Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

[Xavier434]

Hi there. I am here to request a Dino ID. Below are a couple of videos. If more info is needed please let me know.

 

[Reef and Dive]

Hi there. I am here to request a Dino ID. Below are a couple of videos. If more info is needed please let me know.

To me most probably Amphidinium

 

[Xavier434]

To me most probably Amphidinium

Thank you. I appreciate the quick response.


To the rest of the community:

Any second opinions? Not doubting Reef and Dive, but I'd like to hear from several people before deciding on a plan.

 

[ScottB]

Hi there. I am here to request a Dino ID. Below are a couple of videos. If more info is needed please let me know.

The static dino does look like a lonely LC Amphid. Might have also been a fly-by from a small cell amphid in there too. But the dominant species to me looks like coolia, which I don't see very often at all around here.

@taricha is my ID guru. Here is his ID guide:

Dinoflagellate Identification Guide

I've had this laying around for a while. Had some recent interest, so I tweaked it a bit and am posting it. Not really about cures just ID pictures, videos, and a few short facts. Hope it can be helpful.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[taricha]

But the dominant species to me looks like coolia, which I don't see very often at all around here.

Agreed. The majority of cells are coolia. In the second video there were some large cell amphidinium gliding around. The main motionless Dino that was focused on in the videos is an unusual type of prorocentrum I believe.
Edit: example
https://images.app.goo.gl/bzW8oYSm6uFPZ9866

 

[Xavier434]

Much appreciated all. Thank you.

 

[Biff0rz]

Now it is just time to keep good measures (detectable nutrients, good bacteria, manual cleaning / blowing affected areas often, good pH - higher better) for a really long time, but keep in mind every tank has dinos here and there, same goes for diatoms, cyano, green algae. It is just a matter of not letting it become a dominant pest. Remember the other reef inhabitants need your attention too.
It is a long term battle really…

Do you have a pic of the worst moment of the tank and a recent one to compare?

So po4/no3 has been present forever. I've been dosing mb7 for a few days now, blowing rocks off daily - all areas have dino everywhere. Some days are worse. Still some dead gha on the rocks too. Some gha looks very much alive, mostly in areas with high flow. The only other inhabitants I have are fish and crabs at this point. The zoa's closed up and haven't opened one bit. The shrooms are fine, that's my last loving coral. I added air to my skimmer from the outside, PH swings between 7.8 (night) and 8.2 (end of light cycle).

I don't have pics of it at it's worst, it's pretty depressing to snap a pic then. It's better now but doesn't look anything like a healthy tank at all. Sucks.

 

[moleindaground]

Hi All, hoping to receive a positive Dino ID. Please see the images and information below.

I have been battling for around 4 months now in my 15g reef. Lost around 70% of my corals and many inverts. I have tried raising water temp to 82 (currently around 79) without success, same with reducing the photo period to 8 hours. Did one course of DinoX which did not really help substantially. There was a green hair algae issue, with thick mats on the sand bed, but this has now been replaced by red cyano. I am doing manual removal with a filter sock 1-2 times a week.

Also, trying to avoid water changes, only do a small one (20%) every 4-6 weeks. Current numbers are below:

ammonia 0
Nitrate 40
Phosphate .23
Alkalinity 6.1
Salinity 1.0265

 

[Reef and Dive]

Hi All, hoping to receive a positive Dino ID. Please see the images and information below.

I have been battling for around 4 months now in my 15g reef. Lost around 70% of my corals and many inverts. I have tried raising water temp to 82 (currently around 79) without success, same with reducing the photo period to 8 hours. Did one course of DinoX which did not really help substantially. There was a green hair algae issue, with thick mats on the sand bed, but this has now been replaced by red cyano. I am doing manual removal with a filter sock 1-2 times a week.

Also, trying to avoid water changes, only do a small one (20%) every 4-6 weeks. Current numbers are below:

ammonia 0
Nitrate 40
Phosphate .23
Alkalinity 6.1
Salinity 1.0265

I believe we need more amplification

 

[reeftivo]

I believe we need more amplification

definitely.

looks like the first two slides are single glass slides. odd!

 

[ScottB]

Hi All, hoping to receive a positive Dino ID. Please see the images and information below.

I have been battling for around 4 months now in my 15g reef. Lost around 70% of my corals and many inverts. I have tried raising water temp to 82 (currently around 79) without success, same with reducing the photo period to 8 hours. Did one course of DinoX which did not really help substantially. There was a green hair algae issue, with thick mats on the sand bed, but this has now been replaced by red cyano. I am doing manual removal with a filter sock 1-2 times a week.

Also, trying to avoid water changes, only do a small one (20%) every 4-6 weeks. Current numbers are below:

ammonia 0
Nitrate 40
Phosphate .23
Alkalinity 6.1
Salinity 1.0265

We need 400X or more for ID. Also, shooting video so that movement can be seen is even better as it takes most of the guessing away.

 

[moleindaground]

Thanks, all. I will try to get some better photos and repost.

 

[thedon986]

Hi there. I am here to request a Dino ID. Below are a couple of videos. If more info is needed please let me know.

I hit my coolia with silica dosing and a 3 day blackout with UV in the display. Really knocked them out.

 

[Biff0rz]

@Reef and Dive when do I resume water changes?

 

[Reef and Dive]

@Reef and Dive when do I resume water changes?

When you decide to start corals again…
If corals are not the objective at the moment you can starve dinos more from traces…

 

[brittp21]

Hello, I have a 20G waterbox. I need help IDing this type of Dinos. I think it's prorocentrum. It has the circular cell on its back which leads me be almost certain it is prorocentrum. I'm no expert so im not entirely sure. I've been battling Dinos for 4 months. I have let my nitrates and phosphates remain at 0 for too long so that is the cause of it im sure. I'm so tired of my tank looking ugly and im so over this Dino. I have started dosing nitrates and phosphates. My nitrates are at 10 and my phosphate is at .01 when I tested today. I have been siphoning my sand bed every day and dosing Microbacter 7. If its anything else any of you recommend let me know..

 

[ggNoRe]

Some great advice in this thread. I'm happy to say I too have beat dinos. It was a nasty 2 month fight in which I took the everything and the kitchen sink approach. Unfortunately, lost about 80% of my corals. But thankfully they are gone!! This is how bad they were:


If I were to do it all over again I would start with a scrubbing of all the rocks with clear drains and some serious filter floss to export as much as possible manually. Then I would do a 3 day blackout while dosing a competing bacteria as well as Dr Tims Waste Away and add a fresh bag of carbon. Also add UV asap (but turn off for 24hours after dosing bacteria) and dose nitrates and phosphates to detectable levels. I think if I would have done that from day one I could have probably beat them in just a week or 2 with minimal losses.

Also it is worth mentioning Elegant Corals Dinoflagellates Regimen worked really well for me.

This is my tank now about 45 days later lots of red algae (I suspect this came from dosing a zillion unnecessary additives) but 0 dinos!!

 

[brittp21]

Some great advice in this thread. I'm happy to say I too have beat dinos. It was a nasty 2 month fight in which I took the everything and the kitchen sink approach. Unfortunately, lost about 80% of my corals. But thankfully they are gone!! This is how bad they were:


If I were to do it all over again I would start with a scrubbing of all the rocks with clear drains and some serious filter floss to export as much as possible manually. Then I would do a 3 day blackout while dosing a competing bacteria as well as Dr Tims Waste Away and add a fresh bag of carbon. Also add UV asap (but turn off for 24hours after dosing bacteria) and dose nitrates and phosphates to detectable levels. I think if I would have done that from day one I could have probably beat them in just a week or 2 with minimal losses.

Also it is worth mentioning Elegant Corals Dinoflagellates Regimen worked really well for me.

This is my tank now about 45 days later lots of red algae (I suspect this came from dosing a zillion unnecessary additives) but 0 dinos!!

I tried doing the blackout method, but it made my phosphate sky rocket. I did it for 24hours and my tank was very cloudy & my phosphates were at .29. so I turned the lights back on and did a water change. I definitely want to try to avoid doing a blackout. I have been checking my nitrates and phosphates everyday and dosing accordingly. They both are in range. I also been dosing Microbacter 7 every morning. I have to get the dr.tims waste away. I just ordered a UV sterilizer from innovative marine. just waiting on it to get here. When it comes i'm going to try your method minus the blackout. wish me luck

 

[ggNoRe]

I tried doing the blackout method, but it made my phosphate sky rocket. I did it for 24hours and my tank was very cloudy & my phosphates were at .29. so I turned the lights back on and did a water change. I definitely want to try to avoid doing a blackout. I have been checking my nitrates and phosphates everyday and dosing accordingly. They both are in range. I also been dosing Microbacter 7 every morning. I have to get the dr.tims waste away. I just ordered a UV sterilizer from innovative marine. just waiting on it to get here. When it comes i'm going to try your method minus the blackout. wish me luck

Sounds like you have a real stubborn case as well. You may want to try this: https://elegantcorals.com/wp-conten...70_1058036854395643_2307032019369984000_n.jpg

 

[Lancelogan1217]

Has anyone tried introducing tunicates, salps, or krill to a dino infested tank?