What caused your dino problem?

[ZaneTer]

Hi everyone.
Just trying to get a handle on the apparent causes of dinoflagellates in tanks. This is not intended to be used as a discussion thread. If you do want to discuss it please head over to:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318
Thank you

 

[ZaneTer]

This can be for past or present problems.

 

[becks]

I’ve had two outbreaks;

Ive had an outbreak when no3 and po4 were ultra low.

I’ve had an outbreak when I reduced my white lights and increased blues.

Both times I raised nutrients and within a few days they disappeared.

 

[Waters]

The only outbreak I had was when the tank was newer, and had close to zero nutrients. I can't say for sure, but I assume it was related to that.

 

[ZaneTer]

All experiences are appreciated. Thank you

 

[Velcro]

I could swear that I got them twice after dosing prazipro to the tank. Other than that undetectable nutrients seems to also play a role.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't think I ever had unusually low nutrients, partly perhaps because I let detritus collect for years as a thick mud, but I never had dinos in 20 years of keeping my tank.

 

[Jim Heenan]

Following. I'm trying to get measurable NO3, but my PO4 is rising in the process. :mad:

 

[ZaneTer]

Everybodies experience with dinos is relevant, I believe the general consensus will be that nutrient starvation will be the main trigger for a Dino outbreak.

@Jim Heenan
You have options like GFO or even lanthanum chloride to lower your PO4. Nitrate can be accurately and reliably increased by using dosers and your own choice of nitrate. I personally use potassium nitrate but then again I also dose trisodium phosphate because I struggle to maintain nutrients in my tank.

 

[Jim Heenan]

Everybodies experience with dinos is relevant, I believe the general consensus will be that nutrient starvation will be the main trigger for a Dino outbreak.

@Jim Heenan
You have options like GFO or even lanthanum chloride to lower your PO4. Nitrate can be accurately and reliably increased by using dosers and your own choice of nitrate. I personally use potassium nitrate but then again I also dose trisodium phosphate because I struggle to maintain nutrients in my tank.

Thanks ZaneTer! I recently put a mix of activated carbon/GFO on-line. Hopefully it'll lower the PO4 slowly. What is the Potassium Nitrate of choice you use? and what are the optimum levels of both NO3 & PO4 in a mixed reef system?

 

[ZaneTer]

I use potassium nitrate that I sourced from amazon. It is extremely cheap and effective. @Randy Holmes-Farley has a calculator, I think it is from plantedtanks but I can’t remember exactly.

Honestly I can’t tell you what would be perfect for your tank. General concensus is 2-5ppm NO3 and 0.03ppm PO4.

I plan to do my own series of experiments to find the ideal levels within my tank by measuring the alkalinity demand. I don’t think I will make my findings public, I will probably be stoned by one group or another for doing so.

 

[ZaneTer]

Sorry forgot to add you are welcome.

 

[jd371]

Undetectable nutrients combined with not enough Macroalgae. Lucky it only lasted a month with minimal loss to the tank.

 

[bo0sted2g]

Got mine when my nutrients bottomed out at zero. Was able to rid them by removing the sandbed installing a UV sterilizer and raising my nitrate and phosphate back up. Not sure which one helped the most but they haven't been back since.

 

[Samina]

So mine started about the end of last year, after my nutrients lowered and bottomed out quickly from using GFO and Purigen. Confirmed ostreopsis with a microscope. Still battling right now, but I feel the tide has now turned so things are looking better. Using a pentair UV in the display and raising nitrates with KNO3 (saltpeter). Looking forward to your experiment!

 

[Tahoe61]

Amino Acids products, specifically liquid foods for sps.

 

[Servillius]

I’ve always had dino result when I’ve had an excess of red slime and nuked it chemically.

 

[ZaneTer]

It seems like some people find cyano is a precursor to dinos

 

[ZaneTer]

The people that put high nutrients as the cause.... please tell us what happened. I would like to know more.

 

[Royce White]

I used to fight all of the dino's and red slime, I would clear up the dino's and here red slime would take over, clear up red slime and dino's would come back, would have to clean glass every two days, finally I got tired of it all and pulled carbon, purigen, and every thing that I was using to fight the crud except for my skimmer and weekly 10 percent water changes. That was 5 months ago. Everything cleared up and has been clear for 4 months now. Tank has been stable for that same amount of time. Have to clean glass weekly now. No sign of dinos or slime. Have been holding my breath waiting for the explosion but none so far. Corals are looking better than ever and growing. I know what they say about bragging so don't take this for a brag but just enjoying my aquarium.