It's time for a hammer. DinoX...

[TheReefDiary]

One day after 3rd Dino X dose..

Dinos have been reduced about 95% on the sand. The rocks are covered in dinos that are hanging on by a thread. I will be going in and giving them a quick toothbrush scrub this afternoon.

For the first time in forever, I'm seeing some GHA growth and what looks like a cyano patch on a rock. Never thought I would be happy to see GHA and Cyano, it means the tank has some balance and competition back, seems like the Dino X has given other algae the ability to gain some ground back.

Fish and coral still looking good.

that's how I felt when I started to see gha. it hasn't blown up though so I've been trimming it. my blenny doesn't seem to mind either.

 

[BetterJake]

that's how I felt when I started to see gha. it hasn't blown up though so I've been trimming it. my blenny doesn't seem to mind either.

100%. GHA solution is pretty much toothbrush and herbivore CUC.

 

[taricha]

Got any before/after pics of the outbreak in the tank? microscope pics of dinos (for ID)?
nice results!

 

[BetterJake]

Got any before/after pics of the outbreak in the tank? microscope pics of dinos (for ID)?
nice results!

I confirmed that it was prorocentrum dinos.

Before: (Don't have a full tank shot, but it was like this and worse everywhere):

Currently (One day after 3rd Dino X Dose):

 

[leighton.bingham]

I confirmed that it was prorocentrum dinos.

Before: (Don't have a full tank shot, but it was like this and worse everywhere):

Currently (One day after 3rd Dino X Dose):

Tank looks good. I wish I could say the same for mine. I got GHA and Dinos now. But I started with Dino-X yesterday

 

[MnFish1]

One day after 3rd Dino X dose..

Dinos have been reduced about 95% on the sand. The rocks are covered in dinos that are hanging on by a thread. I will be going in and giving them a quick toothbrush scrub this afternoon.

For the first time in forever, I'm seeing some GHA growth and what looks like a cyano patch on a rock. Never thought I would be happy to see GHA and Cyano, it means the tank has some balance and competition back, seems like the Dino X has given other algae the ability to gain some ground back.

Fish and coral still looking good.

Im sure we will soon have an experimental analysis of what Dino-X contains.....

 

[MnFish1]

Tank looks good. I wish I could say the same for mine. I got GHA and Dinos now. But I started with Dino-X yesterday

IMHO - the problem with all of these issues is surface area exposed to light. It's not chemicals or other remedies. And also - some people (not saying this poster) - some people think OMG - there is hair algae on one part of my tank. This is not an issue - Even if it's Dinos on one area of your tank. These things grow where they can. IMHO - the people with professional pictures of their tanks - showing Snow White sand - and acropora - have done a bit of cleaning beforehand.

 

[BetterJake]

Morning after the 4th Dino X dose.

Dinos have been reduced about 98% from the sand. I can only find a couple small patches if I really look for them. Rocks looking better as well.

I'm thinking one more dose is going to finish them off. Looking like I will be in the clear by the weekend!

Fish and coral look great.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Morning after the 4th Dino X dose.

Dinos have been reduced about 98% from the sand. I can only find a couple small patches if I really look for them. Rocks looking better as well.

I'm thinking one more dose is going to finish them off. Looking like I will be in the clear by the weekend!

Fish and coral look great.

Prepare by blowing this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles. Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15% IF you have light dependant corals) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off. During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as micro bacter 7 or XLM) per 10 gallons. Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX
This task is easier than you think

 

[BetterJake]

Prepare by starting with a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles. Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15% IF you have light dependant corals) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off. During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as micro bacter 7 or XLM) per 10 gallons. Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX

Thanks for the info. I tried this advice two times. It did very little to the prorocentrum dinos that I had, it's why I went the Dino X route.

 

[Dburr1014]

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the info. I tried this advice two times. It did very little to the prorocentrum dinos that I had, it's why I went the Dino X route.

Just had a gal who had them and tried it and could not be more pleased. Are you cutting all light and adding bacteria daily, changing filters, etc ?
prorocentrum does have the higher ability to reproduce and more resistant to treatment but with these- opposed to ostreo and amphidium, you want to turn off skimmer as they love oxygen rich environments

 

[BetterJake]

Just had a gal who had them and tried it and could not be more pleased. Are you cutting all light and adding bacteria daily, changing filters, etc ?
prorocentrum does have the higher ability to reproduce and more resistant to treatment but with these- opposed to ostreo and amphidium, you want to turn off skimmer as they love oxygen rich environments

Skimmer was off when I tried your method. Bacteria was added daily and H202 in the evening. Lights were off as specified. No need to change filters as I have a fleece roller.

 

[BetterJake]

I had trouble finding daily updates of Dino X treatment when I was trying to decide if I should use the product. Hoping this thread can be useful for future reefers with Dino issues

Today is 8 days from the first Dino X dose. Dinos have been reduced about 99%.

I will put in dose 5 this evening, this will be the final dose that I will put in. I will reintroduce carbon in two days (officially ending treatment) and start water changes one week after reintroducing the carbon.

Nutrient Levels

Phosphate: 0.39

Nitrate :25

My next goal is bringing phosphate down to a reasonable level. The challenge will be to do this in a controlled and slow way, a dramatic drop could give the dino's a chance to come back. I'm not even sure what Nitrate and Phosphate levels to aim for after beating dinos. If anybody has some advice, that would be great.

 

[BetterJake]

Day 11. Dinos are gone after 5 doses of Dino X

Carbon will be going back in the tank this evening. I will start water changes again in 1 week.

Fish all look fine, coral are fine and Urchins look okay.

Fauna Marin recommends 5ML for every 26 gallons of water volume (0.192 ML/G) and up to 6ML for every 26 gallons (0.23 ML/G) for bad infestations. I went in the middle at 5.5ML for every 26 gallons (0.211 ML/G). I have a Reefer 250 which has a total capacity of 64 G. I estimated my rock/sand/equipments that I'm around 50 gallons of water. So I dosed 10.5ML of Dino X for each of my five doses.

Overall, I'm very happy with the results. I'm seeing GHA in the tank for the first time in months, diversity returning!

 

[A Young Reefer]

I had a pleasant experience with Dino X too.
I even once used it against green cyano and it surprisingly worked.

 

[BetterJake]

I had a pleasant experience with Dino X too.
I even once used it against green cyano and it surprisingly worked.

Nice! Luckily I don't have any SPS in the tank, that would be my biggest hesitation if I were to recommend it to someone else. Certain Urchins can have a bad experience with it as well

 

[BetterJake]

Update time! Good news and bad.

The Dino X knocked out the prorocentrum dinos for about two weeks. However, I noticed my sand getting that brown dust appearance again. Sigh... I put a sample under the scope. Dinos! This time it's Ostreopsis. Theoretically these should much easier to beat since UV is super effective against this type.

I'm guessing I always had the Ostreopsis in the tank but they were probably being outcompeted for surface area by the Prorocentrum dinos. Once the Prorocentrum dinos were gone it gave the Ostreopsis the upper hand.

I'm going on a work trip this week, when I get back it will be time to plumb a 25W UV to and from the DT.

Nitrates are around 15 and Phosphate at .33. I will need to look at bringing those Phosphates down to .1 - .15, otherwise I'm asking for a Cyano/GHA outbreak after the Dinos are gone from the UV

 

[BetterJake]

Just look at that beautiful new UV. Tonight is night 1. 36W Jebao UV.

Flow is provided by a Sicce 0.5, I closed the inlet about halfway to reduce flow. Slow flow and overpowered UV should hopefully knock the Ostero dinos out.

 

[Sean Clark]

I am loving the custom stand.