Rinse and repeat

Stanzo13 · Dec 29, 2018

Had a bad dino problem for a while and someone was super nice and gave me a plan to end it, starting with a gravel siphon to clean it up, wrapping the tank for a complete black out for 3 days (I did 3.5) while running skimmer high, then after the wait to another water change, replace carbon and return skimmer to normal.... All followed perfect, all gorgonians lost a ton of mass over 50÷ reduction and my tank is still doomed by dinos... I'm about ready to give away fish and corals to throw the tank down the bank

KrisReef · Dec 29, 2018

I don't blame you for wanting to give up. I feel that way most days, even when my tank is kicking Aztecs. I keep it going for the fish and the few corals the I have that have managed to thrive, the other ones that struggled to live or got smothered by algae or cyanobacteria, or whatever else when wrong along the way I learned to ignore. I know if I keep it going it will get better with time, and I do have some corals that I've managed to keep for many years and I've grown attached to them. But yes, I have had pest and they do have their way for a while by I am too darned stubborn to quit. I hope you don't give up because some person gave you a failed remedy. Keep up with the tank and it will come around. GL

saltyhog · Dec 29, 2018

Dinos are the worse thing that has happened to me in the hobby. I understand the frustration. The plan you followed is not one I've ever seen help dinos

Do you know what species of dinos you have? If you have access to a microscope that would greatly help. What are your parameters, especially nitrate and phosphate? Can you post some pictures of the tank/dinos?

Read the first page of this thread for starters. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

The most commonly effective treatment is to dose NO3 and PO4. UV can also be very helpful for some species.

Gonebad395 · Dec 29, 2018

Op how long have you had the tank? We all have had problems don’t give up it will all fall in to place trust me. Reefing isn’t easy but sometimes we make it a lot harder. What kinda substrate are you using dinoflagellates love silica so there is something you might want to look into. How much are you feeding, what’s your tanks temperature, what’s your salinity?

saltyhog · Dec 29, 2018

Gonebad395 said:
Op how long have you had the tank? We all have had problems don’t give up it will all fall in to place trust me. Reefing isn’t easy but sometimes we make it a lot harder. What kinda substrate are you using dinoflagellates love silica so there is something you might want to look into. How much are you feeding, what’s your tanks temperature, what’s your salinity?

I wasn't aware of the relationship between silicate and dinos. Diatoms for sure are fueled by silicates.

Stanzo13 · Dec 30, 2018

I have had the tank running over 2 years and many people told me not to use no3po4-x... So clearly theirs a lot of different advice.... And over this 2 years I have had only a few corals grow, the rest just sit their despite blowing away my lfs with my test results and using my own red Sea kit and keeping everything as perfect as I can afford. That being said I'm not a millionaire so I can't afford a reef tank

TheEngineer · Dec 30, 2018

The cure, strangely enough, seems to be raising your nutrients not reducing them. Take a look at that link from @saltyhog

This doesn’t have to be an expensive process. I’m battling cyano at the moment myself and I feel your frustration.

rkpetersen · Dec 30, 2018

Stanzo13 said:
I have had the tank running over 2 years and many people told me not to use no3po4-x...

@saltyhog wasn't recommending using Red Sea NO3PO4X; it reduces nitrate and phosphate levels, you want to do the exact opposite to combat dinos. Basically you need to have some nitrate and phosphate in the water so that other species can outcompete the dinos.

I also recommend UV, even if you don't have access to a microscope; it helps with multiple ills and with very little downside (a few dead pods maybe.)

saltyhog · Dec 30, 2018

rkpetersen said:
@saltyhog wasn't recommending using Red Sea NO3PO4X; it reduces nitrate and phosphate levels, you want to do the exact opposite to combat dinos. Basically you need to have some nitrate and phosphate in the water so that other species can outcompete the dinos.

I also recommend UV, even if you don't have access to a microscope; it helps with multiple ills and with very little downside (a few dead pods maybe.)

Exactly! Sorry, I didn't actually understand what you were saying @Stanzo13 . NO3PO4-X is an additive to decrease NO3 and PO4. The vast majority of dino outbreaks are triggered by low to zero NO3 and PO4...especially PO4.

You mentioned your parameters were good, can you give us the actual numbers....especially nitrate (NO3) and phosphate (PO4)?

Stanzo13 · Jan 5, 2019

5 minutes after blowing of rocks and sand I got some pictures of this stuff as it seems to instantaly slime my entire tank (photos are taken with nearly "white" light as I don't have a filter.