Theoretical Question Time!

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Say someone had the starts of dinos in a barebottom aquarium. Would adding substrate to the aquarium be a good idea considering that a good way to beat dinos is to have another algae outcompete them? New substrates usually bring diatom blooms right? Good idea?

 

[Drummingbaker2010]

Say someone had the starts of dinos in a barebottom aquarium. Would adding substrate to the aquarium be a good idea considering that a good way to beat dinos is to have another algae outcompete them? New substrates usually bring diatom blooms right? Good idea?

I think I would try to remove what you can by hand, or find some critter to eat the dinos first, and then consider adding substrate after you've gotten it a little more under control. What made you decide to go with a bare bottom set-up to begin with?

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

I think I would try to remove what you can by hand, or find some critter to eat the dinos first, and then consider adding substrate after you've gotten it a little more under control. What made you decide to go with a bare bottom set-up to begin with?

It's more stable than any tank I've run with a substrate, there are tons of hiding places for fish since a portion of the rocks aren't buried in substrate, can run lots of flow for my sps, etc etc lol as far as I know there isn't any critter that eats dinos, I'm pretty sure they're a bit toxic

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Bump?

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Somebody's gotta have an idea here lol

 

[neonreef3d]

Outcompete it with bacteria

 

[Clarkjw2002]

Dose nitrates and/or phosphates depending on your nutrient levels. Dino blooms (at least Ostreopsis) are usually due to low nutrient levels that make it harder for algae to outcompete.

The lack of liverock and the almost obsessive drive for very low to no PO4 and NO3 has given rise to these dino issues. Back in the day nobody had dinoflagellates but everybody had liverock and nutrients. GFO didn't even exist I think. True, though, that a "reef" was a bunch of softies and maybe an LPS or two if you were lucky.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Dose nitrates and/or phosphates depending on your nutrient levels. Dino blooms (at least Ostreopsis) are usually due to low nutrient levels that make it harder for algae to outcompete.

The lack of liverock and the almost obsessive drive for very low to no PO4 and NO3 has given rise to these dino issues. Back in the day nobody had dinoflagellates but everybody had liverock and nutrients. GFO didn't even exist I think. True, though, that a "reef" was a bunch of softies and maybe an LPS or two if you were lucky.

What I think brought these dinos on (I've had them in other tanks due to low nutrients, the current tank in question hovers around 15ppm nitrates at all times) was adding a pincushion urchin that wiped out 90% of my algae very quickly. The dinos aren't bad and are really only on the glass. I have small patches of coraline all over my bottom glass so I'm sure if I just wait it out the dinos will lose. But I'm also kinda regretting the bare bottom because I'd love a pistol shrimp/goby combo! So my thought was "add some substrate so I can have those animals, and hopefully induce a diatom bloom to knock the dinos right out"

 

[BanjoBandito]

Dose nitrates and/or phosphates depending on your nutrient levels. Dino blooms (at least Ostreopsis) are usually due to low nutrient levels that make it harder for algae to outcompete.

The lack of liverock and the almost obsessive drive for very low to no PO4 and NO3 has given rise to these dino issues. Back in the day nobody had dinoflagellates but everybody had liverock and nutrients. GFO didn't even exist I think. True, though, that a "reef" was a bunch of softies and maybe an LPS or two if you were lucky.

(GFO IS THE DEVIL)

 

[SlugSnorter]

Say someone had the starts of dinos in a barebottom aquarium. Would adding substrate to the aquarium be a good idea considering that a good way to beat dinos is to have another algae outcompete them? New substrates usually bring diatom blooms right? Good idea?

no, the dinos would still be present, and the new substrate would have no bacteria or algae on it to fight the dinos. Maybe live sand could help.

 

[SlugSnorter]

It's more stable than any tank I've run with a substrate, there are tons of hiding places for fish since a portion of the rocks aren't buried in substrate, can run lots of flow for my sps, etc etc lol as far as I know there isn't any critter that eats dinos, I'm pretty sure they're a bit toxic

pods do. Some dinos are.

 

[Dburr1014]

Say someone had the starts of dinos in a barebottom aquarium. Would adding substrate to the aquarium be a good idea considering that a good way to beat dinos is to have another algae outcompete them? New substrates usually bring diatom blooms right? Good idea?

Do you know what strain you have?
Need to start there, at the beginning.
List of parameters too.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Outcompete it with bacteria

sub sauce is for cycling. also it does alot better with substrate

 

[Clarkjw2002]

(GFO IS THE DEVIL)

Ha! So true. Only times I've ever used I ended up with dinos. I am using it to suck PO4 out of dry rock for my retirement build. Will add details to my slow retirement build thread when I get to it.

Do you know what strain you have?
Need to start there, at the beginning.
List of parameters too.

This. And are you even sure you even have dinos? Tissue test will answer that. I've only ever had Ostreopsis so that is the extent of my experience--and they love low nutrients and hate UV.

There are tons of dino species/genera. That's why their control is the source of endless threads.

 

[SlugSnorter]

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