How long to win the battle when using UV for dinos ?

[Idech]

I’ve been using a Aqua UV 2000+ (15 watts) on my 75 gallons tank. It’s been 4 days and I’m still not sure it’s really working.

It seems like there is less dinos than before. No long flagellates and not as much deep accumulation. But it’s just as much spread out as before. So I am wondering if it’s really working and just a matter of time, or if it’s just not enough.

I know I should buy a microscope, and I will if I have to. Right now I’m just hoping the UV will work and I don’t have to buy anything else.

Before

Yesterday

 

[Quietman]

So for dinos (at least the ostreopsis variety) you'll need to be able to push about 8x true tank turnover volume at the required exposure rate. That is 600 gph either closed loop to UV or in return line. Your UV can support it (I have he same for my RSR 170) but make sure your flow and set up are correct.

Probably should get a cheap microscope as there are many species of dinos but you know that already.

Read my build thread starting about page 5 for my dino battle.

Saw results pretty quick once identified dinos, installed UV and had right flow rate. But I took my eye off the ball too early and reduced flow and they came back. At that point I used DinoX and UV (don't recommend that - wrecked my tank).

Good luck!

 

[Idech]

I’ve decided to try one more thing before buying the microscope. I wish I could push more GPH into the UV but I don’t have a more powerful pump. So this will have to wait too.

Last night I dosed 10 ml of 3% H2O2 per 10 gallons. Today I’m running the light with only blues and UV, at 15%. No white lights. I’ll be doing that for 5 days. This was suggested by @vetteguy53081 I believe, to another user having the same problem.

This morning I woke up and the sand was perfectly clear. That was the first time in many weeks. So I thought I was making progress.

One hour later, the dinos appeared again.

This is definitely a pain.

 

[PR_nano]

How are nutrients?

 

[Idech]

How are nutrients?

13,9 ppm nitrates and 0,04 ppm phosphate.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Get a larger turkey baster and blast those dinos into water column. UV won't clean the rock you have to go to war with them - UV will stop them from spreading and others will wither away and die in no time. Monitor nutrients is important too putting skimmer on timer is good if overfeedings getting overdone.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Get a larger turkey baster and blast those dinos into water column. UV won't clean the rock you have to go to war with them - UV will stop them from spreading and others will wither away and die in no time. Monitor nutrients is important too putting skimmer on timer is good if overfeedings getting overdone.

+1 this, when I had dinos I was blowing them off the glass/rock/corals twice a day. Running blue lights only, internal UV sterilizer, dosing H2O2 every night (but MUCH less than you currently are, just 1ml per 10 gallons)

 

[Idech]

+1 this, when I had dinos I was blowing them off the glass/rock/corals twice a day. Running blue lights only, internal UV sterilizer, dosing H2O2 every night (but MUCH less than you currently are, just 1ml per 10 gallons)

Oh, I made a mistake ! I meant 1,0 ml per 10 gallons !

I usually brush the stuff off the sand and rocks to send it in the water column once a day.

 

[ScottB]

You are a little undersized with that UV for effective DINOFLAGELLATE treatment. I know it is the right size for normal operating purposes like delicate little bacteria, algae and nymph fish parasites. That is what they are designed for.

Some dinos have a very real protective shell. Protist kevlar.

Still, it looks like you are making some progress. 1 watt per 3 gallons it the recommended sizing.

Depending on the species, a little blackout might get them moving into the water column.

 

[Idech]

You are a little undersized with that UV for effective DINOFLAGELLATE treatment. I know it is the right size for normal operating purposes like delicate little bacteria, algae and nymph fish parasites. That is what they are designed for.

Some dinos have a very real protective shell. Protist kevlar.

Still, it looks like you are making some progress. 1 watt per 3 gallons it the recommended sizing.

Depending on the species, a little blackout might get them moving into the water column.

Yeah, money was a little tight so I guess I didn’t do as good a research as I usually do. I was looking too much at the price. I did call the company though and they said it would be fine, even if they didn’t sound too convincing, lol !

I think I caught it early though so hopefully it helps.

 

[Breadman03]

I just got a $75 microscope and it's perfect. Sure, I'd like to have gotten a build in camera or binocular vision, but I chose budget over features and will likely only use it a few times yearly anyway.
If you don't want to buy one, maybe try a local Facebook group and ask if anyone would let you spend 15 minutes using it.

 

[Idech]

I just got a $75 microscope and it's perfect. Sure, I'd like to have gotten a build in camera or binocular vision, but I chose budget over features and will likely only use it a few times yearly anyway.
If you don't want to buy one, maybe try a local Facebook group and ask if anyone would let you spend 15 minutes using it.

That’s not a bad idea at all ! I might try that !

I do want to get a microscope, and I will. Just not now.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ve decided to try one more thing before buying the microscope. I wish I could push more GPH into the UV but I don’t have a more powerful pump. So this will have to wait too.

Last night I dosed 10 ml of 3% H2O2 per 10 gallons. Today I’m running the light with only blues and UV, at 15%. No white lights. I’ll be doing that for 5 days. This was suggested by @vetteguy53081 I believe, to another user having the same problem.

This morning I woke up and the sand was perfectly clear. That was the first time in many weeks. So I thought I was making progress.

One hour later, the dinos appeared again.

This is definitely a pain.

10ml per 10 gallons?? It’s generally 1-1.5ml
Disappearing overnight not unusual as Dino is photosynthetic
UV may have impact on existing Dino but most effective in preventing new

 

[Idech]

10ml per 10 gallons?? It’s generally 1-1.5ml
Disappearing overnight not unusual as Dino is photosynthetic
UV may have impact on existing Dino but most effective in preventing new

No, sorry, my mistake. I’m dosing 1,0 ml per 10 gallons, as you suggested and seems to be the norm.

 

[littlebeard]

I'm into month 3(maybe 4?) in my fight in the battle against dinos. It's a nightmare. Mine was WAY worse than yours though. Just imagine every square inch of your tank covered in slimy goo. Lights out MAY get some species to move off surfaces, however it doesn't kill them. UV can help.

My most successful attack on them was when I followed Dr. Tim's Dino treament.(if you do this method make sure to use the dino treatment and not the cyno treatment, same stuff just dino one is WAY more aggressive.)

This kicked them down a lot (although didn't finish them off).

I'm currently aggressively adding microbacter7 and dosing silica for diatom growth to compete with the dinos.

I believe the current thinking is that dinos grow because there isn't enough competition to keep them in check.


It's not a fun battle. Show those dinos no mercy.

 

[KonradTO]

For me 3 days blackout + uv + nice manual clean + uv solved the problem right away.
Was ostreopsis though..

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm into month 3(maybe 4?) in my fight in the battle against dinos. It's a nightmare. Mine was WAY worse than yours though. Just imagine every square inch of your tank covered in slimy goo. Lights out MAY get some species to move off surfaces, however it doesn't kill them. UV can help.

My most successful attack on them was when I followed Dr. Tim's Dino treament.(if you do this method make sure to use the dino treatment and not the cyno treatment, same stuff just dino one is WAY more aggressive.)

This kicked them down a lot (although didn't finish them off).

I'm currently aggressively adding microbacter7 and dosing silica for diatom growth to compete with the dinos.

I believe the current thinking is that dinos grow because there isn't enough competition to keep them in check.


It's not a fun battle. Show those dinos no mercy.

Try this- Always works. Ive had Numerous people thank me

Prepare by starting with a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15%) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off.
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as bacter 7) per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights - ramping up and work your white lights up slowly

 

[Idech]

Try this- Always works. Ive had Numerous people thank me

Prepare by starting with a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off (at least white and run blue at 10-15%) for 5 days and at night dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights. If you dont have light dependent coral- turn all lights off.
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria (such as bacter 7) per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights - ramping up and work your white lights up slowly

That’s the post I saw and that’s exactly what I started doing last night !

I’m hoping it will work !

 

[Idech]

I’ve done three days of H2O2 dosing and 15% blues only, along with once or twice a day manually lifting the dinos in the water column. The corals aren’t suffering and this morning I can’t even see anything on the sand.

I’ll keep up with the regimen for 2 more days and then I will slowly, very slowly transition back to a more normal light setting.

@vetteguy53081 when I’m done, do I need to do anything to rid the tank of the H2O2 ? Anything else I should do or be careful with ?

I’m running Seachem Matrix at the moment. I’m hesitant to do a water change, as it is said to feed the dinos.

Thanks !

eta : my banggai cardinal seems to be suffering. He is acting scared, staying in corners like when I first got him. He is also not eating this morning. I hope he makes it.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

I’ve done three days of H2O2 dosing and 15% blues only, along with once or twice a day manually lifting the dinos in the water column. The corals aren’t suffering and this morning I can’t even see anything on the sand.

I’ll keep up with the regimen for 2 more days and then I will slowly, very slowly transition back to a more normal light setting.

@vetteguy53081 when I’m done, do I need to do anything to rid the tank of the H2O2 ? Anything else I should do or be careful with ?

I’m running Seachem Matrix at the moment. I’m hesitant to do a water change, as it is said to feed the dinos.

Thanks !

H2O2 breaks down in about 4 hours in an aquarium, so no need to worry about finding a way to remove it!