Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

Rick Mathew · Nov 1, 2020

taricha said:
Thanks!
Yep. I feel like most tanks (in the dino threads at least) would be better off with more nutrients and better herbivores to manage algae, rather than trying to manage algae from the nutrient side.

Totally agree!

mshur · Nov 1, 2020

uhupong said:
I used rebiotic and dino was gone in 3 days.

How did you like FM Rebiotic bacteria overall ? Do you dose regularly or just to fight dino

thsnks

attiland · Nov 1, 2020

uhupong said:
I used rebiotic and dino was gone in 3 days.

Which type of Dino did you have?
How old aquarium do you have?

Kaiser · Nov 2, 2020

taricha said:
yeah, things can go bad fast if dinos attach directly to coral.
Run GAC for water-toxins, siphon frequently, use UV, hang additional rough filter media in high flow to let lots of dinos attach, etc. (search this thread for "dino scrubber" for details.)
We don't know the mechanism for dinos to kill coral tissue, but when they attach, it's fast whatever it is.

You didn't say that this different sand-dwelling dino was toxic / harmful etc.
It sounds like Large cell amphidinium, and it's usually the least toxic, and so conservative approaches are sometimes better for overall tank health.

New setup? Call it "The Uglies", don't try to starve anything, and let things grow. Vacuum out the ugliest parts. Maybe add a few pieces of live rock and algae. Don't worry about it in a tank that has a long way to go to mature and will change many times anyway.

By siphon frequently, I assume you mean siphon the sand. How heavily should I do this? I replaced the mixed bed in my di stage after sending in the tank icp + the RODI icp, I'm planning on doing a decent size water change tomorrow in case I had some other contaminants make it in, as I'm losing polyp extension on one of my acropora, another has some damage on the tips, and my grafted cap isn't looking too hot either (I had dinos attach to the corals before, but they aren't doing it this time which is making me think the stress is from contaminants). I'm planning on siphoning the sand during that water change. Does this seem like a good idea? Already added a new bag of carbon last week and my uv was added a couple weeks ago, although it doesn't seem to be doing much.

ReefPig · Nov 3, 2020

Will this microscope be decent for identifying Dinos? Or can anyone point me to something better?

amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001NL9UNS?ref=em_1p_0_ti&ref_=pe_2443691_535628711

Cheers,
Dave

attiland · Nov 3, 2020

Kaiser said:
By siphon frequently, I assume you mean siphon the sand. How heavily should I do this? I replaced the mixed bed in my di stage after sending in the tank icp + the RODI icp, I'm planning on doing a decent size water change tomorrow in case I had some other contaminants make it in, as I'm losing polyp extension on one of my acropora, another has some damage on the tips, and my grafted cap isn't looking too hot either (I had dinos attach to the corals before, but they aren't doing it this time which is making me think the stress is from contaminants). I'm planning on siphoning the sand during that water change. Does this seem like a good idea? Already added a new bag of carbon last week and my uv was added a couple weeks ago, although it doesn't seem to be doing much.

I hope @taricha will agree with me since he is more of an expert than me but let me share my experience with siphoning sand. I would at this stage siphon the mats only on the top of the sand without disturbing the sand itself. I have used a 5 microns socks to siphon into and had a very positive result doing it so. In places I have not disturbed the sand almost no dinos anymore however where I have used a different technique I had quite bad relapse. Siphoning itself is not a cure but slowing their spread and helping competitors to take over quicker.
On the note of the UV I have seen very slow progress on it but did have an affect for sure in the numbers. I have 2 types of Dinos dominated small and large cell Amphidinium
I have had dinos for about 8 weeks now (counting since it turned bad) and now I can see significant reduction both in numbers and spread. In the beginning it took a day to look just like before any treatment now it takes to develop a few patches for a week

attiland · Nov 3, 2020

kingy138 said:
Will this microscope be decent for identifying Dinos? Or can anyone point me to something better?

amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001NL9UNS?ref=em_1p_0_ti&ref_=pe_2443691_535628711

Cheers,
Dave

perfect but way too expensieve. go for a used one and don't buy these or lookalikes : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1600X-US...445393f0c0bc4c13f3ce|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2334524

they are useless

ReefPig · Nov 3, 2020

attiland said:
perfect but way too expensieve. go for a used one and don't buy these or lookalikes

they are useless

LOL yeah I have one, and indeed can confirm it's garbage.
I can see that I have dino's with it, but what it's very fuzzy.

attiland · Nov 3, 2020

kingy138 said:
LOL yeah I have one, and indeed can confirm it's garbage.
I can see that I have dino's with it, but what it's very fuzzy.

and only when it works as half of the time it doesn't.
I use a Besser Biolux 40x-1024x used one for about £45
the camera is slow and low resolution but trough the eye piece it is brilliant. Last time I have taken pictures trough it with my mobile.

I am happy with it

AaronFReef · Nov 3, 2020

Kaiser said:
By siphon frequently, I assume you mean siphon the sand. How heavily should I do this? I replaced the mixed bed in my di stage after sending in the tank icp + the RODI icp, I'm planning on doing a decent size water change tomorrow in case I had some other contaminants make it in, as I'm losing polyp extension on one of my acropora, another has some damage on the tips, and my grafted cap isn't looking too hot either (I had dinos attach to the corals before, but they aren't doing it this time which is making me think the stress is from contaminants). I'm planning on siphoning the sand during that water change. Does this seem like a good idea? Already added a new bag of carbon last week and my uv was added a couple weeks ago, although it doesn't seem to be doing much.

If you lightly siphon the sand that can help. Be careful though, that you are not doing a large water change, thus lowering nutrients, possibly helping the dinos out. I suggest instead stirring the top of the sand regularly. 2x a day perhaps during lights on when they are forming mats towards mid to end of photoperiod.

If the mats are really thick, sure, siphon them out to reduce the toxin load.

On top of this, I suggest letting the tank get dirty with other algaes, most critically for my case, not cleaning the glass at all and letting cyano/diatoms form mats to compete. Up your silica as well to help the dinos if you haven't. UV plus sand stirring will hopefully knock them back enough for more fixed algaes to outcompete.

Speaking as a newer hobbyist, with only one battle against dinos, so take with a grain of salt.

taricha · Nov 4, 2020

Kaiser said:
By siphon frequently, I assume you mean siphon the sand. How heavily should I do this?

I mostly meant siphon off any small amount that might attach to coral.

attiland said:
...let me share my experience with siphoning sand. I would at this stage siphon the mats only on the top of the sand without disturbing the sand itself. I have used a 5 microns socks to siphon into and had a very positive result doing it so. In places I have not disturbed the sand almost no dinos anymore however where I have used a different technique I had quite bad relapse. Siphoning itself is not a cure but slowing their spread and helping competitors to take over quicker.

agree that exporting dinos by siphoning the mat itself and leaving what's below is s good conservative step to take.
it's worth doing even though it will usually need repeating.

Jedi Knghit · Nov 7, 2020

Are these pics good enough for an ID?

joshwaggs · Nov 7, 2020

Jedi Knghit said:
Are these pics good enough for an ID?

Those look like dinos. That circle in the middle of them is usually an identifier. I don’t know what kind though.

ScottB · Nov 8, 2020

Jedi Knghit said:
Are these pics good enough for an ID?

From the video, I see Large cell amphidinium. If @taricha "Likes" this post, then my ID is confirmed. You can then search here for the Amphidinium Treatment thread to choose which methods you might want to pursue. Amphid treatment is not so clear cut IMO. If this is a "newer" system, you might want to just wait them out. They are not a toxic species like the others.