I need advice please, dinoflagellates.

[kyleshaw81503]

Ok so let me give a quick run down of the tank. Tank has been set up for 8 months or so. I have run into dinoflagellates due to low nutrients in the tank. Confirmed dinoflagellates under micro scope.

Been stuck at 0 phosphate, 0 nitrate for……. Well probably since day 1. Been trying to raise nitrate and phosphate for the past 2 months.

I recently purchased the Hanna checkers for both nitrate and phosphate. Nitrate reading 0.00 and phosphate is starting to raise first test was 0.01 and second test 0.02. So I do have movement on the phosphate finally.

I’ve taken everything offline filtration wise. Turned off skimmer, taken out carbon until recently due to the smell haha. I did add the carbon back in. Removed filter floss, Removed Cheato which I think started all the low to no nutrient problems. I’ve done 1 water change in 2 months.

I’m using rodi water and salinity is always 1.024.

I recently installed a UV sterilizer, only been up for 4-5 days. I have noticed a slight slow down in growth of dinoflagellates on rocks in the mornings but still coming back just not as bad.

I’ve been using a turkey baster to blow off the rocks twice a day and been sucking up the big pieces and straining the water through filter floss and back into the tank.

I really didn’t want to dose anything but I’m getting to the point of thinking maybe I should?
Should I dose some kind of bacteria to combat the Dino’s?
I don’t know what to do. Anyone have any advice on how to win the battle would be greatly appreciated?

 

[Saltyreef]

I would get a salifert nitrate kit so you can be accurate.

If the UV doesnt work then they are a different strain.

You can try silicate dosing to promote diatoms to out compete but you have a long road ahead of you.

I delt with them for a couple years and honestly wish i would have removed the coral, dipped and moved to new tank.

 

[Reef.]

Assuming it is dinos, that doesn’t look that bad, mine was a lot worse.

Uv is a good move, up your nutrients like you are doing, filter floss will not really help as dinos are very small, I bought Clarisea filter roll and used that, it’s much small microns, you can also buy very small micron socks to use just to filter your water, Symec sell filter felt which is only 1 micron, these are all better than filter floss.

You need to carry on blowing the dinos into the water column, cover your powerheads with filter roll, this will collect a lot of dinos, to remove, remove your rock when doing a water change and scrub the dinos off, you will be amazed at the about that come off, corals,will be fine out of water for a few minutes.

The idea is to remove as many as you can so the space vacated is taken over by good bacteria, you really need to do this as much as you can for 2 weeks, the more work you put in the better and faster the results will come, you sound like you are doing the right things, it’s just now a matter of hitting them as much as you can to get on top off them.

 

[Lavey29]

When my numbers were low I had to double dose neophos and neonitro for multiple weeks to get measurable numbers. Cut your lights back to 6 hours with blue and uv only no whites. Continue manual removal. Add PNS probio natural bacteria supplement.

 

[CookieRdReef]

Dinos have the competitive advantage when no3 and po4 are 0. Add brightwell neiphos and neonitro so you are about 5ppm n03 and .05 p04. Add bottled biodiversity heavy or some sand like ocean direct so the good stuff can start to take over. Adding lots of pods would also be good, dosing phyto, dosing silicates have helped some. Raising temp to 82 may help. Manual removal also helps. I didnt get rid of dinos until I did things all out not halfway.

 

[CookieRdReef]

When my numbers were low I had to double dose neophos and neonitro for multiple weeks to get measurable numbers. Cut your lights back to 6 hours with blue and uv only no whites. Continue manual removal. Add PNS probio natural bacteria supplement.

I added PNS Probio a few times. I add it to new tanks or whenever algae starts to pop up.

 

[Lavey29]

I added PNS Probio a few times. I add it to new tanks or whenever algae starts to pop up.

I half dose it twice a week. I'm a firm believer in its effect on the tank.

 

[legionofdoon]

I used Dr Tim's refresh then waste away liquid and then waste away gel and decreased Nopox and they went away. I was lights out for a week when I started the refresh. It took awhile about 3 weeks or so.

 

[Airwolf]

How old is the tank? Mine has had fish in it for about three months and looks similar to yours. I am chalking mine up to going through the maturing process and not chasing numbers or cleanliness at the moment. As long as parameters are stable, which mine are, I am letting it do its thing.
Did you start with dry rock and sand? I did for reference.

 

[saltyhog]

First off, what type of dino was identified under the microscope (and who ID'd it)? Not all dinos are treated the same. Some need to be treated with UV. Others need to be treated by silicate dosing.

With all types of dinos, getting nutrients up, dosing phyto help.

Why are you reluctant to dose Phosphate? Failing to do so when reducing nutrient export isn't enough to raise it will reduce your chances of long term success greatly.

 

[Screwgunner]

Get your phosphates to .05 add bacteria. Turn lights out for 3 days. Your good bacteria has to come back. Diatoms first then the rest almost like your cycle all over. Put your cheato back in just don't let so much grow . You have to find the right amount for your tank.

 

[kyleshaw81503]

How old is the tank? Mine has had fish in it for about three months and looks similar to yours. I am chalking mine up to going through the maturing process and not chasing numbers or cleanliness at the moment. As long as parameters are stable, which mine are, I am letting it do its thing.
Did you start with dry rock and sand? I did for reference.

The tank is 8 months old and I started with love sand and dry rock.

 

[kyleshaw81503]

Get your phosphates to .05 add bacteria. Turn lights out for 3 days. Your good bacteria has to come back. Diatoms first then the rest almost like your cycle all over. Put your cheato back in just don't let so much grow . You have to find the right amount for your tank.

I was thinking “ I wonder if I should try to add bacteria” Thank you for the advice .

What bacteria would you recommend?

 

[ryshark]

I was thinking “ I wonder if I should try to add bacteria” Thank you for the advice .

What bacteria would you recommend?

MB7. Have you identifed which type of dinos you have under the microscope?

 

[kyleshaw81503]

First off, what type of dino was identified under the microscope (and who ID'd it)? Not all dinos are treated the same. Some need to be treated with UV. Others need to be treated by silicate dosing.

With all types of dinos, getting nutrients up, dosing phyto help.

Why are you reluctant to dose Phosphate? Failing to do so when reducing nutrient export isn't enough to raise it will reduce your chances of long term success greatly.

Tried matching them with photos online. Not really sure which ones. I’ll have to drag out the microscope and try and get pictures.

I’m starting to lean towards dosing at this point. Nothing I’m doing will raise the nitrate. Was really trying to get nitrate up naturally.

 

[kyleshaw81503]

MB7. Have you identifed which type of dinos you have under the microscope?

I’ll have to get the microscope back out and get some photos.

 

[ryshark]

Tried matching them with photos online. Not really sure which ones. I’ll have to drag out the microscope and try and get pictures.

I’m starting to lean towards dosing at this point. Nothing I’m doing will raise the nitrate. Was really trying to get nitrate up naturally.

You won't be able to raise Nitrate unless you have enough Phosphate. Nothing wrong with dosing NeoPhos for PO4 and NeoNitro for NO3

 

[ryshark]

I’ll have to get the microscope back out and get some photos.

Definitely do this because there is different ways to defeat them depending on which type of dinos.

 

[saltyhog]

I’ll have to get the microscope back out and get some photos.

Post pics and some short video if possible. We should be able to get you a diagnosis quickly.

 

[Uncle99]

Most common Dino’s is those who leave the sand at night, but reappear, without fail, when lights on.

They are defeated by good guy bacteria in time provided water chemistry is stable.

In addition, nutrients, need to be available in trace amounts and stable as well.

A zero in either will benefit the reproduction of the “pest” type algae, so avoid this.

Other considerations are:
Clean filter every morning before lights go on.
Lightly clean sand when lights on.
UV very eff3ctive during night when they leave the sand.

The more you apply, the less the Dino, and since waters are stable and nutrient available, the good guys flourish and all the pest types just disappear.