0.06 phosphate = Dinos? Algae? It's everywhere and it's my fault. Lots of pics.

[Michigan Reefer]

I am a little puzzled that you always had very low undetectable PO4, and now suddenly you have .06.

How recent is that measure and maybe you should test again?

Yea i've been trying to raise PO4 and nitrate the last few months with heavier feeding and less water changes and protein skimming.

It was 0.00 to 0.02 at most with a hanna checker for months. Within two weeks it went from 0.00 to 0.06 when I really started noticing this algae/dino? I first thought dinos because i'm used to seeing 0.00 and undetectable nitrates, but I tested and saw phosphates which made me think algae? I only have a few packets of the hannah checker po4 kits so i'm saving till after I make a decision on what to do. Water change or ride it out?

 

[Michigan Reefer]

Looks like dinos to me. Here is how I beat dinos (almost...still battling it but I'm winning):

1) raise phosphate to around 0.1 by feeding extra or dosing neophosphate
2) raise nitrate to between 5 to 10 ppm either by feeding extra or dosing neo nitro.
3)Install uv with slow flow rate
4) dose microbacter 7
5)DONT DO ANY WATER CHANGES
6) blast rock with baster and vac out the really bad patches on the sand at least once per week.

Mature biodiversity is whats beats dinos and the added nutrients and uv help with the fight. Blackouts only temporarily help the situation.

This battle usually takes months

I'm doing a little coffee filter experiment right now to see if its really dinos. I'm worried if it's not dinos and I do the things you recommend, it will make this much much worse right?

 

[Willbiker]

I'm doing a little coffee filter experiment right now to see if its really dinos. I'm worried if it's not dinos and I do the things you recommend, it will make this much much worse right?

Best way to identify it is to pick up a cheap microscope and post a pic on here. Someone on here will tell you not only if it is dino, but what type.

 

[Willbiker]

Just read your other post where you say it goes away when lights are off and comes back during the day? If this is the case, its dino. But the good news is this variant is one of the easier types to beat as it enters the water column at night which means you will be able to beat it with a decent sized UV with a slow flow rate.

 

[Michigan Reefer]

It’s been a half hour since I filtered the gunk.

Looks like it’s coagulating back together.

 

[Michigan Reefer]

Just read your other post where you say it goes away when lights are off and comes back during the day? If this is the case, its dino. But the good news is this variant is one of the easier types to beat as it enters the water column at night which means you will be able to beat it with a decent sized UV with a slow flow rate.

Yea, everything is pointing towards dinos thus far. I do not own a UV sterilizer, any other suggestion?

 

[Willbiker]

Hmmm You could do the points I suggested earlier (raise nutrients, dose microbacter7) and also turn white lights off, just keep the blues plus upp your flow if you can but the best bet by a clear mile would be install a uv. If I were you, I would go by a cheap uv and a small pump. Its your best bet and will help prevent it from returning.

 

[Michigan Reefer]

Hmmm You could do the points I suggested earlier (raise nutrients, dose microbacter7) and also turn white lights off, just keep the blues plus upp your flow if you can but the best bet by a clear mile would be install a uv. If I were you, I would go by a cheap uv and a small pump. Its your best bet and will help prevent it from returning.

Ok I’ll take a look at a UV. Thank you for the advice.

 

[Willbiker]

Try to get the biggest one you can and then you can calculate using a formula what flow to put through it in order to tune it. I will try and find the formula for you. I have a 36w with a 300 lph pump which is a good balance, for me, between exposure time to the uv and tank turnover. Good luck!

 

[ScottB]

Ok I’ll take a look at a UV. Thank you for the advice.

Sorry, but that is certainly dinos. A good UV is expensive, but we should all have one available IMO.

All but one species of dino are free swimmers at night so the UV will reduce their populations (except for large cell amphidinium), and allow competitors to return to their place in the biome. The lack of nutrient has weakened competitors and they are now dino food.

A fifty dollar (or even cheaper) microscope will allow you to confirm which species you have.

For the UV, you want 1 watt per 3 gallons.

 

[Michigan Reefer]

I'm a little confused about the microbacter7 idea. Seems like Dinos came about because of my lack of nutrients with nitrate and po4 undetectable or very low. I'm supposed to add microbacter7 to add beneficial bacteria, but doesn't that also lower nitrate and phosphate? I've been trying to raise those two for months with heavier feeding, fewer water changes, and less protein skimming. I tried one bottle of neonitro,(no effect) and was going to try neophos. Should I still try those two to raise nutrients along with micro7?

 

[ScottB]

I'm a little confused about the microbacter7 idea. Seems like Dinos came about because of my lack of nutrients with nitrate and po4 undetectable or very low. I'm supposed to add microbacter7 to add beneficial bacteria, but doesn't that also lower nitrate and phosphate? I've been trying to raise those two for months with heavier feeding, fewer water changes, and less protein skimming. I tried one bottle of neonitro,(no effect) and was going to try neophos. Should I still try those two to raise nutrients along with micro7?

That is one part of a "different" method sometimes referred to as the Elegance Coral method. If you have LC Amphidinium, I would consider it. Otherwise for coolia, procentrum, ostreopsis and small cell amphids I would recommend the more conventional method.

UV, nutrients, basting, GAC

 

[Willbiker]

I'm a little confused about the microbacter7 idea. Seems like Dinos came about because of my lack of nutrients with nitrate and po4 undetectable or very low. I'm supposed to add microbacter7 to add beneficial bacteria, but doesn't that also lower nitrate and phosphate? I've been trying to raise those two for months with heavier feeding, fewer water changes, and less protein skimming. I tried one bottle of neonitro,(no effect) and was going to try neophos. Should I still try those two to raise nutrients along with micro7?

People have different views on the bottled Bacteria. Some say its pointless and others say it adds to the bacteria colony which essentially outcompetes the dino for space. I have been dosing it weekly and haven't found it to reduce my nutrients by much. I have been able to dose this plus neonitro and keep my nutrient elevated. Heavy feeding alone has kept my phosphate elevated but nitrate needed a helping hand. I couldn't tell you if its contributed to my winning battle, but something is working so it could be helping or it could not be. Worth it for the price of a bottle in my opinion.

 

[Willbiker]

That is one part of a "different" method sometimes referred to as the Elegance Coral method. If you have LC Amphidinium, I would consider it. Otherwise for coolia, procentrum, ostreopsis and small cell amphids I would recommend the more conventional method.

UV, nutrients, basting, GAC

I have LC amphidium which Is why I tried the bottle bacteria approach as you say. But I think your suggestion is spot on for michigan reefer. Up the nutrients, add a uv and keep blasting off the rocks. This is the winning recipe for the water bound type of dino.

 

[ScottB]

I have LC amphidium which Is why I tried the bottle bacteria approach as you say. But I think your suggestion is spot on for michigan reefer. Up the nutrients, add a uv and keep blasting off the rocks. This is the winning recipe for the water bound type of dino.

Those are tough buggers to solve for relative to the others. On the bright side they are the least toxic, so at least your livestock can make it through just fine. Butt ugly though, I know.

 

[Pkunk35]

If the problem is bad, and the system small, I wonder if a rip clean would help? @brandon429

Sorry for your troubles but keep at it man you’ll get this right! Following!

 

[Willbiker]

Those are tough buggers to solve for relative to the others. On the bright side they are the least toxic, so at least your livestock can make it through just fine. Butt ugly though, I know.

Indeed! Its been over 2 months and I'm about 60% through it. Ive just upped my temperature as some people hsve had success with this approach. Worth a try

These buggers take months to beat. I'm hoping by February I am dino free. I think michigan reefer could beat it alot quicker with a powerful uv.

 

[Pistol Peet]

It's my fault. I switched out my entire sumps bacteria filled substrate and biofilter media and replaced it with calcium reactor media and crushed coral. It's been a month with no problems until the last couple of days. Just tested phosphate (0.06) to decide if I need a large water change to drop the phosphate or ride it out? It’s gotta be going through a new bacteria cycle. Balance out or change it?

We have to show the ugly side of reefing. I’m amazed at all changes of life in a reef tank good or bad.

I’ve been turkey blasting this stuff for 3 nights now. I’m not so sure if I should keep do doing it. It just comes back. I’ve added pumps and upped the flow a bit to keep it off the corals, but as you see, no such luck. Also I haven’t seen bubbles like this since my the first cycle

Dose vibrant.

 

[Michigan Reefer]

Indeed! Its been over 2 months and I'm about 60% through it. Ive just upped my temperature as some people hsve had success with this approach. Worth a try

These buggers take months to beat. I'm hoping by February I am dino free. I think michigan reefer could beat it alot quicker with a powerful uv.

I've looked at UVs very briefly and just can't justify buying one at the moment. Long story short, I've downsized my 75 + 45 gallon frag system to a 25 lagoon + 45 frag system still, but will eventually shut the tank down completely in the next two years when we move homes. So if and when I do buy a UV it needs to be suited for a much larger system- (dream tank) in the new home. For now I'd like to keep everything healthy until I have to shut it down. I'll try additive approach and if I can't I just may have to buy that large UV and set it up here.

 

[Pistol Peet]

I have a UV sterilizer on my tank and still ended up getting some dinos dosed vibrant on top of the UV sterilizer and was able to get rid of them