My rant because no one else gets it

[jahnje]

We had a male betta fish named Ceviche, and a rabbit named Hasenpfeffer

What irony?

We had ducks named "l'orange" , "peking", "foie gras","pate", and "roasted" ..... Nice to know we're not alone..

 

[seastar]

Edit: Also munnid isopods really are the business for ostreopsis in my experience. They seem to explode once established in dino ridden tanks. Their numbers tend to taper off after a bloom has been eradicated so that indicates to me they are consuming dinos as at least a significant portion of their food intake. They are cool little centipede looking guys too and fun to watch run on the rock once there's no more dino slime on things.

Any idea on who sells these? I'm having a tough time finding any online.

 

[SciGuy2]

I don't think I've ever seen a tank with a dino problem that had a big, prospering, pod-ridden, wad of chaetomorpha in it.

 

[Grey Guy]

We can buy everything we need for this hobby, but we can’t buy time.

 

[Greybeard]

We can buy everything we need for this hobby, but we can’t buy time.

Or experience.

 

[rockskimmerflow]

I don't think I've ever seen a tank with a dino problem that had a big, prospering, pod-ridden, wad of chaetomorpha in it.

I have, but the prospering and pod ridden part was on the way out once the dinos took over. The owner had never pruned the chaeto and likely introduced dinos to his system at some point down the line. Once the chaeto had gotten so large and effective at stripping nitrate his standard and consistent feeding regimen wasn't anywhere near enough to keep a measureable amount of nitrate in the system. Dinos were blowing up all over his display when I first saw the system. Corals were apparently pale in the weeks leading up to the dino bloom which indicated to me he was severely nutrient limited. So chaeto is not a magic bullet against dinos unless the critical parameters of measurable nitrate and low but detectable phosphates are maintained. It can easily strip the water and create perfect dino storm conditions if water parameters are not being watched.

 

[SciGuy2]

I have, but the prospering and pod ridden part was on the way out once the dinos took over. The owner had never pruned the chaeto and likely introduced dinos to his system at some point down the line. Once the chaeto had gotten so large and effective at stripping nitrate his standard and consistent feeding regimen wasn't anywhere near enough to keep a measureable amount of nitrate in the system. Dinos were blowing up all over his display when I first saw the system. Corals were apparently pale in the weeks leading up to the dino bloom which indicated to me he was severely nutrient limited. So chaeto is not a magic bullet against dinos unless the critical parameters of measurable nitrate and low but detectable phosphates are maintained. It can easily strip the water and create perfect dino storm conditions if water parameters are not being watched.

Interesting and sad. The owner probably could have easily prevented the dino problem by routinely pruning the chaeto.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Its so much easier starting with good live rock and spending the first two months erradicating pests than starting with dry rock and waiting two years for proper maturation.

Case and point, my tank...
Hair algae, dino, cyano etc etc.


Just all depends on how deep your pockets are and how far down the rabbit hole you want to go.

 

[Truedapper]

Feel your pain. Had a massive outbreak covering every inch of the tank after trying nopox to reduce nutrients to near zero. Tried everything to get rid of them, then used my last resort of hydrogen peroxide. Worked like a charm still have the flat worms though but I'll take them anyday over the dinos.

 

[Greybeard]

Patience is a virtue. Me? I reserve what little patience the good Lord gave me for use with my children.

If you want an insta-reef, there's an app for that. Looks great, no knowledge or effort required. Failure is very unlikely.

Reefing is a hobby. That means it's a subject capable of consuming all of your available time, space, and money. You can invest as much or as little you want... Time is the component that counts most. I've been keeping marine aquaria since the mid 1980's, with various levels of success. I, along with most of the people I know who have been doing this a while, _always_ use dry rock. Puts you in control of what goes into your tank. Does it take longer? Yup, but that level of control is worth the time. Remember, it's a hobby, and time is the most critical component.

What's your hurry?

 

[madcanary]

Seems like I have a constant battle with cyano I feel your pain chemiclean world comes back used waste away and refresh cake back, vacuum sand comes back high flow check. Nitrates 0 phos 8ppb I’m about to kill it with fire and not in a good way my acros and zoa look great tho. Sand looks like poop.

 

[spiraling]

Its so much easier starting with good live rock and spending the first two months erradicating pests than starting with dry rock and waiting two years for proper maturation.

I have to kindly disagree. There are pests that cannot be irradiated without tearing down the aquarium and killing off the pest along with the "liveness" of the rock. I struggled for 3 years with both onone worms and calurpa brachyapus. They eventually led me to tear down that tank. I went as far down the rabbit hole I could go and finally had to admit defeat.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I have to kindly disagree. There are pests that cannot be irradiated without tearing down the aquarium and killing off the pest along with the "liveness" of the rock. I struggled for 3 years with both onone worms and calurpa brachyapus. They eventually led me to tear down that tank. I went as far down the rabbit hole I could go and finally had to admit defeat.

Sorry. I memt good live rock if that wasn't clearly stated. I know its likea lottery at times but aiptasia, mojanos, asterina, gorilla crabs or vermitides were the extend of pests I was suggesting. Sorry for your experiences.

 

[BoomCorals]

Honestly, every tank I've ever had has gotten dinos and aiptasia. And any time I eliminate them, they all come back eventually. It's sorta just something I think you get used to lol.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Honestly, every tank I've ever had has gotten dinos and aiptasia. And any time I eliminate them, they all come back eventually. It's sorta just something I think you get used to lol.

Well dinos are everywhere. It's whats causing them to bloom is the issue.

Actually im shutting down the dry rock setup and going back to live rock. Aiptasia is a constant issue with live rock, however, this time I'll be setting up a 10g breeding tank for berghia. Mojanos were easy to kill ime. Just boiling rodi water and spot treating cooks them out.

 

[reeferfoxx]

onone worms

Sorry if I'm uninformed but what are onone worms?

 

[spiraling]

Sorry if I'm uninformed but what are onone worms?

sorry I had a typo
oenone worm
they are a predatory worm that slimes the snail, possibly to immobilize it, then eats it. It bored holes in my elegance and killed it, and when I started feeding a lot less it killed my acan. Nasty little buggers. Oh, and I would stay up late and trap them, but soon they learned it was a trap and avoided it.

 

[PAXpress]

I dont think dinos are just some thing that you can qt out or prevent. Algaes come in regardless maintain the water and they will subside. Maybe try setting up a fuge/algae reactor. Good luck!

 

[reeferfoxx]

sorry I had a typo
oenone worm
they are a predatory worm that slimes the snail, possibly to immobilize it, then eats it. It bored holes in my elegance and killed it, and when I started feeding a lot less it killed my acan. Nasty little buggers. Oh, and I would stay up late and trap them, but soon they learned it was a trap and avoided it.

Yikes! I wonder if a bristleworm trap would have worked with sacrificial snails instead of food. ;Hurting

 

[spiraling]

Yikes! I wonder if a bristleworm trap would have worked with sacrificial snails instead of food. ;Hurting

I used canned clams since those are a favorite f the worm. I tried several traps. The best was pvc, panty hose, and fishing line. when it stuck its head in you would sneak up and pull the noose. Otherwise super fast escape for any movement in or around the tank.
Removing the rock and nuking it is the only way to completely get rid of an infestation. Hence the dry rock this time around.