Help with dinoflagellates

[slingfox]

If you're willing to attempt the microbial route again, then I would recommend using the Remedy Ale made by Home Brew Live Feeds. I used it to treat a dinoflagellate bloom in one of our coral farm tanks. The beneficial bacteria actually killed and removed the dinos well within the week. Easiest solution I've found thus far.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

What coral farm business do you run? It seems like almost all your posts recommend different HBLF products but there is zero info you your coral farm.

 

[BryanM]

I will try the handheld UV as a last resort. A new order of copepods will be here today, live rock next week, and then if it doesn’t progress I’ll resort to the handheld UV. I haven’t done a blackout because I’ve heard time and time again that it just comes back, but I may try that also as I am getting desperate. I’m estimating I’ve been battling this for 6mo.

I had a lengthy battle with dinos a while back.

I cannot be certain but what I think finally worked was: UV + Blackout + vacuuming through filter sock to reuse the water.

I was bordline becoming an alcoholic during this battle. I loathe dinos.

 

[EnterName]

I would get an ICP-Test (preferably ICP-MS over ICP-OES).
It can be difficult to figure out why dinoflagellates take over a tank. Sometimes it appears to be a single parameter that is off which keeps other organisms from establishing that would outcompete the dinoflagellates otherwise.

If you have detectable nutrient levels during an outbreak of any sort, you have to take into account that all that growth requires nutrients. This means your actual nutrient levels are much higher than they seem. Dinoflagellate blooms can actually consume quite a lot of nutrients. I know people often associate dinoflagellates with too low nutrient levels, but that doesn't necessarily applies to all tanks. Its pretty easy to get nutrients back up if this causes any trouble.

The microscopy images are quite blurry, but you might be able to identify the dinoflagellates by their movement. If a cell is appearing to cycle a point instead of moving all over the place in straight lines it is probably Ostreopsis (or Coolia, but those are quite rare). Prorocentrum and Amphidinium move straight forward and do not cycle a fixed point. Other dinoflagellate genera appear to be rare, as well in reef tanks or look too similar to be distinguished from the other commonly known ones. If you can get better images, you can compare them to images from my microscopy thread or the dinoflagellate identification guide.

Regarding silicate dosing: It can work, but it doesn't have to. Down below you can see Ostreopsis sp. surrounded by Diatoms, but still absolutely thriving. The thing is: Dinoflagellates can prey on diatoms which means you really have to have A LOT of diatoms to suffocate Dinoflagellate growth. Sometimes it just doesn't work. However, I didn't see any diatoms in your photos... Maybe your SiO₂/SiO₄ levels are still too low? The ICP-Test will tell us if you need to add more silicate.

 

[Unit731]

What coral farm business do you run? It seems like almost all your posts recommend different HBLF products but there is zero info you your coral farm.

Most of my problems have a natural or biological solution. I avoid using chemical treatments whenever possible. I don't personally own a coral farm. I merely work at a fish store with freshwater and saltwater aquariums, including seven coral farm tanks. I'm not a wealthy man to test everything, but I've found HBLF products to be essential for keeping things cost-effective, less time cosuming and enjoyable.

I apologize if I sound monotonous. I would also highly recommend Hydrospace's microbial products PNS and Deep Cycle. They share the same school of thought as Home Brew Live Feeds.