Really need some help...

Hallowhead · Oct 7, 2020

Howdy,

I've been struggling with copious issues with my two tanks.

I am battling dino's in my main tank for probably around 6 months. I unfortunately let the nutrients bottom out and I've not been able to stabilize them again. I replace my filter media daily to help remove dino's, I have added a UV sterilizer and most recently I have begun dosing dinoX. I have discontinued my UV sterilizer per the directions as well as some other stuff mentioned. I continue to dose nitrates and phosphates daily, using trisodium phosphate and sodium nitrate mixed to slurries that Randy Holmes has generated - I dose 10 mL of each solution which raised the nitrates ~ 10ppm and phosphate by .1. Obviously phosphates bind to the rocks and such so it's not directly related to the levels in the water column. The nitrates on the other hand don't stick around long and by the next day they're bottomed out again. I don't know if I should be dosing more nitrates ? more phosphates? I am on my second round of DinoX and hoping that the slime goes away. If I was to beat it... I am not sure if I should continue to dose nitrates and phosphates afterwards.

My frag tank is having another algae issue... I am battling red cyanobacteria (red slime) I have used chemi clean with great success and my tank was booming again however, it's again getting overrun and I can't keep up. I am losing frags daily as the slime is covering and suffocating the corals. I continue to dose nitrates and phosphate to readable levels. This tank is a bare bottom and has swallowed up several fish unfortunately - I keep after it daily replacing filter media etc etc. The tank is a 34 gallon with a 15 gallon sump and roughly 5 pounds of live rock in display and marinepure bioballs.

I can state some parameters that are the same for both tanks:
Alk: 9.0
Calcium: 450
Mg: 1350
salinity: 1.026
pH: 8.0 - 8.5

I am wondering if I should be getting a Triton ICP test... could something be leaching my water from my RO system?

Any additional information you may find helpful just ask.

mindme · Oct 7, 2020

I've been fortunate enough to not have to deal with dinos. But the 2nd tank with the cyano to me sounds like you need more surface area for bacteria, or you are feeding too much. Also the deaths could contribute and make things worse.

Hallowhead · Oct 7, 2020

mindme said:
I've been fortunate enough to not have to deal with dinos. But the 2nd tank with the cyano to me sounds like you need more surface area for bacteria, or you are feeding too much. Also the deaths could contribute and make things worse.

I thought about adding more rock into the sump.. but the mediapire claims to equal like 80 pounds of rock

vetteguy53081 · Oct 7, 2020

Dosing phosphates, NoPox and coral foods will only feed/fuel dinos.
Dinos:
Prepare for a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off for 5 days and st night dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights and work your white lights up slowly

Hallowhead · Oct 7, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
Dosing phosphates, NoPox and coral foods will only feed/fuel dinos.
Dinos:
Prepare for a water change and blow this stuff loose with a turkey baster and siphon up loose particles.
Turn lights off for 5 days and st night dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for all 5 nights
During the day dose 1ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons.
Clean filters daily and DO NOT FEED CORAL FOODS OR ADD NOPOX as it is food for dinos.
Day 5,, you can start with blue lights and work your white lights up slowly

I was nervous about lights out but I've seen this process work very well.

When I'm done with this should I dose phosphates ? How do I ensure my phosphates don't bottom out ?

vetteguy53081 · Oct 7, 2020

Hallowhead said:
I was nervous about lights out but I've seen this process work very well.

When I'm done with this should I dose phosphates ? How do I ensure my phosphates don't bottom out ?

Test for phosphates thereafter and determine IF you need to dose

Hallowhead · Oct 7, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
Test for phosphates thereafter and determine IF you need to dose

What are ways to avoid these nutrients bottoming out ?

vetteguy53081 · Oct 7, 2020

Hallowhead said:
What are ways to avoid these nutrients bottoming out ?

feeding and you CAN feed fish while treating dino. Phosphate as a by-product of mineralization of dead matter such as plants, bacteria, feces, uneaten food, fish slime etc. are all internal contributors. Neophos is a good product to accomplish this also which raises P04 in a day at about 0.02

mindme · Oct 7, 2020

Hallowhead said:
I thought about adding more rock into the sump.. but the mediapire claims to equal like 80 pounds of rock

Seems like it would be more than enough, but you might need more because of the bare bottom. Or perhaps feeding too much?

Hallowhead · Oct 8, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
feeding and you CAN feed fish while treating dino. Phosphate as a by-product of mineralization of dead matter such as plants, bacteria, feces, uneaten food, fish slime etc. are all internal contributors. Neophos is a good product to accomplish this also which raises P04 in a day at about 0.02

Should I remove my protein skimmer ?

What should I dosed for bacteria ? Bio spiral? Could I dose phyto?

vetteguy53081 · Oct 8, 2020

Hallowhead said:
Should I remove my protein skimmer ?

What should I dosed for bacteria ? Bio spiral? Could I dose phyto?

Bacter 7 works well and run skimmer at least during the day

Viking_Reefing · Oct 8, 2020

Do you have proper live rock from the ocean or did you start with dead rocks and bacteria in a bottle?
At least with Dino it seems that often times it’s due to a lack of competition (biodiversity) that let it run rampant.
If that’s the case I would suggest seeding the tank with some live rock shipped in water directly from the ocean

Personally I wouldn’t dump down a bunch of chemicals in to the tank but rather try and figure out the cause of your problems. If that’s not corrected the symptoms will undoubtedly Return.

Hallowhead · Oct 8, 2020

MichaelE said:
Do you have proper live rock from the ocean or did you start with dead rocks and bacteria in a bottle?
At least with Dino it seems that often times it’s due to a lack of competition (biodiversity) that let it run rampant.
If that’s the case I would suggest seeding the tank with some live rock shipped in water directly from the ocean

Personally I wouldn’t dump down a bunch of chemicals in to the tank but rather try and figure out the cause of your problems. If that’s not corrected the symptoms will undoubtedly Return.

Tank is almost 2 years old. This issue didn't always exist. Rock was dry and cured for 1.5 months before anything was introduced. I've had loads of coraline growing and than bottomed out and now it's ****

Hallowhead · Oct 8, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
Bacter 7 works well and run skimmer at least during the day

You'd turn it off for the night ? Maybe 12 hours a day?

vetteguy53081 · Oct 8, 2020

Hallowhead said:
You'd turn it off for the night ? Maybe 12 hours a day?

I ran mine full time but at least 12hrs/day

Hallowhead · Oct 8, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
I ran mine full time but at least 12hrs/day

I feel like it's stripping my nitrates however the skim is mostly water and I can never get a dense goo. I think I may cut it's skim time to 12

Hallowhead · Oct 9, 2020

Fed a full cube to the tank today.. my fish seemed to LOVE it..

My snails went crazy too!

My substrate was cleared of slimy dino today!! I just need to continue fighting the fight