Identify this, How can I get rid of this

[Gary LeCompte]

I have been battling this for a while now.
It got pretty bad. I turned out my lights pretty much for three days and most of it went away.
Put lights back on and it stated coming back after a couple of days.
Turned lights back off for three days and most of it gone.
I just turned my lights back on most gone but a little.
This is a picture of it from a microscope I just got in today.
What can I do to solve this problem for good?

PH-8.06
ALK-7.39
Calcium 375
Magnesium 1275
Nitrate 4
Phosphate .07-.03

 

[Amboss72]

Looks and sounds like the way dinoflagellates behave. How old is this tank and have you added new sand?

 

[Gary LeCompte]

Looks and sounds like the way dinoflagellates behave. How old is this tank and have you added new sand?

The tank is about 8-9 months old...
No sand. Bare bottom.

 

[Amboss72]

Ok so I don’t think it’s diatoms. From the microscopic pic looks like the lousy dinoflagellate.

 

[Amboss72]

Sorry I failed to mention how I beat this crap. I use marinelands magnum polishing tank filters charged with diatomaceous earth. You can buy the unit for $40 on Amazon. Charging the unit with diatomaceous earth is simple. Just follow the instructions as it only takes 6 tablespoons. Get those dinoflagellates up into the water column which they tend to do naturally at night but you can turkey baster them. Let the filter slice them up! Heck you can leave your lights off and black out your tank if you’d like while running these filters. Run carbon to strip the toxins.

 

[Gary LeCompte]

Sorry I failed to mention how I beat this crap. I use marinelands magnum polishing tank filters charged with diatomaceous earth. You can buy the unit for $40 on Amazon. Charging the unit with diatomaceous earth is simple. Just follow the instructions as it only takes 6 tablespoons. Get those dinoflagellates up into the water column which they tend to do naturally at night but you can turkey baster them. Let the filter slice them up! Heck you can leave your lights off and black out your tank if you’d like while running these filters. Run carbon to strip the toxins.

Is this a one time thing? Or do you have to keep doing this?

 

[Amboss72]

No you don’t have to keep it going indefinitely. Just let it kill the dinoflagellates. I always started out by sucking out as my of the Dino’s as I could. I then Kept the tank blacked out during the treatment, which was usually three days. I only turned the actinics on briefly to feed the fish. I kept the diatomaceous filter running throughout the treatment. I kept fresh carbon running throughout the treatment to absorb the toxins. I finished the treatment with a 30% water change and recharged the diatom filter and kept it running for an additional week. Worked for me and it’s still my go to method whenever I see this crap.

 

[Amboss72]

I’d highly recommend you study diatomaceous earth filters if you haven’t already. You’ll find they’re used as a go to method in many fish applications. The marineland filter just makes it a lot easier than the old vortex filters. Heck buy a couple of them if your tank is large enough. Slice the heck out of the dinoflagellates as this is how diatomaceous earth works. Hope this helps.

 

[Gary LeCompte]

I’d highly recommend you study diatomaceous earth filters if you haven’t already. You’ll find they’re used as a go to method in many fish applications. The marineland filter just makes it a lot easier than the old vortex filters. Heck buy a couple of them if your tank is large enough. Slice the heck out of the dinoflagellates as this is how diatomaceous earth works. Hope this helps.

I ordered some last night
My tank is 180 gal.
I hope it is reef safe?

 

[Amboss72]

It’s reef safe. PaulB has talked about it somewhere in his posts but if you’re reluctant it looks like Velcro had the exact Dino’s as you and he’s claiming to have eliminated it overnight with uv. That’s over in the nuisance algae and bacteria section.

 

[Gary LeCompte]

It’s reef safe. PaulB has talked about it somewhere in his posts but if you’re reluctant it looks like Velcro had the exact Dino’s as you and he’s claiming to have eliminated it overnight with uv. That’s over in the nuisance algae and bacteria section.

I just turned my lights back on yesterday for regular day period.
The tank actually looks pretty good for now.
That could turn pretty quickly though.
I am actually surprised on how good it looks today.
I should get the other stuff on Monday

Thanks a bunch for your help.

 

[Gary LeCompte]

I just turned my lights back on yesterday for regular day period.
The tank actually looks pretty good for now.
That could turn pretty quickly though.
I am actually surprised on how good it looks today.
I should get the other stuff on Monday

Thanks a bunch for your help.

I am running UV
Maybe that will be the cure.....we will see

 

[Amboss72]

Love to help when I can. Just for clarity sake, you did order the marineland filters to put the diatomaceous earth in?

 

[Amboss72]

Yeah that’s great! I’ve never used uv for this issue but I was happy to hear it’s working for so many others. I don’t really know how the different functions of this forum work so I apologize for all my posts specific to our conversation. As you know dinoflagellates are a pain but I’m certain you’ll find the approach that works for you. I’d love to hear your discovery.

 

[Gary LeCompte]

Yeah that’s great! I’ve never used uv for this issue but I was happy to hear it’s working for so many others. I don’t really know how the different functions of this forum work so I apologize for all my posts specific to our conversation. As you know dinoflagellates are a pain but I’m certain you’ll find the approach that works for you. I’d love to hear your discovery.

yes I did order the mainland filter also.
Yes this is some nasty stuff...can't wait to be done with it.
This site is amazing. With the help you can get.
I first had my aquarium set up many years ago...It was a lot more difficult to get help with issues.
Thanks again and I will let you know how it goes.