Will "cooking" live rock kill dinoflagellates?

rc1626 · Nov 13, 2019

I'm starting a new tank and would like to use some rock in my current tank. I have what seems to be a small amount of dinos. I have not positively identified them but based on pics I'm pretty sure that's what it is.

From what I've read "cooking" live rock is a great way to kill off unwanted organisms (algae, coral, etc.) while keeping all the good bacteria. Will doing a 6 - 8 week cook kill off dinos if that is what I have? From what I've searched for and read I have not found an answer to this.

Any experience and feedback appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Daniel@R2R · Nov 13, 2019

My best answer is that it's possible... I was battling dinos and one thing that seemed to help was using Dr. Tim's Waste Away bacteria. You might use that while cooking your rock.

Idoc · Nov 13, 2019

Dinos are the devil, period.

I think if i were to start over after having dinos, I would bleach my rocks, let them completely dry out... then cure them in a dark rubbermaid bin for a couple months in complete darkness. Then setup the tank... after bleaching the tank and all equipment as well.

I say this only because I may be doing this as well soon if the dinos come back! I did the Elegant Corals Dino Treatment and it had worked well to clean the system...but dino's are still present, but now manageable and controlled.

rc1626 · Nov 13, 2019

Oh boy that's a lot of work. I've already bleached about half my rock and it's currently cycling in the new tank. I certainly don't want to chance introducing any dinos into the new tank so a full bleaching may be necessary. I wasn't sure if it was a certainty that cooking would take care of dinos and early responses don't seem supportive of that. Thank you @Daniel@R2R and @Idoc.

Idoc · Nov 13, 2019

rc1626 said:
Oh boy that's a lot of work. I've already bleached about half my rock and it's currently cycling in the new tank. I certainly don't want to chance introducing any dinos into the new tank so a full bleaching may be necessary. I wasn't sure if it was a certainty that cooking would take care of dinos and early responses don't seem supportive of that. Thank you @Daniel@R2R and @Idoc.

The Elegant corals recipe looks confusing, but it's actually pretty easy. You just have to watch the pH during it. Even without dinos, it would probably be good to do occasionally just to clean out the tank! My tank looked so beautiful afterwards.

rc1626 · Nov 13, 2019

After actually reading it it doesn't look that difficult. I may just give it a try.

jda · Nov 13, 2019

The cooking process is in the dark, so the dinos that you have will die back. They will come back if you do not remedy the issues that caused them. Dinos are like bacteria (and they live in coral), so you can never keep them out all the way - zoox are dinos.

While you are cooking get the P in the water down to nearly nothing... use some Lan Chloride and a filter sock if you need to.

jsvand5 · Nov 14, 2019

I tried everything I could think of to get rid of mine. Ended up getting a UV sterilizer and they were gone in a few days. Best thing I have purchased for my system.

rc1626 · Nov 14, 2019

Thanks Jda. By no means am I questioning your statement but curious as to what sort of scenarios bring about a dino bloom if all tanks have dinos in them? My last long term tank (about 8 years old before I took it down) never had any. Certainly had my run ins with hair and bubble but never dinos. Any suggestions? Have you ever personally dealt with them in any of your tanks?
Thanks.

jda · Nov 14, 2019

Higher levels of N and P seem to fuel them, but not too high... there is a sweet spot above NSW and levels that are high enough to act as poison to keep them held back. Lack of flow and some abundance of detritus seem to help.

There are also a bunch of different types, which makes them even more infuriating since what works for some people do not work for all.

I have dinos in every tank that I set up in the early "ugly" phases along with some film and more substantial algae. They come on their own and go away on their own and are almost like a rite of passage. This is like from month 2 to 6. I keep my water very clean, use sand that keeps the N down to about .1 (once it is established) and have good flow - other than this, I only see a small patch every so often that comes and goes on it's own.

rc1626 · Nov 14, 2019

Thanks for the response Jda.This hobby can certainly bring its challenges. Not sure what I'm going to do yet.

sfin52 · Nov 14, 2019

rc1626 said:
Oh boy that's a lot of work. I've already bleached about half my rock and it's currently cycling in the new tank. I certainly don't want to chance introducing any dinos into the new tank so a full bleaching may be necessary. I wasn't sure if it was a certainty that cooking would take care of dinos and early responses don't seem supportive of that. Thank you @Daniel@R2R and @Idoc.

Dino can be carried in on fish and coral. It's impossible to keep them out of a system. Making sure they don't become a plague is another issue all together.

rc1626 · Nov 14, 2019

Oh man!!! Ok then.....I thought they were similar to other pests. Thankfully I don't have them bad at all and never have in 2.5 years with this tank. My display has a very little and my frag tank had slightly more until I just cleaned it out. Initially I believe it was brought on by a lighting change.
You guys have been great. Thanks for the feedback. I consider myself a pretty experienced reefer and still find I'm constantly being challenged and learning. Good stuff!!!

rc1626 · Nov 14, 2019

One other reason for wanting to "cook" the rock would be to rid it of vermetid snails and asterina stars. Anyone know if this would be effective?
Thanks.

Mykawl · Nov 14, 2019

Following, interesting responses because my reading and understanding is that a lack of bio diversity namely dry rock causes them and low nutrients specifically 0 phosphate.

mine came after resetting my refugium and a water change

Micro-Reefs Aquarium · Jul 29, 2021

I poured boiling tap water on my 25 micron filter bag to kill the dinos so I can reuse the filter sock the next day will that work?

I placed the sock away from pets and kids I heard of people dying from smelling fumes of zoas/palys after boiling live rock in a kitchen.

Garf · Jul 29, 2021

Micro-Reefs Aquarium said:
I poured boiling tap water on my 25 micron filter bag to kill the dinos so I can reuse the filter sock the next day will that work?

I placed the sock away from pets and kids I heard of people dying from smelling fumes of zoas/palys after boiling live rock in a kitchen.

That should do it.

sfin52 · Jul 29, 2021

Micro-Reefs Aquarium said:
I poured boiling tap water on my 25 micron filter bag to kill the dinos so I can reuse the filter sock the next day will that work?

I placed the sock away from pets and kids I heard of people dying from smelling fumes of zoas/palys after boiling live rock in a kitchen.

Please don't do that again there is stuff that can release toxins and boiling water can aerosolize it. I suggest you bleach to clean the socks.