Can Dinos Cause Polyp Recession?

[HardyG]

The question without all of the backstory is can dinos cause polyp retraction?

A few weeks ago I started noticing after lunch each day, my torches start retracting and getting almost nubby. I have been testing at different times of the day to find a chemical or nutrient imbalance but nothing popped up other than than tanked nitrate issue I have already been working on (been at 10ppm steady for about 2 weeks now). Par values were right around 130-150, Temperature is stable, flow is good when they are open, nothing but filter floss (changed every 2ish days) and live rock and sand. But every morning/afternoon after the lights have been on my sandbed, rocks, and glass is overtaken by Dino strings during the day.

Am I looking too far into this and the answer has been the dinos this whole time and it wasn’t coincidental that the corals receded at peak lighting (with a decently high white intensity at the time)?

Any help is appreciated. The discouragement sets in each day after lunch when I don’t see much polyp extension.

 

[HardyG]

 

[HardyG]

An example of the polyp extension I was getting used to!

 

[Uncle99]

I can’t say you have Dino’s, but your description of lifting into the water at night is quite indicative of the “golden” type Dino’s.

And for sure, Dino’s will make corals unhappy.
Some are toxic in large numbers to other reef inhabitants.

If they leave the sand at night, consider adding a small UV light.

Ensure phosphate is available to feed the system.
Your nitrate seems fine at 10ppm so maybe phosphate should be say .1ppm

Most Dino’s multiply fast so you need to continue to remove as many as possible daily.

At the same time, your going to help your good guys algae and bacteria’s grow by keeping ALK absolutely pinned, both N and P available, a daily dash of bottled bacteria of your choosing, and a weekly splash of phyto.

If you keep up the fight, the good always outcompete the bad when water chemistry is super stable and food in available.

It took me about 4 weeks, but all of a sudden, they were gone completely over about 4 days.

Since maintaining my water chemistry appropriately, they have never returned 5 years now.

 

[HardyG]

Certainly Dino’s will make corals unhappy.
Some are toxic in large numbers.

If they leave the sand at night, consider adding a small UV light.

Ensure phosphate is available to feed the system.

This is helpful! Thank you!!

I would say I have a large volume of them in comparison to tank size (15g). They definitely leave the sand at night. Are back after an hour or 2 of lights on.

I may need to try and find a UV for my nano. I’m sure innovative marine makes one.

I also ordered some microbacter 7 and was considering doing a 3 day blackout while I dose it to give the good guys a chance to catch up. Is this a bad idea?

Phosphates are sitting around .1 and nitrates are steady at 10. Bought the brightwell versions to dose just in case!

 

[Uncle99]

This is helpful! Thank you!!

I would say I have a large volume of them in comparison to tank size (15g). They definitely leave the sand at night. Are back after an hour or 2 of lights on.

I may need to try and find a UV for my nano. I’m sure innovative marine makes one.

I also ordered some microbacter 7 and was considering doing a 3 day blackout while I dose it to give the good guys a chance to catch up. Is this a bad idea?

Phosphates are sitting around .1 and nitrates are steady at 10. Bought the brightwell versions to dose just in case!

Those nutrient values look great, so good guys being fed.

Pull fliter each morning just before lights on.

A small UV works great on these guys while they are in the water. Just a hang on type, we’re going to remove it down the road.

Simply a numbers game. You gotta remove more than are multiplying and if you sustain that, the Dino’s population falls. Slowly, good guys take over rock and sand real estate the push out the bad.

 

[HardyG]

Those nutrient values look great, so good guys being fed.

Pull fliter each morning just before lights on.

A small UV works great on these guys while they are in the water. Just a hang on type, we’re going to remove it down the road.

Simply a numbers game. You gotta remove more than are multiplying and if you sustain that, the Dino’s population falls. Slowly, good guys take over rock and sand real estate the push out the bad.

I see IM makes one. May try to find one and see if it helps. Anything else that helps speed things up? I’m so tired of these things stringing all over my corals!!

https://topshelfaquatics.com/produc...MIjJeAg7e4jgMVK3F_AB0UeCnREAQYAiABEgKGO_D_BwE

 

[Fish Fan]

I see IM makes one. May try to find one and see if it helps. Anything else that helps speed things up? I’m so tired of these things stringing all over my corals!!

https://topshelfaquatics.com/produc...MIjJeAg7e4jgMVK3F_AB0UeCnREAQYAiABEgKGO_D_BwE

I have that UV in my IM 25 lagoon AIO, I think it works well enough for the money, and may be fine for you if this is temporary. But I kind of wish I had gotten their 10 watt version, which allows you to regulate the flow through it. The other 9 watt version cannot do that:
https://www.innovative-marine.com/s...erilizer-Water-Clarifier-Universal-p184825923

 

[Uncle99]

I see IM makes one. May try to find one and see if it helps. Anything else that helps speed things up? I’m so tired of these things stringing all over my corals!!

https://topshelfaquatics.com/produc...MIjJeAg7e4jgMVK3F_AB0UeCnREAQYAiABEgKGO_D_BwE

UV, just at night is a good one.

Others are:
New clean filter every morning before lights.
Super stable salinity and ALK.
N and P stable, in the band, and neither rising or falling week over week.
One time POD addition.
Daily bacteria
Weekly phyto.

Be RELENTLESS, you will win, it won’t feel that way for say 3-4 weeks, but they will go.

Each day, their numbers get less and less. They WILL fall and when they do, rocks go clean and sand stays white.

This will stay that way until water chemistry gets out of whack….dinos….cyanos…..do great in unstable waters and zer9 nutrients.