HELP!! I'm scared my tank is crashing.

[Gexx]

I've had dinoflagellates pop up on occasion, usually when I get too busy to do my normal tank maintenance routine for a couple weeks.

Dinoflagellates have two "morphologies", the aggregation one which you see here that occurs during the day, but then also a free floating form which usually occurs at night. Check your tank at night and see if it magically looks better, best to do this right before the lights come on.

That being said, I've had good luck doing the water changes at night (when the Dinos are free floating) and continuing my normal maintenance routine, they usually clear up within a couple weeks. i feed heavily broadcast and target, so two small water changes a week keep me in check. But if I miss those, its only a matter of time before the dinos pop up again.

i would be real concerned for your SPS/LPS coral, as these seem to get hit the hardest. your softies may not open while covered, but a turkey baster can be used to clear them daily until it clears up.

 

[REEFer86]

I agree with others regarding dinos. Lots of info and mis-info out there. Here is an account of my battle with dinos ; it’s something that can be beat ; uv + raising and balancing N and P helped for me. Good luck

Definitely confirms my knowledge and what I’ve concluded. Thanks for sharing the video very helpful and affirmative.

 

[mtdaly85]

I battled a really nasty outbreak of Ostreopsis Dinoflagellates back in January. I attributed the outbreak to being a new(er) tank as it was just 6 months old at the time and an imbalance of nitrates and phosphates. As others have stated, dinos really thrive in environments with near zero phosphates. The lack of phosphates and therefore other bacteria / algae / microorganisms create an opportunity for dinos to rapidly reproduce and take over the tank.

I'd start with removing the GFO and "dirtying up" the tank. You want biodiversity in place of dinos. Do not remove the carbon (in fact, I'd be changing out the carbon on a more frequent basis if I were you). If your sandbed and rock are clean at night when the lights are off, you are likely dealing with a type of dino that enters the water column at night. This is when you "attack." Invest in a properly sized UV sterlizer (I used a 55w Jebao attached with clear flexible tubing to a 300 gph pump) and place the pump that feeds the UV into the tank (not the sump) during the first 5 days. You can then move it to the sump to get it out of the way if you prefer while it runs during the next 3 weeks (I did 3 weeks just to be certain they were really gone).

If you have the type of dinos that enter the water column at night, you could possibly have ostreopsis like I did. These are EXTREMELY toxic to fish and corals (humans too, so make sure you really scrub your hands / arms / etc.). A properly sized bag or reactor full of carbon will take care of the toxins. However, you should mentally be prepared to lose some corals if you do in fact have ostreopsis. Continue to turkey baste (especially at night) and just never let your phosphates go to zero again.

Jebao UV:

 

[vetteguy53081]

At what dose?

1.05ml Per 10 gallons

 

[HOOPDEEZ]

The underlying problem is the lack of PO4, correct this by removing GFO. You could even dose a lil neo phos (brightwell product) or something similar for a short time till it balances out

 

[Dom]

1.05ml Per 10 gallons

I'm doing 1ml/gallon for a week now, with no noticeable changes in either direction. But let me not send this thread off on a tangent.

 

[MnFish1]

Sorry for your problems - this seems to always happen on vacation. You've received great advice so far

 

[MnFish1]

What is the physical difference between Dino’s and Cyano. How is everyone sure this is a Dino issue. Curious as I am having a “Cyano” issue.

Dinos are often brown - individual 'spikes' growing upwards with a bubble. Cyano is often a mat of red/magenta which is more solid.

Dinos (not the best example). http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/help-is-this-dinoflagellates_topic78820.html

Cyano: https://biotaaquariums.com/ugly-tank-period/