How long to win the battle when using UV for dinos ?

[Idech]

Ended up being Amphidinium sp. Not toxic, but UV is pointless with them.

What works with them ?

 

[GarrettT]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/page-129#post-4408748

Silica dosing up to 2ppm

 

[KonradTO]

What works with them ?

Don't know. I just found out so I was reading a bit about it. It seems that other people did the following:
- Raise nutrients (common guidelines for all dinos)
- Dose some competitors like phyto, bacteria blends, pods
- not cleaning the glass and let algae compete
- reduce lights and run blue only for a while
- if it does not work some people suggest going with silica dosing for helping out diatoms to compete dinos. This is a bit controversial because some people say silica will boost dinos. Not sure myself about this.

The good thing is that apparently this genus is not toxic so it is mainly an aesthetic issue, but I think that if dino thrives it means that nutrients are so low that corals will suffer sooner or later.
Also I suggest to check yourself if you actually have this genus of dinoflagellates or not because it will be the first step to decide what to do. I think you can find cheap smartphone microscopes online for small amount of money. I am lucky to have good microscopes at work I can use when I need.

I think my line of action will be to
1) suck some contaminated sand out of the tank every few days, slowly and not too much each time because I never cleaned my sand to maintain biodiversity and I don't want to kill everything.
2) I am dosing nitrates and feeding more to increase nutrients. Also I reduced from 10 to 8 hrs the fuge light. I might reduce further and reduce intensity too if nutrients do not increase.
3) I will add more live rock and maybe get some bottle bacteria

if this does not work I will think about other options, like dosing silica.

 

[Idech]

Also I suggest to check yourself if you actually have this genus of dinoflagellates or not because it will be the first step to decide what to do. I think you can find cheap smartphone microscopes online for small amount of money. I am lucky to have good microscopes at work I can use when I need.

Thanks, I just ordered an Amscope.

As for nutrients, I have 12 ppm nitrates and 0,03 ppm phosphates. From what I’ve read, this should be enough, right ?

 

[GarrettT]

Thanks, I just ordered an Amscope.

As for nutrients, I have 12 ppm nitrates and 0,03 ppm phosphates. From what I’ve read, this should be enough, right ?

Disturbing the sand makes it worse. Just silica dose up to 1-2ppm max. Diatoms look just like dinos, so it may not look like it’s working but it really is. A bunch a cerith snails will help remove the diatoms once established. It’s a proven method that will work if you indeed have LC.

Good call on the microscope. That what I purchased and used to verify that it was indeed outcompeting. I would try to keep phosphates around .05-.07ppm, at least until the dinos are gone. Be sure to test daily. Lower than that is risky, as phosphate can be used up and removed pretty quickly.

 

[Idech]

I would try to keep phosphates around .05-.07ppm, at least until the dinos are gone.

Supposing that Amphidinium is what I have, what’s the best way to increase phosphates without having side effects ?

 

[KonradTO]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/amphidinium-dinoflagellate-treatment-methods.365850/post-4598649 interesting thread.
Apparently it seems that heavy feeding can actually boost dinos, as opposed to nitrogen dosing.

 

[GarrettT]

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

Will be very similar to the potassium phosphate calculation.

Don't feed any coral specific foods like reef roids, as this is fuel for dinos.

Edit: Vibrant is another product to avoid.

 

[GarrettT]

Also, what are you using to measure your phosphate?

 

[Idech]

Also, what are you using to measure your phosphate?

Hanna ULR

 

[GarrettT]

Hanna ULR

.05-07ppm is a good range then, as its more accurate than the non-URL

 

[Idech]

Okay, so it seems I’m dealing with prorocentrum.

What kind of dinos ? Or diatoms ?

Here is a video :

www.reef2reef.com

I’ve read a lot about how to eradicate them and I’ve decided to do the following. It might not work but that’s what I can most easily do.

1- I reinstalled my UV light, this time more permanently and without risk of flooding my living room. It will run 24/7.

Right now I’m testing it; it was leaking from the 3/4 inch elbow I added and I secured it with cable ties. No more leaks but testing for a few days before I try putting it behind the tank so I can stand having it on the tank for a few months, or even permanently, if need be.

2- I will run my lights for 6 hours only. Only 5% white, and 45% blue and UV. No red or green.

3- dosing phyto and bacteria every day

4- scrubbing the dinos at least once or twice a day

5- using a small dose of Dino-x to help speed the process

Wish me luck !

 

[saltyhog]

Hanna ULR

You will need to get a different test kit for PO4 while dosing silicates.....they will cause Hanna to read falsely high....by a lot.

 

[Idech]

You will need to get a different test kit for PO4 while dosing silicates.....they will cause Hanna to read falsely high....by a lot.

I’m not planning on dosing silicates for now but thank you, that’s important to know.

 

[Dav2996]

Okay, so it seems I’m dealing with prorocentrum.

What kind of dinos ? Or diatoms ?

Here is a video :

www.reef2reef.com

I’ve read a lot about how to eradicate them and I’ve decided to do the following. It might not work but that’s what I can most easily do.

1- I reinstalled my UV light, this time more permanently and without risk of flooding my living room. It will run 24/7.

Right now I’m testing it; it was leaking from the 3/4 inch elbow I added and I secured it with cable ties. No more leaks but testing for a few days before I try putting it behind the tank so I can stand having it on the tank for a few months, or even permanently, if need be.

2- I will run my lights for 6 hours only. Only 5% white, and 45% blue and UV. No red or green.

3- dosing phyto and bacteria every day

4- scrubbing the dinos at least once or twice a day

5- using a small dose of Dino-x to help speed the process

Wish me luck !

Why can’t you put it in your tank stand and drill some holes? I DIY a lot of times in the hobby. I won’t build my own tank though. Also could use Velcrow industrial strength on Amazon. It can hold 7lbs. One side is tape and one side is velcrow and put it on it. you could also just velcrow it on the back side of the tank. Use plenty of it though

 

[Dav2996]

It c

Okay, so it seems I’m dealing with prorocentrum.

What kind of dinos ? Or diatoms ?

Here is a video :

www.reef2reef.com

I’ve read a lot about how to eradicate them and I’ve decided to do the following. It might not work but that’s what I can most easily do.

1- I reinstalled my UV light, this time more permanently and without risk of flooding my living room. It will run 24/7.

Right now I’m testing it; it was leaking from the 3/4 inch elbow I added and I secured it with cable ties. No more leaks but testing for a few days before I try putting it behind the tank so I can stand having it on the tank for a few months, or even permanently, if need be.

2- I will run my lights for 6 hours only. Only 5% white, and 45% blue and UV. No red or green.

3- dosing phyto and bacteria every day

4- scrubbing the dinos at least once or twice a day

5- using a small dose of Dino-x to help speed the process

Wish me luck !

The velcrow industrial tape on Amazon can hold up to 10lbs

 

[DavidinGA]

I beat dinos a few months ago with a 36w UV on my 90g. I didn't even follow the "rules" for proper turnover rate on the UV; I ran it with a tiny little maxijet pump that did maybe 200gph. I saw a night and day difference in less than 24 hours after running the UV. Completely wiped them out in 2 days.

 

[KonradTO]

I beat dinos a few months ago with a 36w UV on my 90g. I didn't even follow the "rules" for proper turnover rate on the UV; I ran it with a tiny little maxijet pump that did maybe 200gph. I saw a night and day difference in less than 24 hours after running the UV. Completely wiped them out in 2 days.

Apparently it hugely depend on the species. Ostreopsis for example goes in the water at night so you beat them with pretty much UV and blackout only.
I had Ostreopsis and I got rid of it with 3 days blackout and UV. By the end of the blackout I had no more dinos for months. Now I have an Amphidinium outbreak and UV and blackouts do not work at all.
What you see below it is a water sample taken in the morning before lights went on. 4 or 5 dinos cells in 50ul. Nothing.

 

[DavidinGA]

Apparently it hugely depend on the species. Ostreopsis for example goes in the water at night so you beat them with pretty much UV and blackout only.
I had Ostreopsis and I got rid of it with 3 days blackout and UV. By the end of the blackout I had no more dinos for months. Now I have an Amphidinium outbreak and UV and blackouts do not work at all.
What you see below it is a water sample taken in the morning before lights went on. 4 or 5 dinos cells in 50ul. Nothing.

Gotcha.

To beat Amph you need to dose silica and let the diatoms outcompete the dinos. This does really work.

Amph resides in the sandbed and an alternative/faster solution (albeit a more drastic one) is to remove the sandbed and run BB.

 

[KonradTO]

Gotcha.

To beat Amph you need to dose silica and let the diatoms outcompete the dinos. This does really work.

Amph resides in the sandbed and an alternative/faster solution (albeit a more drastic one) is to remove the sandbed and run BB.

For now I am going with high temps (82 F) and higher nutrients. In a month or so I will start dosing silicates if this does not work.
I am also considering peroxide dosing. I read a lot of contrasting opinions so I want to know better first. Some people report increased cuc some decreased cuc, other people had apparently coral suffering from this. I have no sps so in theory it should be fine, but I care a lot about the microfauna that came with the rocks