Low dose erythromycin to get out of ULNS funk?

[jbaur]

I had a crazy idea when it comes to ulns systems.

I have been struggling with dinoflaagelites.

My personal feeling is that the bio filter which we all covet has become more of a detriment than a benefit.

My logic tells me it would seem beneficial to eliminate some of the biofilter to enhance the level of nutrients within the system.

I'm thinking a low dose of em erythromycin is the best means of achieving this

Thoughts?

 

[Fish Styx]

I had a crazy idea when it comes to ulns systems.

I have been struggling with dinoflaagelites.

My personal feeling is that the bio filter which we all covet has become more of a detriment than a benefit.

My logic tells me it would seem beneficial to eliminate some of the biofilter to enhance the level of nutrients within the system.

I'm thinking a low dose of em erythromycin is the best means of achieving this

Thoughts?

No. You'll likely crash your system. Just dose nutrients.

 

[Miami Reef]

If you’re dealing with ostreopsis, add a UV.

I agree that adding nutrients is a MUCH better plan than dosing (or worse, underdosing) antibootics.

 

[jbaur]

I got you... Just add nutrients. It'll be fine. The issue has nothing to do with the uptake of nutrients by bacteria or protozoans. We should ignore that.

 

[jbaur]

Long story short, if we can't see it it's not a problem. And if we can see it we fight it with chicken bones and gypsy curses.

 

[Fish Styx]

I got you... Just add nutrients. It'll be fine. The issue has nothing to do with the uptake of nutrients by bacteria or protozoans. We should ignore that.

It is sometimes difficult to gauge tone from text, but that sounds an awful lot like a smug response...

Yes. If your nutrients are bottomed out, you dose. Adding antibiotics to your system is not the solution here. Further more, antibiotics have exactly zero effect on protozoa.

You asked a question and got a response. Cleary though, you were looking for validation and not advice.

Good luck to you, sir. I wish you well.

 

[jbaur]

It is sometimes difficult to gauge tone from text, but that sounds an awful lot like a smug response...

Yes. If your nutrients are bottomed out, you dose. Adding antibiotics to your system is not the solution here. Further more, antibiotics have exactly zero effect on protozoa.

You asked a question and got a response. Cleary though, you were looking for validation and not advice.

Good luck to you, sir. I wish you well

**** yeah I'm looking for validation...

Is dosing em erythromycin a viable means from getting out of the funk of a ulns?

Someone validate this please

 

[Fish Styx]

**** yeah I'm looking for validation...

Is dosing em erythromycin a viable means from getting out of the funk of a ulns?

Someone validate this please

 

[jbaur]

You do realize that dosing antibiotics doesn't have direct effect on protozoans, it does have effect within a closed environment...

 

[Fish Styx]

You do realize that dosing antibiotics doesn't have direct effect on protozoans, it does have effect within a closed environment...

If you go back, you'll see that that is exactly what I said. Zero effect on protoza. The effect on said "closed environment" will be crashing your biofilter and, subsequently, your system.

You do you, bub. Best of luck.

 

[jbaur]

Let me explain... Dinos don't have much competition when phos and nitrates hit 0. The biggest consumption of nitrogen and phosphates is the biofilter. That and the dinos themselves. Using a low dose antibiotic, like em erythromycin to compromise the biofilter may help lessen that uptake. The problem is the dinos, when they die, are a huge bank of nutrients.

 

[jbaur]

Dinos thrive in low nutrient systems. Killing off some of the bio filter might be more helpful than feeding the bio filter phos and nitrates

 

[Fish Styx]

Dinos thrive in low nutrient systems. Killing off some of the bio filter might be more helpful than feeding the bio filter phos and nitrates

I follow your logic, but there are too many variables to account for when it comes to dosing antibiotics to your DT. Erythromycin is a broad spectrum antibiotic that works primarily against gram positive bacteria, but has some, though limited, effect against gram negative bacteria. The issue here is that you don't know what parts of your filter it will affect, and to what degree. Will it kill the bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite? Nitrite to nitrate? Just nitrate or just phosphate? All of the above?

Best case scenario, it has little to no effect. Worst case, it devastates your system.

Dinos are a royal PITA. I get it. There is no quick fix here. Just persistence and good husbandy. Your thought process with regard to raising nutrient levels is correct. Your methodology is not.

Dose nutrients as the first step to tackling the Dino outbreak. This could be with a ready made product, or simply overfeeding. Manually remove / siphon as much as possible, and then do a 72 hour black out. After that, run only blues for a while. Lather, rinse, repeat, and consider adding a UV sterilizer to your system.

 

[jbaur]

Honestly tackling dinos would be nice. But I honestly I feel like having a ulns where the dinos have the opportunity to thrive is the issue.

 

[jbaur]

Is there anything more suitable for attacking the biofilter?

 

[Fish Styx]

Is there anything more suitable for attacking the biofilter?

Without any more information to go on, this is hard to answer. Shut off biopellet or sulfur reactors, remove rock, cut back macro algae in refugium, cut back on water changes...

 

[jbaur]

Thanks Fish. Sorry, just trying to brainstorm this.

 

[jbaur]

Thanks Fish. Sorry, just trying to brainstorm this.

I hate the idea of buying a UV as a rental and having it sit once it's done

 

[Fish Styx]

Thanks Fish. Sorry, just trying to brainstorm this.

You're good. This hobby can be frustrating and down right infuriating at times. I get it.

Namaste.

 

[Fish Styx]

I hate the idea of buying a UV as a rental and having it sit once it's done

I run mine 24/7