Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

[diverpat]

My turn for some possible Dino help. I have a 1.5 month old tank, NO3 is less than 1.0, PO4 is 0.02. It has some fast forming stringy brown algae with bubbles and the glass clouds over 3 hours after cleaning. I snapped some microscope shots with hopes of getting it identified. Luckily it’s not too bad but I want to stay ahead of it just in case these are dinoflagellates. Thanks in advance!

Stringy brown algae:


Algae on glass: (these guys zip around fast)

 

[dwest]

My turn for some possible Dino help. I have a 1.5 month old tank, NO3 is less than 1.0, PO4 is 0.02. It has some fast forming stringy brown algae with bubbles and the glass clouds over 3 hours after cleaning. I snapped some microscope shots with hopes of getting it identified. Luckily it’s not too bad but I want to stay ahead of it just in case these are dinoflagellates. Thanks in advance!

Stringy brown algae:


Algae on glass: (these guys zip around fast)

@reeferfoxx might be able to help ID them.

 

[Zhark17]

Yes. 1 watt per every 2-3 tank gallons usually does the trick. Plump from DT back to DT. Run slow. 1-3 tank volumes per hour through the skimmer is about right.

Cheers man!
Ill try that and comment after!

 

[Tamberav]

Interesting. How did you know to try calcium carbonate? Did you happen to check your skimmate with a microscope to check for dinos there?

I did not, but I am certain they were in there. I could definitely see them congregating in the floss as well.

Calcium carbonate was used as DIY coral snow by jedimasterben years ago to polish the water column. I still had a bag as I have used it in the past now and again. I figured since I had the type of dino that would go into the water column then I don't see why calcium carbonate couldn't help bind and remove it.

I had bought a strong UV sterilizer too as I had planned to use both together but never used it and will be returning it.

It won't help with dino/crud on the rock but is great for anything floating around the water column.

 

[Jonreefer]

Guess I jinxed myself. Today it seems they are a little more in the tank. This makes me worried about moving anything from this tank to the 40B I am getting ready to fill up. Do I just scrap everything from the current tank and only transfer fish over or take the chance and move the corals to

 

[dwest]

Guess I jinxed myself. Today it seems they are a little more in the tank. This makes me worried about moving anything from this tank to the 40B I am getting ready to fill up. Do I just scrap everything from the current tank and only transfer fish over or take the chance and move the corals to

The general consensus is that if you transfer anything, including fish, dinos will transfer. Just what I have read...

 

[Shallow Planet]

So been battling Dino for awhile now. Nitrates phosphates and silicates have been dosed. Done 4 doses of dinox and reduced lights to 6 hours. Seems like I slowed it down but it's not going away yet. Just hooked up a 40w UV on my 150g tank. Its pumping at 180gph.

Any suggestions? Should I increase flow of UV?

Can someone confirm this is in fact dino ostreopsis?



Thank you! So far havent noticed issues with coral. Some invert death but I cant confirm what caused that.

 

[dwest]

So been battling Dino for awhile now. Nitrates phosphates and silicates have been dosed. Done 4 doses of dinox and reduced lights to 6 hours. Seems like I slowed it down but it's not going away yet. Just hooked up a 40w UV on my 150g tank. Its pumping at 180gph.

Any suggestions? Should I increase flow of UV?

Can someone confirm this is in fact dino ostreopsis?



Thank you! So far havent noticed issues with coral. Some invert death but I cant confirm what caused that.

Sorry. Hopefully someone can ID. Check out the link below also.

Run GAC and change weekly for now to help remove dino toxins. Dinos are often tough on snails, etc. I would keep nitrates about 10 ppm and phosphates about 0.1 ppm.

If you have amphidinium, you would want to continue dosing silicates and possibly remove your sand as a last resort.

If you indeed have ostreopsis, UV should help. You are right on the edge of having a large enough unit. Usually it takes 1 watt of UV per every 3 gallons of water to be beneficial.. You want to flow about 1-3 gallons of tank water per hour through the UV unit. So your flow is good. Make sure you are flowing from DT back to DT.


http://www.algaeid.com/identification/

 

[Shallow Planet]

Sorry. Hopefully someone can ID. Check out the link below also.

Run GAC and change weekly for now to help remove dino toxins. Dinos are often tough on snails, etc. I would keep nitrates about 10 ppm and phosphates about 0.1 ppm.

If you have amphidinium, you would want to continue dosing silicates and possibly remove your sand as a last resort.

If you indeed have ostreopsis, UV should help. You are right on the edge of having a large enough unit. Usually it takes 1 watt of UV per every 3 gallons of water to be beneficial.. You want to flow about 1-3 gallons of tank water per hour through the UV unit. So your flow is good. Make sure you are flowing from DT back to DT.


http://www.algaeid.com/identification/

Why would it matter if my UV is hooked up to and from my sump?

 

[dwest]

Why would it matter if my UV is hooked up to and from my sump?

You will get more dinos passing through per unit of time if hooked from DT back to DT. You can run it in your sump. But, plan to move it if it’s not working out. Many of us run it in DT then move it later when things are better. Good luck.

 

[Shallow Planet]

You will get more dinos passing through per unit of time if hooked from DT back to DT. You can run it in your sump. But, plan to move it if it’s not working out. Many of us run it in DT then move it later when things are better. Good luck.

Will live phyto like oceanmajik die from UV? Thought about adding some with pods

 

[dwest]

Will live phyto like oceanmajik die from UV? Thought about adding some with pods

Likely. Im not a UV expert, but I guess it would kill about anything living going through it at the flowrates we use.

 

[reeferfoxx]

okay so this morning the brown stuff on the sand intensified and broke the microscope and there are more dinos than last time. The cyano is almost gone besides the last liitle patch on the sand. However the dinos are making their re appearance which isnt bad yet but im trying to stop it from getting bad. Nitrate 8, phospahe .12, calcium 450, alk 10.1 and added supplement for that. Im not sure if i should increase nutrient or not because as soon as cyano dies off it comes right back.

Your first video shows amphidinium. You need to create a stronger competitor than cyano. Hair algae or diatoms should be the focus. Definitely more diversity in the tank as well.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Still reading this thread ( still two hundred something pages to go). But looking for confirmation to the types of Dino I am dealing with. Not the best photo but the best I could do with my kids microscope and iPhone.

You have prorocentrum.

 

[reeferfoxx]

My turn for some possible Dino help. I have a 1.5 month old tank, NO3 is less than 1.0, PO4 is 0.02. It has some fast forming stringy brown algae with bubbles and the glass clouds over 3 hours after cleaning. I snapped some microscope shots with hopes of getting it identified. Luckily it’s not too bad but I want to stay ahead of it just in case these are dinoflagellates. Thanks in advance!

Stringy brown algae:


Algae on glass: (these guys zip around fast)

Not sure whats on the glass but the round stuff is chrysophytes.

 

[reeferfoxx]

So been battling Dino for awhile now. Nitrates phosphates and silicates have been dosed. Done 4 doses of dinox and reduced lights to 6 hours. Seems like I slowed it down but it's not going away yet. Just hooked up a 40w UV on my 150g tank. Its pumping at 180gph.

Any suggestions? Should I increase flow of UV?

Can someone confirm this is in fact dino ostreopsis?



Thank you! So far havent noticed issues with coral. Some invert death but I cant confirm what caused that.

You have amphidinium.

 

[OpenOcean33]

Your first video shows amphidinium. You need to create a stronger competitor than cyano. Hair algae or diatoms should be the focus. Definitely more diversity in the tank as well.

Well they were only coolia at one point lol. O feel like they keep changing or I just have a mixture.

 

[OpenOcean33]

Your first video shows amphidinium. You need to create a stronger competitor than cyano. Hair algae or diatoms should be the focus. Definitely more diversity in the tank as well.[/QUOTE
okay, i bought some sponge excell and test kit (not sure why the test kit) i just plan to dose untill diatoms are booming. If this last step does not work i will attempt to remove the sand for a month start diatom bloom again and replace sand. Have to start to experiment even if i have to take out all live stock i will figure out how to kill these things.

 

[diverpat]

Not sure whats on the glass but the round stuff is chrysophytes.

Thank you very much for the identification! Now to dive down the Chrysophyte rabbit hole.

 

[mikey5290]

You have prorocentrum.

Thank you for confirming....now onto treatment.