Help! Dino Problem

[codytbuckner]

A short while ago, I was dealing with high nutrients and a cyano problem. I managed to get rid of the cyano and replaced it with dinos. I am reading zero phosphates. Nitrates are above 4ppm. I am over feeding and not running a protien skimmer. I'm considering dosing phosphate. Any ideas? Btw this is an extremely lightly stocked tank. What do I do?

 

[GoVols]

@Fudsey
Would you fire in the pods? Was there some pod food that you used too?

Thanks, Freddie

 

[Billldg]

Realistically, their r 2 ways to deal with dinos, if your dinos disappear at night then a UV sterilizer will work. The other is to promote green algae, as it out competes the dinos for nutrients thus killing it. I promoted green algae and was able to get rid of dinos. Not having a heavy load on the tank makes it harder to raise nitrates and phosphates. You can dos Neophos and raise your phosphates. The UV sterilizer is a quicker way to get rid of dinos if your dinos go into the water column at night, the other way is a little slower as you have to get green algae to grow before it starts to work.

 

[codytbuckner]

Realistically, their r 2 ways to deal with dinos, if your dinos disappear at night then a UV sterilizer will work. The other is to promote green algae, as it out competes the dinos for nutrients thus killing it. I promoted green algae and was able to get rid of dinos. Not having a heavy load on the tank makes it harder to raise nitrates and phosphates. You can dos Neophos and raise your phosphates. The UV sterilizer is a quicker way to get rid of dinos if your dinos go into the water column at night, the other way is a little slower as you have to get green algae to grow before it starts to work.

The dinos do not go into the water column at night. The problem is that im feeding like crazy and I turned off the protien skimmer a week ago to dirty the tank up and phosphates are non existent. I see no reason for phosphates to be eaten up like that while nitrates are high. If I keep doing what I'm doing, I feel nitrates will continue to rise while phosphates stay where they are

 

[dwest]

The dinos do not go into the water column at night. The problem is that im feeding like crazy and I turned off the protien skimmer a week ago to dirty the tank up and phosphates are non existent. I see no reason for phosphates to be eaten up like that while nitrates are high. If I keep doing what I'm doing, I feel nitrates will continue to rise while phosphates stay where they are

Are they mostly on sand or rocks?

 

[ReefWithCare]

Was this a dry rock dry sand start?

 

[dwest]

Are they mostly on sand or rocks?

Either way I would add phosphates to get a measurable amount. A cheap microscope will help you ID them. If they are mostly in the sand and don’t go away at night, they likely are amphidinium however.

Scope
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071JQFXC4/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

ID help
http://www.algaeid.com/identification/

Amphidinium thread
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/amphidinium-dinoflagellate-treatment-methods.365850/

 

[codytbuckner]

Are they mostly on sand or rocks?

All over the sand bed. But on rock too

 

[codytbuckner]

Was this a dry rock dry sand start?

Live rock and sand

 

[codytbuckner]

Either way I would add phosphates to get a measurable amount. A cheap microscope will help you ID them. If they are mostly in the sand and don’t go away at night, they likely are amphidinium however.

Scope
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071JQFXC4/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

ID help
http://www.algaeid.com/identification/

Amphidinium thread
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/amphidinium-dinoflagellate-treatment-methods.365850/

Silica dosing sounds like a cyano outbreak to me?

 

[dwest]

Silica dosing sounds like a cyano outbreak to me?

If you dose silica you will likely (hopefully) get a diatom bloom. Diatoms are much better than dinos! The diatoms can hopefully outcompete the dinos. Then, a cuc can take care of diatoms.

 

[codytbuckner]

If you dose silica you will likely (hopefully) get a diatom bloom. Diatoms are much better than dinos! The diatoms can hopefully outcompete the dinos. Then, a cuc can take care of diatoms.

What is a good product to dose silicates?

 

[dwest]

What is a good product to dose silicates?

I used brightwells sponge excel. I would start there. If you end up needing to dose a bunch and need a bulk supply, there are some discussing on the amphidinium thread. If you get a tester, the Hanna is the way to go.

 

[Neoalchemist]

Op needs to get po4 up before dosing silicates. Silicates need some free po4 to get going. Sea chem's Flourish is easy to get your hands on and the bottle will last awhile.