The blackout didn’t work for me, so I’m glad it helped you!
I have a 25w Aqua UV sterilizer running in/out of the display. Before that I tried a blackout with Dr. Tim's Wasteaway and Refresh regimen but they came right back. I've tried dosing NO3/PO4 but really all that seemed to do was fuel a nasty hair algae outbreak.
I forgot to say that i had to do a 2nd blackout because it didnt work either, what did the trick was getting a 1 micron sock since dinos cant go through it and blow off as much as the dinos as you can right before the blackout so they go through the sock on the sump. I also did heavy doses of microbacter 7 and phosphates to keep phosphates at 0.10 in the 3 day blackout. So far dinos havent popped up even though i still blow my rocks with my turkey baster every night for this week.
For how long did you let the hair algae stick around? I ask because it should have began outcompeting the dinoflagellates. Although it is an eyesore, the hair algae may give you some relief.
I didn’t do a second blackout because my corals were already quite stressed. I do run two MP40s on 100% Reefcrest, so that acts as a frequent basting in my 3’x2’x2’ tank. I’m moving into a 40-gallon breeder, so the amount of flow that I’ll be using should keep the dinoflagellates off of my corals.
It has been a few months. I was hoping this would be the case as well. Dinos end up forming a thick mat on the back wall and glass but there may not be as much over top of the hair algae.
Do you know what kind of Dinos you had?
Yes, it was Ostreopsis.
I thought I was getting cyano. But looked microscope and what the heck!
Check out my build thread - i post parameters often. I have struggled to keep phosphates up. My test today was 0.00ppm. Haven't had to dose NeoPhos for awhile...but had to today.
I can't say what they should or should not be but I will say this... I'm finally getting over them. I've targeted .1 for phosphate and 10 for nitrate. I do have a lot of hair algae and cyano right now... but the dinos are gone.
