1. First off, phosphates are way too high and feeding the dinos. Excess will do this without a doubt. They eat the same stuff as everything else. Aim for balanced nutrients of 10:1. Basically for every 100% of no3, you'd want 10` 18 3D reefing. It works on sand and rocks after countless testimonials. Literally a game changer.
3. If it's ostreopsis only, a plumbed or hob UV should suffice if sized properly. If this isn't kicking it, the UV sweeper will definitely push things in the right direction. Make sure to get 100% confirmation under a microscope. Ensure not to blast corals or inverts, ethically.
4. In my experience, bacteria doesn't do a whole lot. I would focus more on proper filtration and a polishing pad. The pad will catch the jerks at night if ostreopsis, along with the UV.
5. Patience. This may take a few weeks to a few months.
I will attach pics of my before and current below. But I'm not out of the woods yet. But what a difference.
I just wanted to add, I fought LCA and some Ostreopsis for almost
I don't agree with the various nutrient assertions and targets.
I don't consider N to P ratios to be a good way to think of nutrients (as opposed to absolute levels independent of each other), but even among those recommending the use of ratios, suggesting a target of phosphate at 10% of the nitrate level is extremely high on the phosphate side compared to what others recommend.
If my nitrate were 30 ppm (which I think is fine), you'd target 3 ppm phosphate?
I don't agree with the various nutrient assertions and targets.
I don't consider N to P ratios to be a good way to think of nutrients (as opposed to absolute levels independent of each other), but even among those recommending the use of ratios, suggesting a target of phosphate at 10% of the nitrate level is extremely high on the phosphate side compared to what others recommend.
If my nitrate were 30 ppm (which I think is fine), you'd target 3 ppm phosphate?
I understand and also don't have any reef chemistry biology to back anything up. It just seems that 10:1 seems to be working well for my current state and have read this balance time after time in reef articles. It doesn't mean it's right or definitive, but there at least seems to be something going on with it. Ive also read 16:1 but have nothing to conclude this ratio.
This is the first time my nutrients are at this equal level of 10:1 and my dinos are the least they've been in a very long time. Id say im at the tipping point for being in control vs aggravated with dinos. Again, not saying it's perfect or have any conclusive evidence of such. But, have been putting in plenty of work and using the UV sweeper to combat this. Not sure how, but maybe it gets worse before it gets better. Sorry, I know this is inconclusive.
Tank tonight is looking awesome. Still not out of the woods but it finally feels like im getting somewhere. Quite possible there is something else happening in the background that I have not seen or measured that's taking place.
I truly don't understand what's happening in the ocean, but as I've read in plenty of articles for many years, is that the nutrients in the ocean are super low. I think the offset is the amount of floating particulate/food that satisfies corals. A fish only tank would be super easy. But keeping corals, even easy to keep ones are sometimes extremely demanding based on current tank state. Dinos severely affect this state with their nutrient uptake, even more at lower levels.
However, and oddly enough, my nutrients have remained above zero for quite some time and has had no effect on dinos. But my nitrate wouldn't budge from 5 to 10 ppm without profusely dosing, and my po4 had risen from 0.05 to 0.3. Since my p04 lessened to 0.1 roughly, the dinos have subsided respectively or coincidentally.
Im just a guy trying to figure this out. However, I've seen a huge decline in dinos since my po4 was brought down and in a 10:1 ratio with nitrate. However, this could be purely speculative and not conclusive.
