Hello everyone,
I am battling the scourge that is dinoflagellates. I don't have a microscope, but I am confident its dinos. I have never seen anything like these dinos in any pictures I've seen online. I have MASSIVE strands (up to 12 inches long) connecting the glass to the rock, to the sand, to the corals, etc. I've lost almost $1,000 in coral since setting up the tank in July (I know, I probably rushed into it and learned my lesson).
What is strange is that I dosed Vibrant a couple weeks ago, per the instructions, and it decimated the dinos. All that was left was some on the rocks that I figured would die off upon continuing to dose Vibrant and working on my nutrients.
Well, they are back with a vengeance: Huge strands up to 12 inches long, stressing corals, just an absolute mess. I am trying to get my nutrients up, but my phosphates are 0.00 (per the Hannah low range checker) and my nitrates are finally right around 2.5 (after being 0 or nearly 0 since setting up the tank). I'm going to continue dosing Vibrant and working on elevating the nutrients, but I'm so defeated. I can't get over how ugly these dinos are and I don't understand why my phosphates are zero. Stats are below, would love some positive words or additional advice:
Waterbox 130.4
Used dry rock and dry sand, but added about 10 lbs of live rock to seed
Two MP40wQD
Vectra M-1 return pump
BRS Carbon reactor running ROX 0.8
Deltec 600i running on the dry side (empty it about once per week)
Running mesh filter sock and felt filter sock
Alk: 7.5
Ca: 425
Mg: 1350
Phosphate: 0.00
Nitrate: 2.5
Temp: Between 78 and 79
Salinity: 1.025
I am battling the scourge that is dinoflagellates. I don't have a microscope, but I am confident its dinos. I have never seen anything like these dinos in any pictures I've seen online. I have MASSIVE strands (up to 12 inches long) connecting the glass to the rock, to the sand, to the corals, etc. I've lost almost $1,000 in coral since setting up the tank in July (I know, I probably rushed into it and learned my lesson).
What is strange is that I dosed Vibrant a couple weeks ago, per the instructions, and it decimated the dinos. All that was left was some on the rocks that I figured would die off upon continuing to dose Vibrant and working on my nutrients.
Well, they are back with a vengeance: Huge strands up to 12 inches long, stressing corals, just an absolute mess. I am trying to get my nutrients up, but my phosphates are 0.00 (per the Hannah low range checker) and my nitrates are finally right around 2.5 (after being 0 or nearly 0 since setting up the tank). I'm going to continue dosing Vibrant and working on elevating the nutrients, but I'm so defeated. I can't get over how ugly these dinos are and I don't understand why my phosphates are zero. Stats are below, would love some positive words or additional advice:
Waterbox 130.4
Used dry rock and dry sand, but added about 10 lbs of live rock to seed
Two MP40wQD
Vectra M-1 return pump
BRS Carbon reactor running ROX 0.8
Deltec 600i running on the dry side (empty it about once per week)
Running mesh filter sock and felt filter sock
Alk: 7.5
Ca: 425
Mg: 1350
Phosphate: 0.00
Nitrate: 2.5
Temp: Between 78 and 79
Salinity: 1.025