Dino and high phosphate? Smh

[Fishingandreefing]

So, some of you maybe have read or commented on my post regarding on my battle of high phosphate. I am treating my 120 with a low dosage of phosphate RX, last week was at around .35. I just treated again today and assumed it’s at around .25 now.

After a couple of hours, I did a 25% water change and found out that there are lots of tiny air bubbles on the rocks. Also, I have found close to 10 solid bubble algae.

what I have read this is the sign of Dino, which my friend is currently dealing with. He blacked out his tank for 3 days and it mostly gone. Now he will be dosing the tank with Microbacter7 I guess for two weeks.

my question is should I still dose phosphate RX or deal with Dino first?

 

[CuzzA]

Air bubbles on rocks or coming from algae is normal and not necessarily dinoflagellates. Algae metabolizes co2 and as it uptakes the carbon it releases the o2 and that o2 will be displayed as a bubble sometimes.

 

[ScottR]

So, some of you maybe have read or commented on my post regarding on my battle of high phosphate. I am treating my 120 with a low dosage of phosphate RX, last week was at around .35. I just treated again today and assumed it’s at around .25 now.

After a couple of hours, I did a 25% water change and found out that there are lots of tiny air bubbles on the rocks. Also, I have found close to 10 solid bubble algae.

what I have read this is the sign of Dino, which my friend is currently dealing with. He blacked out his tank for 3 days and it mostly gone. Now he will be dosing the tank with Microbacter7 I guess for two weeks.

my question is should I still dose phosphate RX or deal with Dino first?

Do you have pics? Dinos tend to be stringy and will wrap around corals.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Air bubbles on rocks or coming from algae is normal and not necessarily dinoflagellates. Algae metabolizes co2 and as it uptakes the carbon it releases the o2 and that o2 will be displayed as a bubble sometimes.

So you’re saying I shouldn’t be worry too much?

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Do you have pics? Dinos tend to be stringy and will wrap around corals.

I can snap a picture tomorrow. But There’s nothing stringy or wrap around corals ar the time

 

[ScottR]

I can snap a picture tomorrow. But There’s nothing stringy or wrap around corals ar the time

There are different types of dino and I currently am struggling with them. Went away and came back. I have high PO4 and NO3. Best way to find out what type you have is via microscope. If you do have, a UV is very helpful.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

There are different types of dino and I currently am struggling with them. Went away and came back. I have high PO4 and NO3. Best way to find out what type you have is via microscope. If you do have, a UV is very helpful.

How are you dealing with it? Guess I will see tomorrow

 

[ScottR]

How are you dealing with it? Guess I will see tomorrow

Long story short. I had Cyano. Covered all my rocks. I believe the Cyano killed off biodiversity. So I used chemiclean and it died off. Then dinos came. I dosed MB7 (don’t know if it helped). Put on an underrated UV. Added live rock. And waited. Took me 3 months to see zero. Then I got GHA right after. I freaked out and added vibrant. Vibrant killed off the GHA like magic but then I started seeing bubbles form where the GHA was dying off. Few later, stringy brown strands. Dinos were back!!! So as we speak, I’m at the beach collecting natural seawater to do a water change. Hope it works. Will keep you updated. Biodiversity is key!!!

 

[CuzzA]

So you’re saying I shouldn’t be worry too much?

Not at this time. Unless you can ID what it is. My guess is it's just algae.

 

[ScottB]

While dinos are possible at high nutrient levels, that would be very uncommon.

What you should be very careful about is the speed at which you remove PO4. Going slow is critical. Allowing the system to "settle" for a while (weeks even) at a new low level like the .25 you are at now is a good idea. Then get to .15 and let the system & corals adjust to that before going any lower.

You have some PO4 stored in your rock that will help keep you from stripping entirely, but get real careful about dosing the Rx as you get to .10

Going too fast will destabilize your biome. It is used to a high level of PO4, so the balance of power is changing at each level.

Also, what is your nitrate level?

 

[Fishingandreefing]

While dinos are possible at high nutrient levels, that would be very uncommon.

What you should be very careful about is the speed at which you remove PO4. Going slow is critical. Allowing the system to "settle" for a while (weeks even) at a new low level like the .25 you are at now is a good idea. Then get to .15 and let the system & corals adjust to that before going any lower.

You have some PO4 stored in your rock that will help keep you from stripping entirely, but get real careful about dosing the Rx as you get to .10

Going too fast will destabilize your biome. It is used to a high level of PO4, so the balance of power is changing at each level.

Also, what is your nitrate level?

Haven’t check my nitrate yet. But I have dropped my p04 from .90 to now at .18 in about 6 weeks.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

So, again those are tiny air bubbles are on the rocks and frag rack. The sand bed are white.

just checked Nitrate, it’s 0 by API

 

[CuzzA]

Again, oxygen bubbles do not necessarily mean dinos. All algaes are photosynthetic. It's surprising to new hobbyists to actually visually see photosynthesis happen before their eyes. Your nitrates look more like 5-10, but a pic is hard to tell and even harder from API kits. The only way to tell for sure is if you're seeing snotty growth or with a microscope. Everyday my tanks has bubbles on the rocks, they're not dinos.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Again, oxygen bubbles do not necessarily mean dinos. All algaes are photosynthetic. It's surprising to new hobbyists to actually visually see photosynthesis happen before their eyes. Your nitrates look more like 5-10, but a pic is hard to tell and even harder from API kits. The only way to tell for sure is if you're seeing snotty growth or with a microscope. Everyday my tanks has bubbles on the rocks, they're not dinos.

API test kit is not accurate as we all know, but based what I can see is yellow which is between 0 to 5 I guess, even to 10 or 15 is still acceptable.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Again, oxygen bubbles do not necessarily mean dinos. All algaes are photosynthetic. It's surprising to new hobbyists to actually visually see photosynthesis happen before their eyes. Your nitrates look more like 5-10, but a pic is hard to tell and even harder from API kits. The only way to tell for sure is if you're seeing snotty growth or with a microscope. Everyday my tanks has bubbles on the rocks, they're not dinos.

hopefully they are what they are naturally, just on problem after another lol

 

[ScottB]

So, again those are tiny air bubbles are on the rocks and frag rack. The sand bed are white.

just checked Nitrate, it’s 0 by API

Hey, at least I too see >0 nitrates on my image. Zero is fluorescent yellow. I see almost five.

The only way to confirm dinos is by microscope 400X. They are cheap on Amazon. Scrape up some gunk and water and place on slide. The post image (preferably video but hard to do) on :

Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

Need help with ID please

www.reef2reef.com

 

[ScottR]

hopefully they are what they are naturally, just on problem after another lol

Where I would be concerned is when you see stuff growing on your corals. Algae can cover corals, yes. But dinos actually grow on corals. They’ll cover my zoa colonies, forcing the zoas to close. They’ll grow on my monti, wrap around birdsnest. So irritating.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Where I would be concerned is when you see stuff growing on your corals. Algae can cover corals, yes. But dinos actually grow on corals. They’ll cover my zoa colonies, forcing the zoas to close. They’ll grow on my monti, wrap around birdsnest. So irritating.

Crossing my fingers that’s not what I have.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Hey, at least I too see >0 nitrates on my image. Zero is fluorescent yellow. I see almost five.

The only way to confirm dinos is by microscope 400X. They are cheap on Amazon. Scrape up some gunk and water and place on slide. The post image (preferably video but hard to do) on :

Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

Need help with ID please

www.reef2reef.com

The iPhone attachment microscope that costs about $40?

 

[ScottR]

Crossing my fingers that’s not what I have.

You can buy a cheap microscope to check. I have a friend who has one so I just take a sample of my water to his house. You can take a pic of the sample and put it here. Lots of people can help you to ID. Plus it’s kind of cool to see what’s actually in your water.