Interesting Dino Observation

[hyprc]

Right? It’s like 75% of the Dino issues are fixed with more nutrients. Surprised ppl still recommend reducing nutrients.

I've had a single dino outbreak in the 3 years my tank has been up. I did some testing and noticed no3 had bottomed out (I have the curse of no3 deficiency, po4 always in abundance so I dose no3 and no3po4x). I dosed enough no3 to increase levels somewhere between 0 and 5 (slightly pink from the side on the salifert test) and continued to dose increased amounts of no3 to ensure I was keeping up with uptake. The dinos were gone in less than a week... I use Loudwolf for no3. I guess there could be some 'strains' of dinos that aren't affected this way but it does seem to be either a lack of nutrients or nutrient imbalance in a lot of cases.

 

[Instigate]

It’s weird. I run an old school tank the same way for 30 years. There was no such thing as Dino outbreaks back in the day. I don’t know what is different in the hobby last ten years. I have had Dino’s twice in the last four years. The only difference is possibly a better skimmer. I used to run an ASM g4, I switched to a reefdynamics ins 180, and currently run a reefdynamics ins135. I almost want to blame the salt. My ro/di is probably better also. IO salt used to be way better in my opinion in the early 90’s. They definitely made changes to it since then. Caking agents and other things??? Sorry about the old school rant. I hate dino’s.

I wonder if your move caused some bio film to be disturbed. Cleaning the sump would have removed detritus also. How much water did you change?

Less people using real ocean live rock maybe? It seems to be a lack of competition and in the low nutrient environment the dinos find a niche they can thrive in.

 

[Scooter90254]

I agree. 15 years ago when I started reefing Dino’s wasn’t even a thing. It seems to me Dino’s are a fairly recent phenomenon.

Maybe the salt that’s an interesting point.

Both the tanks I ended up getting Dino’s in I used dry to start the tank but that’s anecdotal at best.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Some of my Fiji and Caribbean live rock I bought 26 years ago. I have really only 5 pounds of dry rock. I wish I had an old bag of salt from the 90’s. The grains were not as fine as they are now. I always used IO, until this year. It would cake and clump. I’m on RedSea blue bucket.

 

[Scooter90254]

I think its coming back unfortunately. Not 100% sure yet. It could be a diatom bloom from the move. We will see how it progresses.

 

[Instigate]

I think its coming back unfortunately. Not 100% sure yet. It could be a diatom bloom from the move. We will see how it progresses.

You might consider buying a cheap compound microscope to ID exactly what you're dealing with. I love having one around, I got it for $20 on offerup.

 

[Rich Klein]

That's weird, cuz all the dino threads talk about LOW nutrients being a root cause.....

+1 IME 0 Nitrate + 0 Phosphate = Dinos

 

[Rich Klein]

Less people using real ocean live rock maybe? It seems to be a lack of competition and in the low nutrient environment the dinos find a niche they can thrive in.

Well said!

 

[hyprc]

+1 IME 0 Nitrate + 0 Phosphate = Dinos

IME 0 Nitrate + Some Phosphate can still = Dinos