Dino i.d pls picture attatched

[Steamreefer]

I think it's the sand dwelling species. I already started dosing silicate by brightwell. Instructions say to start at 1 drop per 20 gal a day for 2 weeks. For battling dinos what should I up that dosage to?

Also I read that the salifert test kits for this are not accurate enough. Should I bother testing with something else?

 

[Steamreefer]

Anyone?

 

[Steamreefer]

The amphidinium always have a nose or beak that is separated from the rest by grooves. Prorocentrum doesn't have that.

I just found this in another thread on here. Maybe I jumped the gun assuming amphidinium.

Might are perfectly round but occasionally squish into the shape of a loaf of bread lol.

Perhaps I should be buying a uv

 

[EnterName]

The image quality is really bad making the identification difficult. I tried getting some more detail out in post processing, but it's not easy. I would take a blind guess with Prorocentrum for now, but it is hard to tell.

They are not pointy at one side like Ostreopsis, they are not really fully spherical like Coolia, and I can't see the curved epicone ("beak") of Amphidinium and related species.

​

Do they move? If so, how? In circles or like a roomba?

 

[Steamreefer]

The image quality is really bad making the identification difficult. I tried getting some more detail out in post processing, but it's not easy. I would take a blind guess with Prorocentrum for now, but it is hard to tell.

They are not pointy at one side like Ostreopsis, they are not really fully spherical like Coolia, and I can't see the curved epicone ("beak") of Amphidinium and related species.

​

Do they move? If so, how? In circles or like a roomba?

Thank you so much!

Definitely more like a roomba.

Apologies it's a $40 microscope.

 

[EnterName]

Thank you so much!

Definitely more like a roomba.

Like a roomba means Coolia and Ostreopsis are really out.
Amphidinium or Prorocentrum it is. I stick with Prorocentrum for now.

Apologies it's a $40 microscope.

I mean we can't expect everyone to have an expensive microscope It's good enough I would say

While the identification is certainly interesting, I would never really exclude one of the "known" treatment options like UV just because some species may respond less well to it. Try UV, silicate dosing, nutrient control/adjustment.

Regarding silicate tests: There is a hanna checker for low resolution silicate in saltwater, but obviously it's a bit more expensive than some test kit. If you don't want to bother with that, you can simply observe over time if you see more diatoms.
They come in various shapes but sooner or later you get the hang of how they look and what kind of diatoms grow in your tank. You can find a few examples in my microscopy thread:

• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/microscopy-thread.1138845/post-14060262
• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/microscopy-thread.1138845/page-5#post-14434575

 

[Steamreefer]

Like a roomba means Coolia and Ostreopsis are really out.
Amphidinium or Prorocentrum it is. I stick with Prorocentrum for now.


I mean we can't expect everyone to have an expensive microscope It's good enough I would say

While the identification is certainly interesting, I would never really exclude one of the "known" treatment options like UV just because some species may respond less well to it. Try UV, silicate dosing, nutrient control/adjustment.

Regarding silicate tests: There is a hanna checker for low resolution silicate in saltwater, but obviously it's a bit more expensive than some test kit. If you don't want to bother with that, you can simply observe over time if you see more diatoms.
They come in various shapes but sooner or later you get the hang of how they look and what kind of diatoms grow in your tank. You can find a few examples in my microscopy thread:

• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/microscopy-thread.1138845/post-14060262
• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/microscopy-thread.1138845/page-5#post-14434575

Thanks again. Appreciate the help.

I was reading if you do a black out they may decide to go free floating.

I will continue with silicate dosing along with phos and nitrate and look into getting a uv

 

[mcarroll]

Make sure you are understanding the whole idea behind dosing Si as well as the other standard treatments. If you haven't already read the dino mega thread over in the nuisance algae subforum, I recommend doing so. You can even post into that thread if you'd like more opinions....also recommended.
Thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/
Subforum: Nuisance Algae (including bacteria)

 

[Waters]

Be careful with silicate dosing....I had a very bad experience lol. If you don't have an established diatom presence, the silicates just feed the dinos.

 

[Steamreefer]

Be careful with silicate dosing....I had a very bad experience lol. If you don't have an established diatom presence, the silicates just feed the dinos.

From what I've read dinos do not use silicate.

Make sure you are understanding the whole idea behind dosing Si as well as the other standard treatments. If you haven't already read the dino mega thread over in the nuisance algae subforum, I recommend doing so. You can even post into that thread if you'd like more opinions....also recommended.
Thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/
Subforum: Nuisance Algae (including bacteria)

To grow diatoms

 

[Steamreefer]

Like a roomba means Coolia and Ostreopsis are really out.
Amphidinium or Prorocentrum it is. I stick with Prorocentrum for now.


I mean we can't expect everyone to have an expensive microscope It's good enough I would say

While the identification is certainly interesting, I would never really exclude one of the "known" treatment options like UV just because some species may respond less well to it. Try UV, silicate dosing, nutrient control/adjustment.

Regarding silicate tests: There is a hanna checker for low resolution silicate in saltwater, but obviously it's a bit more expensive than some test kit. If you don't want to bother with that, you can simply observe over time if you see more diatoms.
They come in various shapes but sooner or later you get the hang of how they look and what kind of diatoms grow in your tank. You can find a few examples in my microscopy thread:

• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/microscopy-thread.1138845/post-14060262
• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/microscopy-thread.1138845/page-5#post-14434575

Got a couple videos

 

[Steamreefer]

Sorry about my kid in the background lol

 

[EnterName]

I still say Prorocentrum.

Does your microscope has a diaphragm? There should be a little pin below the stage. When you turn it the image gets darker but a larger area is in focus. This helps with a sharper/clearer image on the details.

 

[Steamreefer]

I dont think so

400x and 1200x are very similar as well.

After playing with it a bit more I got these 2 videos

 

[Steamreefer]

 

[EnterName]

Aperture dial is what you are looking for

 

[Steamreefer]

Aperture dial is what you are looking for

Yeah I tried adjusting it, only changes the color or the light. I have 2 better videos I posted above.

 

[EnterName]

Aperture dial is what you are looking for

Yeah I tried adjusting it, only changes the color or the light. I have 2 better videos I posted above.

Okay odd... That's not really aperture then but okay. The placement was odd it's usually slightly below the stage so I guess it's just an odd name.

 

[mcarroll]

I guess maybe you just have to use the light control?

Can you see the apeture dial under the stage? Does it have variable sized holes in it or just different color discs for the light to shine through?

A fancier one might look like this:

...but mmore commonly it would be like this where it has holes fro largest to smallest:

 

[EnterName]

I guess maybe you just have to use the light control?

The light control doesn't limit the angle at which the light hits the specimen so it won't give us more depth of field, I'm afraid.

I've cropped the video a bit and increased contrast. Assuming it's one of "the big four" genera that we frequently see, I'm reasonably certain it's Prorocentrum due to shape and movement. The central pyrenoid is only visible as bright blurry blob from time to time, but the apparent two apical vacuoles (the two "bubbles") are not too uncommon in Prorocentrum (see for example: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-sample-identification-pics-and-video.1123118/). They also occur in Ostreopsis, but the movement and shape doesn't match.