3D UV Sweeper Try out for LCA Dinos

[slingfox]

I have also been using the UV sweeper to handle dinos and some cyano on the sand. I have been very impressed with the results! I used the sweeper a year ago and did not get great results. This time around I have held the light for a longer period of time at each spot (30 seconds minimum). That has worked well!

 

[Idech]

Over the last 7 years I have tried everything short of removing the sand to get rid of the LCA. Nothing worked. It was so discouraging. Peroxide. Blackouts. Silica. Dosing bacteria. Dosing Phyto. Filtering sand through socks. CUC. Manual stirring. Raising N and P. Reducing photo period. Increasing temperature. Plus I am sure many others that I cannot think of.

Same here. Same sand. Battling for 4-5 years and UV sweeper has probably made me win the battle.

 

[141918]

Thanks all but just really fed up. Been battling these jerks for almost a year and half.

The only thing that has worked so far is the sweeper. Nothing else I've tried does anything after extended periods, for me anyway. Sweeper so far is the best and only treatment in my case that's had any actual successful results.

Im just stuck at this point where 90% of the Dinos are gone but just can't get rid of the rest. I get a light dusting over the sand daily that is now seaming to be stalemate. It doesn't get any worse, but doesn't get any better.

Sorry for my previous message but I've decided to keep pressing on, even if it works or it doesn't. Im extremely frustrated but also don't want to give up.

 

[Idech]

Im just stuck at this point where 90% of the Dinos are gone but just can't get rid of the rest. I get a light dusting over the sand daily that is now seaming to be stalemate. It doesn't get any worse, but doesn't get any better.

Are you dosing bacteria, silicate, live phyto daily ? Can you use peroxide on top ?

 

[141918]

Hi all, trying to keep sweeping daily. Ran out of bacteria but at this point, I don't think it does a whole lot, after dosing as much as I have over a lengthy time.

My whole conception of this scenario is that the UV sweeper definitely does its job, and does it with tenacity. But if the biome isn't ready for new invaders, it will be an endless loop of frustration.

I broke down, cleaned the glass, and did a 5 gallon water change. I literally can't believe the ($hi+) I pulled out of the sand. It was literally almost black. Maybe a pile of dead dinos and detritus? I understand that doing water changes when battling dinos is highly advised against. But I had enough of them on the sand that I wanted to get at the back corners and try to remove as much as possible.

Either way, just been battling this on a daily approach. However, tonight for some odd reason, the tank is looking better then it has in weeks. Maybe it gets worse before it gets better?

One thing I'd like to point out is that I recently bought some cheap fluval carbon, and some oddly constructed filter media from amazon. It had some good reviews so I thought I'd give it a shot. Amazingly, this stuff cleans water like it's going out of style, including any or all surface film. I have to say this stuff is literally god to normal filter floss and performs way better. Still have a NO3 level of 10ppm and a phosphate level of 0.11 ppm.

I've always understood that balanced levels of nutrients can contribute to success or failure in a reef tank. But my nutrients have been all up and down for a year and a half. Its quite possible that the 10:1 nutrient levels are contributing to this lack of dinos.

I will post a pic of the current state of the tank and a pic of the filter pad I picked up.

To be quite honest, this is my new go to filter floss for mechanical filtration, literally and permanently.

 

[Idech]

To be quite honest, this is my new go to filter floss for mechanical filtration, literally and permanently.

I bought some of it but didn’t like it and removed it. I can’t remember why though…

I’m glad you’re back at it. Your tank looks like it’s improving. Unless you’re close to a bacterial bloom, I wouldn’t quit dosing bacteria. It’s helping re-build your microbiome, and as you said it yourself, that is the solution to get rid of Dino’s once and for all.

 

[141918]

I literally give up on bacteria.

I bought some of it but didn’t like it and removed it. I can’t remember why though…

I’m glad you’re back at it. Your tank looks like it’s improving. Unless you’re close to a bacterial bloom, I wouldn’t quit dosing bacteria. It’s helping re-build your microbiome, and as you said it yourself, that is the solution to get rid of Dino’s once and for all.

It would be interesting to know the reason why a no on the filter media lol. This stuff is like magic for clear aquarium water. It's made my water so clean and polished, and also I believe it's helping to remove stuff the dinos are eating before it settles on the sand. This stuff even rids my tank of surface film, which performs 100% better than standard filter floss. Permeability is also spot on and awesome. However, I understand every tank is different and there may be items that contribute to or lack there of, or have effect resulting in certain items not performing the same way overall in all tanks.

I understand bacteria is recommended. But I haven't seen any evidence that it does anything at all other than drain my bank account. In my honest opinion, the sweeper is performing practically all of the work. I literally have no conclusive evidence that the bacteria has done anything whatsoever, other than stink like fresh dog poop, especially with my recent stalemate. The sold bacterias claim to have live bacteria, but have not concluded/read that they contain enough. A lot of reading lately has went into Aquaforest Life Source, which im going to pick up a bag next week and try out. It's been tested many times over and contains all kinds of actual live bacteria. Im not insinuating the others don't, but my research has went into Life Source and have also read good testimonials for dino remediation. However, this may not work in the end, but willing to give it a shot.

My only thoughts for now is to see what things look like in another week. As painful as its been the last year and a half, I think im really close to that tipping point where its either dinos or no dinos. But time will tell.

 

[Idech]

It would be interesting to know the reason why a no on the filter media lol.

My me more is bad, but I think the water was just gliding on it , not going through. It might have been a different brand.

I understand bacteria is recommended. But I haven't seen any evidence that it does anything at all other than drain my bank account. In my honest opinion, the sweeper is performing practically all of the work.

I buy Microbe lift PL, made for ponds. It’s really cheap compared to Microbe lift special blend and the bottle will last you a long time.

 

[141918]

shot think the water was just gliding on it , not going through. It might have been a different brand.
It may be worth giving the brand I got another r

I buy Microbe lift PL, made for ponds. It’s really cheap compared to Microbe lift special blend and the bottle will last you a long time.

It may be worth giving the brand I got a shot. It really seems to be cleaning the water up with amazing results.

My me more is bad, but I think the water was just gliding on it , not going through. It might have been a different brand.


I buy Microbe lift PL, made for ponds. It’s really cheap compared to Microb

 

[141918]

Hi all,

I have a feeling that I'm at the point where I'm almost in control, but still not out of the woods yet. There still seems to be a consistent amount of dinos, especially thick in the corners where the UV sweeper can't reach, and a daily light dusting across the sand bed.

This is by no means a fault of the UV sweeper. The actual sweeper is literally the best thing that's happened in reef keeping since the beginning of dry rock cycling. Nothing even comes close in handling dinos the way this does in a safe and non chemical or algicide manner.

However, in my case, the sweeper isn't the smoking gun in solving all the problems. The sweeper does its job indefinitely. But if the tank isn't ready to switch to a non dino environment, the sweeper will only be a maintenance tool rather than a solution. It's the same issue and relevance to general crime. You can imprison all the criminals you want, but if you don't create the environment which fosters better citizens, the crime rate will never be phased.

I am currently stuck at a stalemate with this remaining cluster. Even though the sweeper keeps things at bay and or destroys dinos, ,my tank isn't ready for a non dino environment. This however brings along a surplus of speculation on why this remains to be an issue. Is it just general nutrients that keep the jerks alive? Is it just the fact that they can absorb light and multiply or consume themselves when conditions are not favourable? I literally have never encountered something so persistent in my life life lol :p.

I feel like im almost there but completely missing something.

Gonna grab a bag of aqua forest life source next weekend to see if seeding the tank with a weekly source of live (actually live) bacteria will help turn the tables.

As of for now, nothing currently happening is changing this tide of dinos and need new or more invasive techniques.

 

[jonelder68]

Hi all,

I have a feeling that I'm at the point where I'm almost in control, but still not out of the woods yet. There still seems to be a consistent amount of dinos, especially thick in the corners where the UV sweeper can't reach, and a daily light dusting across the sand bed.

This is by no means a fault of the UV sweeper. The actual sweeper is literally the best thing that's happened in reef keeping since the beginning of dry rock cycling. Nothing even comes close in handling dinos the way this does in a safe and non chemical or algicide manner.

However, in my case, the sweeper isn't the smoking gun in solving all the problems. The sweeper does its job indefinitely. But if the tank isn't ready to switch to a non dino environment, the sweeper will only be a maintenance tool rather than a solution. It's the same issue and relevance to general crime. You can imprison all the criminals you want, but if you don't create the environment which fosters better citizens, the crime rate will never be phased.

I am currently stuck at a stalemate with this remaining cluster. Even though the sweeper keeps things at bay and or destroys dinos, ,my tank isn't ready for a non dino environment. This however brings along a surplus of speculation on why this remains to be an issue. Is it just general nutrients that keep the jerks alive? Is it just the fact that they can absorb light and multiply or consume themselves when conditions are not favourable? I literally have never encountered something so persistent in my life life lol :p.

I feel like im almost there but completely missing something.

Gonna grab a bag of aqua forest life source next weekend to see if seeding the tank with a weekly source of live (actually live) bacteria will help turn the tables.

As of for now, nothing currently happening is changing this tide of dinos and need new or more invasive techniques.

Keep us posted how aqua forest works out. Top dressing my sand with TBS live ocean sand still is holding Dino’s off. Working great. Be cool if there was a cheaper way though I’m really loving the TBS sand and its texture.

 

[TheWB]

Keep us posted how aqua forest works out. Top dressing my sand with TBS live ocean sand still is holding Dino’s off. Working great. Be cool if there was a cheaper way though I’m really loving the TBS sand and its texture.

I think there is a cheaper way. I scooped out some of my sand and then soaked it with Hydrospace PNS ProBio for about 15 minutes and then put the sand back in the same place. That cleared up my sand outbreaks within a few days. I guarantee nothing, every tank is different, but I would try that for the last remaining problem areas.

 

[jonelder68]

I think there is a cheaper way. I scooped out some of my sand and then soaked it with Hydrospace PNS ProBio for about 15 minutes and then put the sand back in the same place. That cleared up my sand outbreaks within a few days. I guarantee nothing, every tank is different, but I would try that for the last remaining problem areas.

I tried every bacteria besides PNS or the other newer stuff. Gave up on it and decided just get the real deal from the ocean. But interesting idea on remove sand and soaking it . I will keep that in my arsenal. I like the idea!

 

[Idech]

There still seems to be a consistent amount of dinos, especially thick in the corners where the UV sweeper can't reach, and a daily light dusting across the sand bed.

UV sweeper can get into any corner if you angle it the right way. You might also rotate it vertically if the space is tight. You shouldn’t have any Dino’s remaining in corners if you do it long enough. In the beginning I would do it 1+ minute per spot.

I also treated my overflow box, powerheads, glass multiple times. Rocks also.

In my case my problem was not low nutrients. Nitrates and phosphate were always, always elevated in the 5 years I had Dino’s. My problem was the tanks microbiome. Not enough diversity and competing organisms against Dino’s.

There are two strategies and the best is to combine them :
1- decrease the number of dinos
2- increase the number of competitors for space


For number 2 you dose bacteria, live phyto and silicates daily in large amounts without creating problems.

For number 1, you can use peroxyde, blasting with a turkey baster, turning off reds, greens and whites, UV sweeper, reducing light duration, changing mechanical media often, etc.

It’s a numbers game.

 

[TheWB]

I tried every bacteria besides PNS or the other newer stuff. Gave up on it and decided just get the real deal from the ocean. But interesting idea on remove sand and soaking it . I will keep that in my arsenal. I like the idea!

I have some TBS sand and nano rocks in my tank. The Dino's in the sand happened well after they were added. The PNS is what did the job for me at least so far. My sand is not looking real great right now but I don't think Dino's are the problem, it's just dirty. I have not syphoned for a while, I'm trying to increase nutrients at the moment.

 

[jonelder68]

I have some TBS sand and nano rocks in my tank. The Dino's in the sand happened well after they were added. The PNS is what did the job for me at least so far. My sand is not looking real great right now but I don't think Dino's are the problem, it's just dirty. I have not syphoned for a while, I'm trying to increase nutrients at the moment.

Interesting… I’ve never dealt with Dino’s before on any previous tanks. It’s a real pain. Biblical pain . So I’m trying to study it better. Wish we could get a Dino’s section here to learn more . I’m going to order some and try it out.