Dino’s or cyano

[jose hernandez]

Not sure if this is Dino’s or cyano tank is fairly new how do I go about removing it

 

[Idoc]

White light pics would help with looking at the true colors of the stuff. But, it has a dino appearance. Can you get some white light pics? Do you have access to a microscope?

 

[Michael Gray]

Microscope. I had same question thinking it was cyano for 2 weeks. Finally put it on the slide and bam. Coolia Dino's I have. So I'm in the right

 

[jose hernandez]

No microscope but here are some pics under white lights

 

[Michael Gray]

Are those bubbles on them?

I think I've read a way to test is suck some up. And put in a jar with saltwater Shake the hell of them if they come back together and form a mat or string together most like dinos. Hard to tell. Is it just andust of brown. Or a slime look

 

[leepink23]

Definitely has a Dino look. I would get a cheap microscope to id it accurately. Dino’s have different tx based off the id

 

[Michael Gray]

Also to rule out cyano. Suck some of the red stuff put in a tiny cup or tube tube. Put a drop or so peroxide. If the water turns pink. It's cyano. If it's still clear and the red/brown settles on bottom. Prob Dino's

 

[jose hernandez]

yes they do actually have little bubbles on them what should i do treat it or leave it alone?

 

[Teemingtank]

yes they do actually have little bubbles on them what should i do treat it or leave it alone?

They can get out of control and once they’re there and they can be stubborn to get rid of. Tackled mine with 3 days no light, feed the tank on end of 3rd day, then another 3 days no lights. You can rubber band a filter sock to the bottom of a siphon first, drop it in your sump, and siphon the big stuff out before you start the no lights, if you go that route. I also dosed h2o2 when I did this, but it probably isn’t necessary

 

[jose hernandez]

I’ve been reading chemi clean but scared it will wipe out my fish and the little bit of corals I have

 

[Teemingtank]

I used chemi clean with only mild success against dinos. You need to determine the source, mine was poor quarantine, just adding fish/ coral to the display. Dinos aren’t like diatoms, you have to introduce them from an outside source. Lights out is the most economical and has helped many people. There are a couple more techniques as well. I think I remember reading they don’t like spikes in phosphate and nitrate (complete opposite from most nuisance algae). Best of luck!!

 

[saltyhog]

Chemiclean is not effective at all on dinos. It doesn't help all forms of cyano but is effective against some.

Best advice is get a cheap scope, post pictures on this thread........https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-%E2%80%93-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

Read the first several pages of the thread and then post any questions you have on it. This is a very tough nut to crack. No simple, one size fits all strategy will work. That's why diagnosing it correctly as dinos and just as important what strain of dinos is so important.

 

[jose hernandez]

K thnks

 

[Teemingtank]

Chemiclean is not effective at all on dinos. It doesn't help all forms of cyano but is effective against some.

Best advice is get a cheap scope, post pictures on this thread........https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-%E2%80%93-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

Read the first several pages of the thread and then post any questions you have on it. This is a very tough nut to crack. No simple, one size fits all strategy will work. That's why diagnosing it correctly as dinos and just as important what strain of dinos is so important.

Who has the time to go buy a microscope or even borrow one? The whole world is practically quarantined and the global economy has stalled lol. Only thing you can do is post better pictures, take advice here and do your own internet research before applying them. Plenty of people have beat dinos without having to setup a biochemistry lab in their living room

 

[NS Mike D]

Who has the time to go buy a microscope or even borrow one? The whole world is practically quarantined and the global economy has stalled lol. Only thing you can do is post better pictures, take advice here and do your own internet research before applying them. Plenty of people have beat dinos without having to setup a biochemistry lab in their living room

you can get an inexpensive microscope on amazon for $22 and to your door by Monday



while plenty of people have beaten dinos, not all. Part of the problem is that the treatment isn't the same for all strains. Odds are you will be lucky and you'll take the steps that match the strain, but if you're wrong about the strain, it can cost you big time in dead corals, and in some cases, to leave the hobby.

Also, some folks, once they have the scope, love using it to observe the microfauna that is living in their tanks. I've spend hours looking that such threads. Very cool


Stay safe

 

[Teemingtank]

you can get an inexpensive microscope on amazon for $22 and to your door by Monday



while plenty of people have beaten dinos, not all. Part of the problem is that the treatment isn't the same for all strains. Odds are you will be lucky and you'll take the steps that match the strain, but if you're wrong about the strain, it can cost you big time in dead corals, and in some cases, to leave the hobby.

Also, some folks, once the have the scope, love using it to observe the microfauna that is living in their tanks. I've spend hours looking that such threads. Very cool


Stay safe

Apologies if I came out combative. I’m not saying that a microscope isn’t a valuable tool, I’m just pointing out that this a a tricky time for buying/acquiring equipment. You know as well as I do, probably even better, that there are some noxious strains of dinos that’ll poison the water and kill everything. Timing is everything! The quicker you can get on it the better. That week it takes the microscope to arrive might be when the tank crashes.

 

[Miller535]

I am currently working through an algae problem myself. I was convinced I had Dino's, and I did, I also had cyano (certain kinds of dino's PREFER to live on cyano mats), and some diatoms. Point being, everyone on here who has an algae problem (myself included ) seems to think they can only have one, when you can and likely have many. I actually have cyano and 2 types of dinos's. All 3 ID under a cheap $39.99 microscope with the help of those on here in the dino thread. And I believe I am coming out on the other side.

 

[Miller535]

Apologies if I came out combative. I’m not saying that a microscope isn’t a valuable tool, I’m just pointing out that this a a tricky time for buying/acquiring equipment. You know as well as I do, probably even better, that there are some noxious strains of dinos that’ll poison the water and kill everything. Timing is everything! The quicker you can get on it the better. That week it takes the microscope to arrive might be when the tank crashes.

Problem with this is that each kind of dino's (assuming it's dinos at all), are treated so differently without a scope your are just stabbing in the dark. And outside of trying a black out (which is NOT effective on most types), there is nothing else you can really do at home without buying things, NO3 dosing, PO4 dosing, dinox, UV, whatever method other then black out pretty much requires buying SOMETHING.

 

[Miller535]

I am wondering how old your tank is, as it looks like a relatively new tank to me. And what your water parameters are like (NO3, PO4).

 

[Teemingtank]

Problem with this is that each kind of dino's (assuming it's dinos at all), are treated so differently without a scope your are just stabbing in the dark. And outside of trying a black out (which is NOT effective on most types), there is nothing else you can really do at home without buying things, NO3 dosing, PO4 dosing, dinox, UV, whatever method other then black out pretty much requires buying SOMETHING.

Blackouts are free and are pretty effective. That’s why so many people on this forum recommend them. The issue people have is they rush the blackout. Everything looks good so they run the lights like normal, feed like normal, and what little dinos are left in the system come right back.
The thing about this hobby is that there are so many bitter people. Their answer is the only answer, the equipment they buy is the only equipment that works, they had it rough so you have to have it rough to...

Time is an issue here. There are approaches that are free, that won’t harm your tank, that you can experiment with (back off or continue). Inaction and waiting is gonna do more harm than trying. To each their own