Limiting Factor of a UV Sterilizer

BAMatter

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 30, 2020
Messages
1,046
Reaction score
579
Location
Merrimack
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
IVe been dosing daily to keep nutrients on the up and up. Its just getting worse unfortunately. I think my next step is going to be the UV part. Blasting them into the water column and a 2 day blackout of sorts. I think my acros could probably survive a 2 day blackout. Im also ordering pods and phyto from algae barn this friday.
How much MB7 are you dosing and what are your phosphate and nitrate testing at? MB7 reduces phosphate and nitrate so if those levels are already low you’re likely making things worse as Dino’s typically thrive off of bottomed or very low nutrient systems.
 

Tiki_Reef

My daily driver is a nano.
View Badges
Joined
Jul 24, 2019
Messages
470
Reaction score
776
Location
Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I use the Aqua UV 25 watt and a flow meter on a separate pump in my sump plumbed into the second return in my 120, my turn over rate through the UV is 640 gph and my water is always clear and no uglies show their faces. I linked the flow meter I use below
 

Miami Reef

Clam Fanatic
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Messages
11,206
Reaction score
20,827
Location
Miami Beach
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
In my experience with coolia in a few tanks, UV did nothing. They don’t readily free swim and may need coaxing with a blackout.

I’m personally in the mindset that carbon dosing is the ticket to beating dinoflagellates. I saw a recent thread/article on this forum that sold me on that idea: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/dinoflagelates-a-disruptive-treatment.873/
 
OP
OP
plippert21

plippert21

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2022
Messages
50
Reaction score
34
Location
Houston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It does look like Coolia to me, here’s a pic for reference. If you can, it would definitely be advantageous to post in that Mack’s group to be positive of ID, and they have a 36 page download on dealing with Dino’s.

Biggest takes to be aware of:

Balanced nutrients to help outcompete the Dino’s- they recommend 1:100 PO4:NO3 - Im running 0.1ppm and 10ppm
Dosing MB7 daily
Running UV 24/7 until a couple weeks after no signs of dino except for an hour after dosing MB7
No water changes until handled
You can siphon out what you can see into a 5 micron sock in your sump just make sure to not remove any water- this size sock will catch the dino cells

0A313742-9AF0-4AC2-ADAA-1219726BFBB4.jpeg

Good checklist. Thank you. Luck would have it that the last thing I was missing is the UV sterilizer and put one on today. So here’s to hoping.
 
OP
OP
plippert21

plippert21

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2022
Messages
50
Reaction score
34
Location
Houston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
In my experience with coolia in a few tanks, UV did nothing. They don’t readily free swim and may need coaxing with a blackout.

I’m personally in the mindset that carbon dosing is the ticket to beating dinoflagellates. I saw a recent thread/article on this forum that sold me on that idea: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/dinoflagelates-a-disruptive-treatment.873/
This is interesting. I thought I heard that anecdotely you should stop carbon dosing. I think the reason being is that it lowers nutrients and Dino’s thrive off carbon. I’ll give it a read though.
 

Miami Reef

Clam Fanatic
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Messages
11,206
Reaction score
20,827
Location
Miami Beach
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This is interesting. I thought I heard that anecdotely you should stop carbon dosing. I think the reason being is that it lowers nutrients and Dino’s thrive off carbon. I’ll give it a read though.
I don’t think there are many things that can outcompete bacteria. Especially since bacteria can use allelopathy. That thread is a very good read! They recommend to dose carbon at night.
 

Derrick0580

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 6, 2022
Messages
1,740
Reaction score
1,935
Location
Lafayette Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a quick uv question…..if manufacturer states one flow rate for parasites and another for algae, wouldn’t the slower rate kill two birds with one stone?
 
OP
OP
plippert21

plippert21

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2022
Messages
50
Reaction score
34
Location
Houston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I don’t think there are many things that can outcompete bacteria. Especially since bacteria can use allelopathy. That thread is a very good read! They recommend to dose carbon at night.
Got it! I guess if you are trying to increase bacteria reproduction then carbon dosing is a great way to kick that off. Seems to makes sense to me. I’ll give this a try if the UV sterilizer doesn’t do it.
 
OP
OP
plippert21

plippert21

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2022
Messages
50
Reaction score
34
Location
Houston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a quick uv question…..if manufacturer states one flow rate for parasites and another for algae, wouldn’t the slower rate kill two birds with one stone?
I’m guessing here so take it for what’s it’s worth. Others would know better. I think the higher flow rate for algae is so that it can keep up with reproduction of Dino’s/algae in the tank. Running at a lower flow rate will kill the Dino’s of course but you may not see an appreciable effect since they are outpacing getting killed in the UV unit.
 

Bubbles, bubbles, and more bubbles: Do you keep bubble-like corals in your reef?

  • I currently have bubble-like corals in my reef.

    Votes: 61 40.1%
  • I don’t currently have bubble-like corals in my reef, but I have in the past.

    Votes: 17 11.2%
  • I don’t currently have bubble-like corals in my reef, but I plan to in the future.

    Votes: 43 28.3%
  • I don’t currently have bubble-like corals in my reef and have no plans to in the future.

    Votes: 29 19.1%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 1.3%

New Posts

Back
Top