dinoflagellates and phyto

[sowellj]

I was wondering if anyone fighting the battle (dino's) has had any success dosing phytoplankton, in an effort to outcompete the dino's; ostreos in my case. I do not have an awful infestation at the moment, but am trying to be very aggressive with them. Sometimes there is no visual indication they are in the tank, but I can often pick them out under a scope.

Here is my current strategy:

Manual removal - I hang some filter floss in the tank at night and remove. I also siphon.

Blackouts/reduced photoperiod - This seems to be the most effective strategy and definately knocks them back. However, as my light schedule ramps back up they slowly come back.

peroxide dosing - I honestly can't tell much of a difference

vibrant - I am on my 4th or 5th dose ... not sure I can really tell a difference

Dosing beneficial bacteria - prodibio and zeobac. Trying to outcompete the dino.

Yelling at them - I try lots of disparaging comments like belittling the size of their flagella.

 

[Zero Nitrates]

A turkey baster works well. You can suck it into the baster, manual removal.
Or use the turkey baster to blow it off rocks and let your skimmer pick it up.

 

[sowellj]

Thanks for input. I do use the turkey baster approach. These methods work well in knocking them back but they always seem to be able to come back over time. My hope is to knock them back and then introduce something to outcompete them when their numbers are low.

 

[Squirrel_reefer]

Yelling at them - I try lots of disparaging comments like belittling the size of their flagella.

 

[Zero Nitrates]

More coral

 

[sowellj]

I have a tester batch of sps coming in. When the dinos come back they tend to like to grow on some of the SPS tips ... and irritate them to the point of STN. I hope I have them beaten back enough that the sps will win this go round. Once these are in the tank .. my ability to do extended lights out periods is diminished. I think at that point, I may start dosing phyto/pods.

 

[Peng]

tagging along... same problem same strain. Tried everything and so far keeping >0 nutrients level is the only thing that seems to hold them back. tried dosing phyto/pods and it doesn't seem to kill them. They are controlled now however but they won't go away. I haven't tried Vibrant yet so would be eager to hear how it turns out in your case.

 

[Enigma84]

How did you guys and girls get on with the phyto route? I managed to get rid of them temporarily for about a year using raised nutrients, manual removal and silicate dosing. It's was osteopsis, and has started reappearing on the chaeto now the phosphate level drops to 0.1 phosphate.