Isaac's CADE 1500s2/ Peninsula Reef Build

Isaac Alves · Mar 6, 2024

Yikes morning water testing:

Dosing went a little too high for my taste. But got my PO4 down a bit. I’m going to turn off dosing and see how the system consumes Alk in 12 hours.

Isaac Alves · Mar 6, 2024

I’m getting a couple of coral deliveries today from Alyssa's Seahorse Savvy.

Two Purple Frilly Gorgonian, a photosynthetic gorg. I’m hoping it adds some blinds and added light blockage from the front door.

Isaac Alves · Mar 16, 2024

I started @Fauna Marin Dino-X treatment last night after the lights turned off. This was after a major siphoning of most of the visible golden algae. The chrysophytes stringy or spongy physical form is sucked up very easily.

unfortunately I severely under dosed since I misread the directions. I dosed 7mls total as opposed 5mls per 26 gallons. So I should have dosed 35mls total for my 183 gallons actual volume.

Active ingredient is a Polymer of N-methylmethanamine

More detailed description of what makes up Dino-X from @Randy Holmes-Farley is found on this thread:

Post in thread 'Dino-X "polymer of N-methylmethanamine" distinct from Algaefix?'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/d...e-distinct-from-algaefix.926043/post-10433956

Isaac Alves · Mar 16, 2024

I’ll do a full dose tomorrow evening.

Isaac Alves · Mar 17, 2024

Going to do the full 35mls tonight of Dino-X. I hope it goes ok.

Water test results are nominal, stopped doing any kalk dosing to let my Alk and Ca settle.

Isaac Alves · Mar 21, 2024

Update on my Dino-X treatment:

Isaac Alves · Mar 25, 2024

Quick update on the Dino-X treatment showing that after the third full dose I’m a bit baffled at the thickness and apparent continued growth of the golden algae.

Curious if I should be siphoning out this growth. But wondering that I’d be taking out a bit of Dino-X. @Fauna Marin Support is there any guidance about whether I should be, or can, siphon this growth while I’m doing the Dino-X treatment?

Isaac Alves · Mar 26, 2024

I was worried that I would do more harm than good by siphoning out the golden algae while I in the throws of a Dino-X treatment. More concerned that I might pull water out and would need top off with fresh salt. In any case I talked myself into getting my hands in there and siphoning a large portion of the growth directly into a sock that was mounted in the sump. Then kept the sock dripping until not much water was held.

I did this until I ran through about 5 socks. Now I'll go scrub my hands and arms....

Isaac Alves · Mar 26, 2024

MNSPS · Mar 30, 2024

Awesome aquarium Issac! Hang in there. Dino’s are a nightmare, but I believe you are right path to defeat them.

I’m currently setting up a Cade 1500 peninsula tank and was wondering if you were having any issues with water surface scum building up on the opposite side of the tank from the overflow? I’m trying to figure out a way to eliminate this without mounting a pump on this side.

lubeck · Apr 12, 2024

How’s the tank

thedon986 · Apr 12, 2024

Man, sorry to see such a struggle with these pests. It’s tough for sure. If the Dino-x isn’t working I would recommend a break from chemicals for a while and let things play out a bit. It’s not pretty to look at. Do you have a refugium? That could be a good avenue to encourage competitors, or an algae turf scrubber. My last attempt after some time would be with some API Algaefix.

Isaac Alves · Apr 16, 2024

MNSPS said:
Awesome aquarium Issac! Hang in there. Dino’s are a nightmare, but I believe you are right path to defeat them.

I’m currently setting up a Cade 1500 peninsula tank and was wondering if you were having any issues with water surface scum building up on the opposite side of the tank from the overflow? I’m trying to figure out a way to eliminate this without mounting a pump on this side.

I had the same issue. I first tried to mount a Gyre onto the center pillar with some strong mangnets from Octo Aquatics but the Maxspect gyre wire is super thick and didn't let the magnets hold...that center glass column on the Cade is pretty thick glass.

I tried again with a Nero 7 and the same magnets. This setup holds fine but it just didn't circulate the water enough to keep surface proteins/debris from building up on the other side. I ultimately mounted a Gyre 330 on that side of the tank --- It's close to the surface so it isn't in eye view. I did have to drill an opening into my TopLid cover to run the wire down the corner of the tank. But build up is gone and flow is much better.

Isaac Alves · Apr 16, 2024

April 12th update with Dino-X treatment ongoing:

Isaac Alves · Apr 16, 2024

And a quick update from today, April 16th:

Isaac Alves · Apr 16, 2024

thedon986 said:
Man, sorry to see such a struggle with these pests. It’s tough for sure. If the Dino-x isn’t working I would recommend a break from chemicals for a while and let things play out a bit. It’s not pretty to look at. Do you have a refugium? That could be a good avenue to encourage competitors, or an algae turf scrubber. My last attempt after some time would be with some API Algaefix.

I was thinking this exact same thing. I do have a refugium, that is pretty much empty of algae at this point. But I'm not sure if it'll have an impact on chrysophytes. I will start it up again in a few weeks with a new batch of macro and pods.

After a few months, if nothing improves I'll look into API Algeafix. I was hoping Dino-X was literally the same thing per other discussion threads.

thedon986 · Apr 16, 2024

Isaac Alves said:
I was thinking this exact same thing. I do have a refugium, that is pretty much empty of algae at this point. But I'm not sure if it'll have an impact on chrysophytes. I will start it up again in a few weeks with a new batch of macro and pods.

After a few months, if nothing improves I'll look into API Algeafix. I was hoping Dino-X was literally the same thing per other discussion threads.

I have seen people say Vibrant works for chrysophytes and I believe AlgaeFix is the same active ingredient. Also I have noticed that whatever I am battling up in the display for dinos, etc it never appears in my refugium, so it can't hurt I suppose.