Help! Cyano outbreak, dinos, or both?

[Tbg299]

I've had a big bacteria bloom in my tank this week. Most of the cyano I have been blowing off my sandbed and rocks, but it just regrows overnight. Today i noticed little bubbles developing. Are these dinoflagellates? If so, how can I protect my corals from them? I have 3 chalices, 2 monti caps, 2 stylophora and 2 birdsnest.

Parameters:
pH: 8.1-8.2
dKH: 9.9
Ca: 506
Mg: 1500
NH3: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 10 ppm
PO4: 0.18 ppm

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

It does look like dinos. But I will be the first (and not last) to request pictures in white light as the heavy blue lighting doesn't make for easy viewing of....anything

 

[Tbg299]

It does look like dinos. But I will be the first (and not last) to request pictures in white light as the heavy blue lighting doesn't make for easy viewing of....anything

Here are some pics under white lighting

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Yeah it does look like dinos. @vetteguy53081 has a dino "battle plan" that seems to be working for others battling the dastardly dinos

 

[Tbg299]

Yeah it does look like dinos. @vetteguy53081 has a dino "battle plan" that seems to be working for others battling the dastardly dinos

Thanks, I'll take a look at it. How do I prevent the toxins from killing my corals? Should I run some activated carbon?

 

[Tbg299]

Also my nutrients aren't that low... I thought low nutrients is what caused dinos to grow. I'm very confused.

 

[dedragon]

It matters the specific species of dinos, you need a microscope to figure that out. I got rid of my cyano and dinos mostly by h2o2 dosing and then switching to a sochting oxydator to do it for me. I also dosed live phytoplankton(mixed species) and pns pro bio for bacterial diversity.
It is super easy and cheap to dose 3% hydrogen peroxide and phyto though. Havent heard of either crashing a tank before

 

[dedragon]

UV sterilizer may be the way to go if you cant treat it using other methods

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Thanks, I'll take a look at it. How do I prevent the toxins from killing my corals? Should I run some activated carbon?

Only some varieties of dino are toxic, and they're only toxic if ingested. So that's not a worry for your corals. What will kill the corals is if they're covered in dinos and can't get enough light. Use a turkey baster and blow as much as you can off the rocks and coral at least once a day, that will get those dinos into the water column and (ideally) into your filtration.

 

[Tbg299]

It matters the specific species of dinos, you need a microscope to figure that out. I got rid of my cyano and dinos mostly by h2o2 dosing and then switching to a sochting oxydator to do it for me. I also dosed live phytoplankton(mixed species) and pns pro bio for bacterial diversity.
It is super easy and cheap to dose 3% hydrogen peroxide and phyto though. Havent heard of either crashing a tank before

I dose 30 ml of Ocean Magik phyto every night as well as Oyster Feast and Rotifeast.

 

[dedragon]

I would quit the oyster feast and rotifeast for the moment until you get more corals/growth. Maybe just the rotifeast as the oyster feast will add more phosphates and nitrates that bacteria and algae can consume faster than you can test for it

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

I dose 30 ml of Ocean Magik phyto every night as well as Oyster Feast and Rotifeast.

Keep dosing the phyto, stop the oyster feast and rotifeast. The phyto is good because they'll compete with the dinos for food, the others are just food for dinos

 

[Tbg299]

It matters the specific species of dinos, you need a microscope to figure that out. I got rid of my cyano and dinos mostly by h2o2 dosing and then switching to a sochting oxydator to do it for me. I also dosed live phytoplankton(mixed species) and pns pro bio for bacterial diversity.
It is super easy and cheap to dose 3% hydrogen peroxide and phyto though. Havent heard of either crashing a tank before

It matters the specific species of dinos, you need a microscope to figure that out. I got rid of my cyano and dinos mostly by h2o2 dosing and then switching to a sochting oxydator to do it for me. I also dosed live phytoplankton(mixed species) and pns pro bio for bacterial diversity.
It is super easy and cheap to dose 3% hydrogen peroxide and phyto though. Havent heard of either crashing a tank before

I used a turkey baster to blow them off my corals. Thankfully there are none on the sps. They were mostly on my chalice corals and favites where flow is moderate to low. I'm not going to blow off the cyano. I'm hoping the cyano will outcompete the dinos.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks, I'll take a look at it. How do I prevent the toxins from killing my corals? Should I run some activated carbon?

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

 

[dedragon]

I guess i was pretty spot on with the bacteria and h2o2 then, will adding phyto hurt in this instance?

 

[Tbg299]

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

Thanks so much. What % water change would you recommend? I will stop feeding the coral food, continue with the phyto, and buy some bacter 7.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks so much. What % water change would you recommend? I will stop feeding the coral food, continue with the phyto, and buy some bacter 7.

Siphon up as much as you can and replace what youve taken out- no ceratin gallons

 

[Tbg299]

It matters the specific species of dinos, you need a microscope to figure that out. I got rid of my cyano and dinos mostly by h2o2 dosing and then switching to a sochting oxydator to do it for me. I also dosed live phytoplankton(mixed species) and pns pro bio for bacterial diversity.
It is super easy and cheap to dose 3% hydrogen peroxide and phyto though. Havent heard of either crashing a tank before

What kind of microscope would you recommend that won't break the bank?

 

[Tbg299]

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

I used the Mobius app for my two XR15 Radions to use only 15% intensity, only blue and royal blue. Can my sps survive with that amount of lighting for 5 days?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I used the Mobius app for my two XR15 Radions to use only 15% intensity, only blue and royal blue. Can my sps survive with that amount of lighting for 5 days?

Yes