Dinoflagellate Identification Guide

thedon986

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So interestingly, I've been dealing with high nitrates and phosphate for months (~50ppm nitrate, 0.1+ phos) and have been carbon dosing to address it. Last night phos was 0.08 and nitrate was 25.1, so I started ramping down the vinegar today. I have a filter roller and no filter sock. I can do lights off (they definitely disappear when the light is off) but I had understood amphidium goes into the sand at night rather than into the water column?

Now I've written this I realise you could be responding to @MarkSC not me...
I think the nutrient swings, even if remaining elevated can bring them about.

Yeah, they will go into the sand. Have you been dosing any sodium silicate, aka waterglass or SpongExcel? I have an area that recently came on strong and my nutrients haven't been anywhere near low, but I have been carbon dosing as well. I have switched the carbon dosing back to night and am dosing a 40% sodium silicate solution and seeing good improvements.
 

lmfbs

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I think the nutrient swings, even if remaining elevated can bring them about.

Yeah, they will go into the sand. Have you been dosing any sodium silicate, aka waterglass or SpongExcel? I have an area that recently came on strong and my nutrients haven't been anywhere near low, but I have been carbon dosing as well. I have switched the carbon dosing back to night and am dosing a 40% sodium silicate solution and seeing good improvements.
My nitrate rose slowly and has been dropping slowly (up over months, down from 49 - 25 over about 6 weeks). I haven't started anything to deal with dinos yet - is there a good protocol for dosing sodium silicate?
 

thedon986

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My nitrate rose slowly and has been dropping slowly (up over months, down from 49 - 25 over about 6 weeks). I haven't started anything to deal with dinos yet - is there a good protocol for dosing sodium silicate?
I have been doing about 4mls of 40% sodium silicate every other day. I am probably about to cut it back though as I am seeing great diatom growth and dark thick patches are turning to more generalized and widespread brown.
 

thedon986

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Yes in sand. Also swim in crazy roomba pattern. I read that is indicative of large cell, but how does small cell move?
Small cell is Roomba like but tends to move much faster. If you can find some diatoms or something else to compare to it might give you better reference on their size.
 

lmfbs

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I have been doing about 4mls of 40% sodium silicate every other day. I am probably about to cut it back though as I am seeing great diatom growth and dark thick patches are turning to more generalized and widespread brown.
So I had a chat with some people in my area on our wee messenger group, and every single person was extremely anti-silicate dosing. Their argument is it will cause diatoms (which...yes, that is the point). I have to say, so many different opinions is really giving me pause but I'm worried all this time dithering around is making the job much harder!
 

thedon986

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So I had a chat with some people in my area on our wee messenger group, and every single person was extremely anti-silicate dosing. Their argument is it will cause diatoms (which...yes, that is the point). I have to say, so many different opinions is really giving me pause but I'm worried all this time dithering around is making the job much harder!
okay, but what is the bad part about that? that's not really an argument. they are proven to compete with and reduce density of dinos. what would you rather have? dinos or diatoms?
 

lmfbs

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okay, but what is the bad part about that? that's not really an argument. they are proven to compete with and reduce density of dinos. what would you rather have? dinos or diatoms?
Yeah I mean, that's kind of my point. Diatoms are easier to deal with than dinos, I think. I just wonder if there's something I'm missing.
 
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