a slow flow.

things I’ve tried:

removed lighting spectrum as stated above. Also reduced intensity.

stopped all water changes

added sterilizer

siphon dinos into filter dock daily and change it out for clean one.

doubled up on feedings

dosed Dr Tim’s waste away

also dosed bottled phosphates

 

[Willbiker]

Looks like you are doing everything right. Just give it time.

Most important thing other than uv is raised nutrients so make sure you keep these elevate. Even after it's gone, never let nutrients hit 0


Good luck. Carry on as you are