Dino Outbreak .. Why has it become so common?

[Fritzhamer]

What I've found in my tank is that my NO3 and PO4 export is overkill, but my tank has a large amount of organic Nitrogen and a moderate amount of organic Carbon. The only way for the average reefer to test for those nutrients right now is using Triton's N-DOC. So while many reefers may think they have a "ULNS" they just haven't been able to test for organic nutrients.

For whatever reason raising NO3 and PO4 balances out the tank nutrients and the Dinos go away.

I'm like you and plan to lower the light level in my fuge and turn off my skimmer again. In the long term maybe we will all figure out how to lower organics in our tank. Possibly feeding too much is causing the high organics in my tank.

Very interesting and totally makes sense.

 

[Breadman03]

An anecdote for the "low nutrients" cause:

I had issues with a couple nitrate test kits reading 20-30 ppm, coupled with fairly low PO4 tests, yet my corals were quite pale and I had very poor results. I was dosing vinegar and occasionally PO4 to try to bring down nitrate with no results. I was dosing 150ml of vinegar and could ramp up to half a liter per day and the NO3 would stay put at 20-30. I had suspected dinos, and lots of them during this time. Wanting to confirm bad test results, I sent out for an ATI ICP where they got 0 nitrates on their test. I ramped my vinegar dosing down fairly quickly and ignore my nitrates. I've been testing alk every other day, PO4 monthly, and sending in an ICP quarterly and my corals are looking better every day while the dinos disappeared within weeks of stopping carbon dosing.

Long story short, my suspected dinos exploded when nutrients were driven very low and disappeared when nutrients are only controlled with my skimmer and a small fuge. Well, the fuge isn't small, but my banished kole tang prevents much growth from happening.

 

[eskymick]

For years it seemed a constant struggle to keep nitrates from running wild. Now it seems a struggle to keep nitrate levels up.

As for excess organic carbon and organic nitrogen, would an oxidizing agent be of help? Perhaps that is the reason some find relief by using H2O2.

I hope I don’t find it necessary to experiment with “cures”. For the short term, my goal is to maintain that dusty green algae on the glass. I don’t mind wiping that down a few times a week.

 

[O'l Salty]

I had dinos about a year ago. My nitrates were 4 and my phosphate was 1.0.

Why are outbreaks of Pfiesteria and red tides suddenly threatening our oceans?
"This question correctly notes that there has been an increase in the occurrence of toxic and harmful algae blooms over the last several decades." Scientific American.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-are-outbreaks-of-pfie/

I suspect the rise in occurance of dinos in our marine aquariums is a reflection of the rise in dinos we see in the oceans.

 

[Chris Villalobos]

I had dinos about a year ago. My nitrates were 4 and my phosphate was 1.0.

Why are outbreaks of Pfiesteria and red tides suddenly threatening our oceans?
"This question correctly notes that there has been an increase in the occurrence of toxic and harmful algae blooms over the last several decades." Scientific American.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-are-outbreaks-of-pfie/

I suspect the rise in occurance of dinos in our marine aquariums is a reflection of the rise in dinos we see in the oceans.

I don't know if there is a link between ocean blooms and reef tank blooms but I think organic nutrients are the key.

"It remains unknown why pollution may stimulate blooms of Pfiesteriamore than others, but the answer may relate to the fact that this species can take up certain forms of organic nutrients, such as dissolved amino acids, that are found in pollution."

 

[wesman42]

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Very cool, thank you