Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

[Dj City]

Im not here to debate.
I think I have a dino problem and I need help and guidance.
I just want people who may not know how these devices actually work to be aware.
They are not the end all, be all some think them to be.

 

[Dj City]

Out of curiosity, what is incorrect?
If you can teach me something, I'm open to learning.
Im not trying to start an argument but genuinely trying to learn.

Maybe BRS, and everything I've learned about UV sterilizers is wrong.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Im not here to debate.
I think I have a dino problem and I need help and guidance.
I just want people who may not know how these devices actually work to be aware.
They are not the end all, be all done think them to be.

I don't mind helping but you are debating the effectiveness of UV. They do work and we don't mind helping getting your to work. Also, this thread isn't only about UV. That's just one of the tools.

 

[Dj City]

Please don't misunderstand me. I am NOT debating the effectiveness of UV as I KNOW a proper sized unit with the correct flow rate absolutely works!
I see people go out and buy budget units that promise the world but don't have what it takes to deliver on that promise.

I have the Pentair Aquatics Smart UV 40 Watt on my 110gal display. It works wonders! It's LARGE!!! it's Powerful, it's expensive and it gets the job done.
Cheap, smaller UV's claim to do the job but really don't do too much more than clarify the water.

I just want people to know the difference between what a good proper UV does vs the budget UV's that flood the market.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I think I have a dino problem and I need help and guidance.

The first page on this thread outlines issues we experience with dinos as well as outlining how to battle dinos. If you don't have a microscope there is a way to test and see.

I just want people to know the difference between a GOOD proper UV does vs the budget UV's that flood the market.

We stress this too. I don't believe anyone here is going to suggest a cheap 9w UV for a large tank. That's unrealistic. Now if you have a 30 gallon tank, I really don't see the need for a large 40w UV. Different strokes with different folks, right? But also consider that just because it's affordable doesn't make it entirely ineffective. It boils down the UVs nanometer range and is the contact time long enough.

First step to any dino fight is increasing nutrients. That is what's going to be the most effective. Unless you have ostreopsis. UV just destroys ostreopsis in days.

 

[Dj City]

My microscope arrives today (I hope).
As soon as it does, I hopefully will ID this pest and plot the course to eradicate it (With help and guidance from you guys).

I know that my UV did nothing for my dinos (if that's what I have).

We shall see...

 

[reeferfoxx]

My microscope arrives today (I hope).
As soon as it does, I hopefully will ID this pest and plot the course to eradicate it (With help and guidance from you guys).

I know that my UV did nothing for my dinos (if that's what I have).

We shall see...

It'll be nice to confirm.

Some dinos need help getting into the water column. Some disperse into the column. That's where ID is beneficial. Also if you adjust the sterilizer to pump from the display, you're going to see better results.

 

[Deezill]

Depends how long it's been.
I'd say if you haven't seen any dinos in a couple of weeks, then a small water change (under 10%) will probably be okay.

I am going to wait one more week to make sure all is well

 

[taricha]

On the UV question - see this thread:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/i...-eradicated-dinoflagellates-overnight.316126/
These reports of dinos disappearing in 1-3 days of UV means that it's doing more than just preventing reproduction.

DNA controls more than just cell reproduction, and there are processes in many cells to self-destruct (see "programmed cell death") when they receive certain kinds of damage. It's possible something like this explains what we see in this reports of "overnight" dino disappearance.

 

[Dj City]

Im all for it!

 

[Dj City]

My microscope did not come yesterday. It should be here today.

What is ther correct flow rate for UV to damage/kill dinos?

I am more than willing to try again with my UV.
My dinos stay on the sandbed.
If my dinos don't like to hang out in the water, I have no problem putting a tube on the intake of a pump and suctioning straight through the UV.

 

[eraserhead187]

That's all I could find at the moment.

Most of the UV sterilizers on the market are pretty close to useless beyond clearing green water.
Contact time, size of unit and strength of the bulb are what determines how effective a UV sterilizer can be.
Vast majority on the market for aquarium use simply do not get the job done. The ones that do COST and they are HUGE.

UV helped eliminate my ostreopsis issue, and attaching a uv sterilizer and a low flow pump to a gravel vacuum helped get rid of my subsequent amphidinium issue. They were killed by it. Verifies by microscopy. Almost all were non motile immediately after passing through the uv light, and some were lysed.

 

[eraserhead187]

My microscope did not come yesterday. It should be here today.

What is ther correct flow rate for UV to damage/kill dinos?

I am more than willing to try again with my UV.
My dinos stay on the sandbed.
If my dinos don't like to hang out in the water, I have no problem putting a tube on the intake of a pump and suctioning straight through the UV.

I attached a week powerhead to the uv and gravel vac, and vacuumed the sand. Really did a number on my amphidinium. They are gone now, there was still some coolia but it has since receded also.

 

[Dj City]

My microscope is here!
FedEx delivered it yesterday. TO THE WRONG ADDRESS!
It's nice to know that there are still honest people in the world. The homeowner called me this morning letting me know that the package was delivered to her house and left on her front stoop.

 

[dwest]

What is ther correct flow rate for UV to damage/kill dinos?

I flow about 300 gph through 100 watts of uv for my 180 gallon tank.

 

[Dj City]

I attached a week powerhead to the uv and gravel vac, and vacuumed the sand. Really did a number on my amphidinium. They are gone now, there was still some coolia but it has since receded also.

Im having a major brain fart.
Could you post a pic of your gravel vac to UV? Im having a hard time picturing what this looks like or how to hook it up correctly.

Also, will a maxjet 1200 be good enough?

 

[Dj City]

OMG!!!

Amazing!
What are these things?
Is this my problem?
How to best rid myself of this problem.

 

[Dj City]

Im trying to get a good enough pic but doing it by hand with a phone camera is just not easy to do.

The pics above are sand and what's moving around the sand.

This pic is no sand. Just water with these whatever they are.

 

[Dj City]

This is the best video I was able to take without something holding my phone over the microscope.

 

[reeferfoxx]

This is the best video I was able to take without something holding my phone over the microscope.

Difficult to say and @taricha can confirm but looks like amphidinium.