Dinos, Dr Tims Recipe, NO3 and PO4

[Spui612]

Hello,
I have been battling Dinos and have been using the Dr Tims Dino recipe. I did a 3 day blackout while dosing ReFresh, I am now on day 5 and dosing Waste Away. When can I start raising my NO3 and PO4? I was going to use NeoNirto and NeoPhos. I am unsure if I should wait till I finish the Dr Tims full cycle or can I start dosing the nutrients now? Thanks in advance.

 

[Spare time]

I think you can add it whenever. I personally recommend an approach of raising nitrate and or phosphate (usually 0 phosphate causes dinos for me) + competitive bacteria at the same time.

 

[taricha]

Maybe the Dr Tim's method is designed to work by depleting nutrients and so mixing methods like adding NO3 / PO4 while doing it would be counterproductive. Hard to say.

 

[Spui612]

So I got one yea and one nae.

 

[GainesvilleReef]

Definitely, raise phosphate and nitrates. You need them to support the competing bacteria. Dr. Tim explains it in this video. Also, note how he keeps mentioning turning off your skimmer a bit every night. That was the trick that really helped me.

Dr Tim video

 

[CoralClasher]

Are you using any GFO or anything else to remove phosphate? Do you have fish in the tank? Every time I’ve done three day blackout my nutrients go up. Dino really suck and if they are blooming it’s hard to get nutrient readings on the test kits.

 

[Cory]

A uv sterilizer will solve most dino problems. Even a cheap one will work.

 

[Spui612]

Are you using any GFO or anything else to remove phosphate? Do you have fish in the tank? Every time I’ve done three day blackout my nutrients go up. Dino really suck and if they are blooming it’s hard to get nutrient readings on the test kits.

I always used Chemi Pure Elite with lots of macro algae in my sump. I now know the importance of a small amount of NO3 and PO4, and that double zeros are not good. I have 3 fish and the tank is a SC aquarium 50 cube.

 

[Spui612]

A uv sterilizer will solve most dino problems. Even a cheap one will work.

A UV sterilizer is my next step if Dr Tims does not work. The price is the reason I didn't go right to UV. I did have 2 questions about UV, How many Watts for a 50 cube with a sump and about 30lbs of live rock. Also I read that a UV sterilizer will kill the pods I've worked so hard to build up in my sump. I plan on getting a Mandarin when this tank is running smooth again.

 

[Spui612]

I had to stop my treatment of Waste Away for 2 days because of cloudy water. My question is the Dr Tims recipe was 9 days total and I am now on my 8th day. Should I add 2 more days since I didn't dose for 2 days?

 

[Cory]

A UV sterilizer is my next step if Dr Tims does not work. The price is the reason I didn't go right to UV. I did have 2 questions about UV, How many Watts for a 50 cube with a sump and about 30lbs of live rock. Also I read that a UV sterilizer will kill the pods I've worked so hard to build up in my sump. I plan on getting a Mandarin when this tank is running smooth again.

For my tank i bought the green killing machine 24w. My tank is around 150 gallons and it killed 90% of them. Then i bought a large lifegard 90w.

AA Aquarium Green Killing Machine Internal UV Sterilizer with Powerhead | Aquarium Supplies at LiveAquaria

 

[CoralClasher]

I had to stop my treatment of Waste Away for 2 days because of cloudy water. My question is the Dr Tims recipe was 9 days total and I am now on my 8th day. Should I add 2 more days since I didn't dose for 2 days?

How are the Dino looking? IF they are still blooming I would just restart the program.

 

[CoralClasher]

Have you tried the bacteria method from elegant corals?

 

[Spui612]

How are the Dino looking? IF they are still blooming I would just restart the program.

They are barely noticeable.

 

[Spui612]

Have you tried the bacteria method from elegant corals?

Ill keep this in mind

 

[Spare time]

Honestly I would just keep nitrate and phosphate up. Nearly every time someone gets dinos it seems to be from 0 of the two without no constant feeding. Everytime I have dinos pop up it occurs with 0 phosphates and goes away once that is up.

For the dr tims, I wouldn't restart the timeline.

 

[Spui612]

I currently have 0.05ppm of PO4 and still 0ppm for NO3. I am stopping the NeoPhos and continuing the NeoNitro. I also stopped the Dr Tims. No Dinos. Dr Tims recipe says I should do a water change now, but I am currently trying to get Nitrates up. Should I wait for the water change?

 

[GainesvilleReef]

When I do water changes I add enough neo nitro to raise the amount of the water I change to my desired level.

 

[Spui612]

When I do water changes I add enough neo nitro to raise the amount of the water I change to my desired level.

Good to know. I will do that.

 

[ScottB]

Good to know. I will do that.

Keep an eye on your PO4 while dosing NO3 up from zero. Dosing nitrates to a depleted tank will very often increase consumption of PO4. You don't want PO4 to bottom out or get even close to zero.