I'm quitting the hobby if I can't...

[FishLvR]

Figure this out. I have been in the hobby for 15 years now. I once had a successful tank but somehow I can't get back into it. I had a false start with this 90 gallon when we moved, then since, it's been a disaster. Please, I am literally begging, what do I do to fix this? Or is it unfixable?

When I first set up the tank I transferred the issues the QT was having. So hair algae and Dinos. I tried to be careful but there is no real way of being 100%. So Bryopsis and Dinos were the first issue. I treated with Reef RX and raised nutrients for the Dinos. I was successful but then got a hair algae breakout that I have been fighting for months now. As soon as I thought I FINALLY had it beat using Algae Fix, THE DINOS came back and my refugium is covered in Cyano and all the macro and most live things died in it. My fish seem fine but the very few corals I have are dying. It has to be a combo of the algae fix and the Dinos that is doing everything in. I am desperate. I so want a nice tank, but I am at my wits end. Should I see if there is someone local I can pay to fix this mess, or should I just get out of the hobby? I am almost in tears. I have tried to be so good and I beat one thing just to have another take it's place.

The only thing I have not tried is the Rip Clean, because that to me is as good as shutting it all down and getting out of the hobby, and I have not tried dinoX. Those are the two methods I have not tried. Please anyone help me? Or should I just call it quits and give away what's left?

 

[eggie]

When ever you think of quitting. Remember that Victor from World Wide Corals who has been in this hobby for long time had issues with his for 8 months until he got it fixed

Check your nutrients. Nitrates and Phosphate need to be at least 10 and 0.10

 

[slingfox]

Unfortunately the use of ReefRx and and an algaecide like Algaefix have likely nuked the balance of your tank. If you primary issues now are cyano and dinos then both of those can be solved using the traditional methods. Cyano: Reduce nutrients and increase flow. Dinos: UV and dose silicates. If you have few corals you could try a a 3-day blackout. For both cyano and dinos you should siphon out as much of the uglies as possible.

 

[FishLvR]

When ever you think of quitting. Remember that Victor from World Wide Corals who has been in this hobby for long time had issues with his for 8 months until he got it fixed

Check your nutrients. Nitrates and Phosphate need to be at least 10 and 0.10

That guy runs a top notch business.

So the nutrient thing. Yes 100% agree. That's how I beat the dinos before only to be overrun with hair algae. How do I know that won't happen again? Then I go in a circle again. So I just keep doing the circle?

 

[Klem]

Hang in there bro. The first year is always crazy tuff. Once you clear 12 months things should be better for you.

 

[eggie]

When ever you think of quitting. Remember that Victor from World Wide Corals who has been in this hobby for long time had issues with his for 8 months until he got it fixed

Check your nutrients. Nitrates and Phosphate need to be at least 10 and 0.10

That guy runs a top notch business.

So the nutrient thing. Yes 100% agree. That's how I beat the dinos before only to be overrun with hair algae. How do I know that won't happen again? Then I go in a circle again. So I just keep doing the circle?

There is a couple of things. Nutrient deficiency creates issues you have to make sure they are present. Dinos are worst the having algae issues. More easy to control IMO. Make sure just to keep nutrient level stable at the range I mention dont waist money on corals until its solved. Make sure you have a a great bacteria population and all you equipment are helping to control the situation.

I had issues as well never gave up and my tank is amazing I still have issues with some colors but they are coming back and I’m sure I will get it back to were it was.

 

[FishLvR]

Unfortunately the use of ReefRx and and an algaecide like Algaefix have likely nuked the balance of your tank. If you primary issues now are cyano and dinos then both of those can be solved using the traditional methods. Cyano: Reduce nutrients and increase flow. Dinos: UV and dose silicates. If you have few corals you could try a a 3-day blackout. For both cyano and dinos you should siphon out as much of the uglies as possible.

Cyano is in the refugium only currently. Silica did nothing against the ostreopsis last time. Microscope shows dead hair algae and ostreopsis again. Uv should be semi effective. I can black out. That worked amazingly well but dinos came back within the week after lights back on. Suggestions?

 

[FishLvR]

When ever you think of quitting. Remember that Victor from World Wide Corals who has been in this hobby for long time had issues with his for 8 months until he got it fixed

Check your nutrients. Nitrates and Phosphate need to be at least 10 and 0.10

That guy runs a top notch business.

So the nutrient thing. Yes 100% agree. That's how I beat the dinos before only to be overrun with hair algae. How do I know that won't happen again? Then I go in a circle again. So I just keep doing the circle?

There is a couple of things. Nutrient deficiency creates issues you have to make sure they are present. Dinos are worst the having algae issues. More easy to control IMO. Make sure just to keep nutrient level stable at the range I mention dont waist money on corals until its solved. Make sure you have a a great bacteria population and all you equipment are helping to control the situation.

I had issues as well never gave up and my tank is amazing I still have issues with some colors but they are coming back and I’m sure I will get it back to were it was.

What bacteria do you suggest? I have MB7. It's been not effective using bottle directions. Or at least not effective in me noticing. Adding the refugium was supposed to help but it did nothing.

 

[slingfox]

Cyano is in the refugium only currently. Silica did nothing against the ostreopsis last time. Microscope shows dead hair algae and ostreopsis again. Uv should be semi effective. I can black out. That worked amazingly well but dinos came back within the week after lights back on. Suggestions?

How long did you dose silica? Silica is definitely not a necessity but I has worked well for me. Dinos can take weeks or months to get under control. Lots of threads on this board on how to combat. To get better help you should post more details about your system:

1) Livestock census
2) What do you feed and how often?
3) What methods of nutrient export do you use?
4) What do you dose?
5) Water change schedule?
6) All chemical and nutrient parameters for tank
7) Photos of the display tank and sump

 

[mcarroll]

I have been in the hobby for 15 years now. I once had a successful tank but somehow I can't get back into it.

IMO these are not the best times to be starting a tank. Folks are afraid of live rock, embracing ammonia spikes as somehow "good", etc. Just crazy in some ways....and seems like your setup caught some of that crazy.

So the nutrient thing. Yes 100% agree. That's how I beat the dinos before only to be overrun with hair algae. How do I know that won't happen again? Then I go in a circle again. So I just keep doing the circle?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/
Please read the first post along with the linked material...ask questions! ...but there shouldn't be any more mystery about dino's afterward.

Cyano is in the refugium only currently. Silica did nothing against the ostreopsis last time. Microscope shows dead hair algae and ostreopsis again. Uv should be semi effective. I can black out. That worked amazingly well but dinos came back within the week after lights back on. Suggestions?

There's a PDF that sorta goes with that link (lost the PDF link tho) and it will let you know if a blackout can be applied strategically or not. With some things, the blackout does more harm than good....sometimes it just doesn't seem to affect the bloom at all. So by default – no blackouts.

Dino's get sunburnt easily, so they group up to create some shelter from the light. Lights-out just lets them disperse in the tank freely. When the lights come back, they group back up. Blackouts are more like a parlor trick than anything else. If you dig around here that PDF will turn up.

I'd add the PDF to my Dino thread if I still had write access.

 

[FishLvR]

I have been in the hobby for 15 years now. I once had a successful tank but somehow I can't get back into it.

IMO these are not the best times to be starting a tank. Folks are afraid of live rock, embracing ammonia spikes as somehow "good", etc. Just crazy in some ways....and seems like your setup caught some of that crazy.

So the nutrient thing. Yes 100% agree. That's how I beat the dinos before only to be overrun with hair algae. How do I know that won't happen again? Then I go in a circle again. So I just keep doing the circle?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/
Please read the first post along with the linked material...ask questions! ...but there shouldn't be any more mystery about dino's afterward.

Cyano is in the refugium only currently. Silica did nothing against the ostreopsis last time. Microscope shows dead hair algae and ostreopsis again. Uv should be semi effective. I can black out. That worked amazingly well but dinos came back within the week after lights back on. Suggestions?

There's a PDF that sorta goes with that link (lost the PDF link tho) and it will let you know if a blackout can be applied strategically or not. With some things, the blackout does more harm than good....sometimes it just doesn't seem to affect the bloom at all. So by default – no blackouts.

Dino's get sunburnt easily, so they group up to create some shelter from the light. Lights-out just lets them disperse in the tank freely. When the lights come back, they group back up. Blackouts are more like a parlor trick than anything else. If you dig around here that PDF will turn up.

I'd add the PDF to my Dino thread if I still had write access.

I used that thread to beat these dinos previously. I was extremely successful with a black out five days and adding nitrates and phosphates daily. Then hair algae took over.

 

[FishLvR]

Cyano is in the refugium only currently. Silica did nothing against the ostreopsis last time. Microscope shows dead hair algae and ostreopsis again. Uv should be semi effective. I can black out. That worked amazingly well but dinos came back within the week after lights back on. Suggestions?

How long did you dose silica? Silica is definitely not a necessity but I has worked well for me. Dinos can take weeks or months to get under control. Lots of threads on this board on how to combat. To get better help you should post more details about your system:

1) Livestock census
2) What do you feed and how often?
3) What methods of nutrient export do you use?
4) What do you dose?
5) Water change schedule?
6) All chemical and nutrient parameters for tank
7) Photos of the display tank and sump

I dosed Silica for three weeks. Until I had a thick dusting of diatoms. Nitrates were held steady at 10ppm and phosphates at point 4.

90 gallon tank, 37 gallon sump. Three fish one shrimp. Huge CUC. Refugium with live rock and sand from the gulf with macro algae. Almost all dead now from algae fix. Reactor with carbon or Gac or both if I choose. Skimmer. There are maxspect bio in two areas that f the sump one anaerobic one high flow. I dose balling. I never quit there. I also dose TM k and a. I feed once a day flake and pellet. I was doing 20% water changes once a week. Then changed to 10% a week. When I noticed this fueled the hair algae I quit. I have not done a water change in three weeks. I am planning a water change tomorrow and I was going to test the tank.

 

[BryanM]

Or is it unfixable?

Already good info, I cannot add much except what I've gone through.

Very long story short: Redsea tank, could mentally deal with seam failures, bought a waterbox and hired people to help move.

Redsea tank was set up with all gulf live rock and really never had any issues. Brilliant.

Tank swap bottomed out nutrients, and I went through dinos hell, and other hell, for nearly 9 months.

I promise you if I had the magic wand/fix I'd let you know what it was, but it was patience and diligence and not wanting to give up.

For me, fixing dinos was #1, and I did not try to address anything else. In my case UV was a game changer for my particular dinos, and a ton of vacuum sanding.

 

[Idech]

Dinos for over three years. Tried everything. Currently using dino-x but too early to tell if it will work.

I know the feeling. Hang in there.

 

[JoJosReef]

Have you tried an algae turf scrubber yet? Might help with the hair algae while you continue focusing on the dinos/cyano.

 

[FishLvR]

Have you tried an algae turf scrubber yet? Might help with the hair algae while you continue focusing on the dinos/cyano.

I did. The false start up. It grew a **** ton of algae but had little effect on the overall.

 

[FishLvR]

Cyano is in the refugium only currently. Silica did nothing against the ostreopsis last time. Microscope shows dead hair algae and ostreopsis again. Uv should be semi effective. I can black out. That worked amazingly well but dinos came back within the week after lights back on. Suggestions?

How long did you dose silica? Silica is definitely not a necessity but I has worked well for me. Dinos can take weeks or months to get under control. Lots of threads on this board on how to combat. To get better help you should post more details about your system:

1) Livestock census
2) What do you feed and how often?
3) What methods of nutrient export do you use?
4) What do you dose?
5) Water change schedule?
6) All chemical and nutrient parameters for tank
7) Photos of the display tank and sump

I forgot, also dump 8oz of phyto daily. I culture myself.

 

[FishLvR]

Dinos for over three years. Tried everything. Currently using dino-x but too early to tell if it will work.

I know the feeling. Hang in there.

I have a bottle. But. Scared. Let me know.

 

[FishLvR]

Should I dump the sand?

 

[FishLvR]

Or is it unfixable?

Already good info, I cannot add much except what I've gone through.

Very long story short: Redsea tank, could mentally deal with seam failures, bought a waterbox and hired people to help move.

Redsea tank was set up with all gulf live rock and really never had any issues. Brilliant.

Tank swap bottomed out nutrients, and I went through dinos hell, and other hell, for nearly 9 months.

I promise you if I had the magic wand/fix I'd let you know what it was, but it was patience and diligence and not wanting to give up.

For me, fixing dinos was #1, and I did not try to address anything else. In my case UV was a game changer for my particular dinos, and a ton of vacuum sanding.

Which uv did you end up with? My plumbing is tight. So not an easy thing to incorporate. I'm using the green killing machine which is a cheap little in tank unit. But last time I used it it worked well.