I have almost completely eradicated dinoflagellates overnight.

[dwest]

Just shipped today from BRS along with a silica test kit. I’ll let you know in a few weeks what happens.

Interesting back story. I bought this tank 3 years ago already setup. Just a couple fish, frags and live rock. Now the tank is thriving and is overgrown with corals. But I’ve always been battling these dinos.

I was curious and looked back at pics from the original owner. I saw dinos on the sand!!! He told me he hadn’t cleaned the sand in a while. So I guess I inherited this problem. I was a newbie and had no way of knowing. If this works I will be super psyched.

Keep us posted.

 

[saltyhog]

@dwest, any theories why pumping from the sump is less effective? I don't doubt it at all, just trying to figure out why that might be so.

Any consensus on whether UV is permanently necessary or if higher nutrients and added biodiversity are likely to be successful long term?

 

[MrTang13]

Have you guys tried Dino X?

I have currently cured mine but I am not yet sure if the effects will last once I discontinue the medication and ramp back up the lighting.

I’m so nervous that I’m continuing treatment for 2 more doses in a blackout, as an added precaution.

 

[dwest]

@dwest, any theories why pumping from the sump is less effective? I don't doubt it at all, just trying to figure out why that might be so.

Any consensus on whether UV is permanently necessary or if higher nutrients and added biodiversity are likely to be successful long term?

Hi salty.

I have a theory. I probably cannot explain it well, but will try. You will simply put more dinos through the UV if going DT route. Typically, most of dinos in the system reside in the DT because that’s where the largest total photons of light are supplied and the most surface area. Assuming you have perfect circulation in your main tank and an infinite turnover rate to your sump, there should be the same concentration of dinos in your sump (neglecting the fact that many species only go into the water column at night and some not at all) . But we often don’t have that, hence the lower concentration in the sump. I have a low sump turnover of about 2 tank volumes per hour, so my sump trial was bad... There is a person recently that mentioned they had a 7 x turnover and he might have a shot. I need a good analogy for his, but haven’t come up with it yet

I know that some users of UV have been able to totally eliminate its use. I believe, and have read that you don’t need UV long term. Others, like myself, have figured that UV is somewhat an insurance policy. The strange thing is that my recent dinos certainly reared up when nutrients were low, by adding too much GFO combined with siporax and chaeto fuge. However, about 10 years ago, I had another bout of them that came about when my nutrients were high. I got rid of them back then by adding GFO!

 

[dwest]

Have you guys tried Dino X?

I have currently cured mine but I am not yet sure if the effects will last once I discontinue the medication and ramp back up the lighting.

I’m so nervous that I’m continuing treatment for 2 more doses in a blackout, as an added precaution.

The long term success with most chemical methods seems to be low. Just from what I have read. I hope it works for you and believe it has worked for some.

 

[saltyhog]

Hi salty.

I have a theory. I probably cannot explain it well, but will try. You will simply put more dinos through the UV if going DT route. Typically, most of dinos in the system reside in the DT because that’s where the largest total photons of light are supplied and the most surface area. Assuming you have perfect circulation in your main tank and an infinite turnover rate to your sump, there should be the same concentration of dinos in your sump (neglecting the fact that many species only go into the water column at night and some not at all) . But we often don’t have that, hence the lower concentration in the sump. I have a low sump turnover of about 2 tank volumes per hour, so my sump trial was bad... There is a person recently that mentioned they had a 7 x turnover and he might have a shot. I need a good analogy for his, but haven’t come up with it yet

I know that some users of UV have been able to totally eliminate its use. I believe, and have read that you don’t need UV long term. Others, like myself, have figured that UV is somewhat an insurance policy. The strange thing is that my recent dinos certainly reared up when nutrients were low, by adding too much GFO combined with siporax and chaeto fuge. However, about 10 years ago, I had another bout of them that came about when my nutrients were high. I got rid of them back then by adding GFO!

That makes sense. You would think though in the 12 hours of darkness the concentration of dinos would become equal. If you're removing them via the sump though that might not be true.

I have an about 1300 gph turnover with a 160 gallon total water volume so I'm on that higher side. I'm not going to change a thing for now but I'm trying to decide between a trial without UV vs a trial with UV plumbed from the sump in a few weeks. Thank you again for all your help! You are a life saver!

 

[MrTang13]

The long term success with most chemical methods seems to be low. Just from what I have read. I hope it works for you and believe it has worked for some.

Can you provide a source to this claim?

The actual product reviews have been very positive and working.

Fingers crossed.

 

[dwest]

Can you provide a source to this claim?

The actual product reviews have been very positive and working.

Fingers crossed.

No claim. Again, just from reading and some personal communications. I don’t personally dose anything in my tank that I don’t know what it is. So I have zero personal experience with chemical methods. (Even though I am a chemical engineer ) My main source is below. I hope it works for you. Please keep us informed. What type of dinos are you dealing with?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

 

[dwest]

That makes sense. You would think though in the 12 hours of darkness the concentration of dinos would become equal. If you're removing them via the sump though that might not be true.

I have an about 1300 gph turnover with a 160 gallon total water volume so I'm on that higher side. I'm not going to change a thing for now but I'm trying to decide between a trial without UV vs a trial with UV plumbed from the sump in a few weeks. Thank you again for all your help! You are a life saver!

You have high turnover, so I think a sump trial, at a minimum, is relatively low risk. Let us know when you make the BIG MOVE. Whatever that is...

 

[MrTang13]

No claim. Again, just from reading and some personal communications. I don’t personally dose anything in my tank that I don’t know what it is. So I have zero personal experience with chemical methods. (Even though I am a chemical engineer ) My main source is below. I hope it works for you. Please keep us informed. What type of dinos are you dealing with?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

I didn’t bother to ID them in a microscope, as every credible source I’ve found has the same treatment method: lower resources such as light and nitrates, introduce competition, increase ph. I’ve added chemical treatment as an added precaution.

 

[saltyhog]

I didn’t bother to ID them in a microscope, as every credible source I’ve found has the same treatment method: lower resources such as light and nitrates, introduce competition, increase ph. I’ve added chemical treatment as an added precaution.

Actually there is a good deal of advantage to identifying the species as there is some additional treatment options depending on the species (UV, silicate dosing). Do your seem to be on just the sand, rocks and sand or just the rock? Do yours go away or get less noticeable when the lights are off?

 

[CherBear811]

Can you provide a source to this claim?

The actual product reviews have been very positive and working.

Fingers crossed.

I tried it... little to no impact. Very disappointed.

 

[Gobi-Wan]

Hi again all. @dwest @saltyhog
Im the one mentioned with higher sump turnover. Ots probably between 5x and 7x, I'm just guessing because of head loss, split return between fuge, sterilizer etc. Today is 3 days with the jebao 36w sterilizer running off of my split return from the sump. Diatoms are probably 95% gone today, towards the end of my daylight hours. My anemone is fully out again thankfully, and my corals are 80% open which is a large improvement. I think the takeaway so far is that I didnt let it get to total emergency level before I tried something, so I feel I could safely try it in the sump. I wouldn't do it that way if I were afraid it was about to start killing corals. As long as I keep seeing progress I am going to continue this way and probably just leave the sterilizer plumbed up so if I need it in the future I can just plug it in. I eliminated GFO for now but once my phosphate starts to climb again, I'll probably start GFO just a lot less of it to find a better balance.

Before and after over 3 days

 

[saltyhog]

Hi again all. @dwest @saltyhog
Im the one mentioned with higher sump turnover. Ots probably between 5x and 7x, I'm just guessing because of head loss, split return between fuge, sterilizer etc. Today is 3 days with the jebao 36w sterilizer running off of my split return from the sump. Diatoms are probably 95% gone today, towards the end of my daylight hours. My anemone is fully out again thankfully, and my corals are 80% open which is a large improvement. I think the takeaway so far is that I didnt let it get to total emergency level before I tried something, so I feel I could safely try it in the sump. I wouldn't do it that way if I were afraid it was about to start killing corals. As long as I keep seeing progress I am going to continue this way and probably just leave the sterilizer plumbed up so if I need it in the future I can just plug it in. I eliminated GFO for now but once my phosphate starts to climb again, I'll probably start GFO just a lot less of it to find a better balance.

Before and after over 3 days

Awesome news!

 

[MrTang13]

Actually there is a good deal of advantage to identifying the species as there is some additional treatment options depending on the species (UV, silicate dosing). Do your seem to be on just the sand, rocks and sand or just the rock? Do yours go away or get less noticeable when the lights are off?

I actually have no dinos right now at all. A blackout wiped them out, they started to return and then the Dino X totally eradicated them.

When they do return, they begin on the sand bed.

 

[MrTang13]

I tried it... little to no impact. Very disappointed.

Strange. I can’t spot a single Dino in the tank now.

My concern is for when I remove the medicine.

Is it possible you do not have Dinos? Fauna Marin claims the medication is effective on 99% of Dinos.

 

[saltyhog]

Strange. I can’t spot a single Dino in the tank now.

My concern is for when I remove the medicine.

Is it possible you do not have Dinos? Fauna Marin claims the medication is effective on 99% of Dinos.

Lots of products claim to do things the don't do. There are plenty of failures with Dino X on the main thread to bring the number well below 99%

 

[MrTang13]

Lots of products claim to do things the don't do. There are plenty of failures with Dino X on the main thread to bring the number well below 99%

At least within the US, advertisement claims of SMB’s are well regulated. I assumed there was a study backing this, but am concerned by the lack of information readily available.

 

[CherBear811]

Lots of products claim to do things the don't do. There are plenty of failures with Dino X on the main thread to bring the number well below 99%

There are many failures on many threads where ppl have tried all previously suggested solutions. In my tracking, at least for osteo dinos this is the best method, which is considered one of the hardest to eradicate. There literally isn't a thread or FB post out there on getting rid of dinos where ppl haven't reported failure with with DinoX. Most it did for me was minimize dinos. But after trying with it for 3 months I am officially calling it a failure for me.

 

[CherBear811]

At least within the US, advertisement claims of SMB’s are well regulated. I assumed there was a study backing this, but am concerned by the lack of information readily available.

Also, it might be 99% effective against one strain, but there are many strains of dino's.