Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

[Cscultho]

You tried fluconozole for dinos?

I used fluconozle to battle and kill off bryopsis. A couple weeks after I dosed fluconozole the Dino's slow crept into my tank for the first time.

Fluconozole completely changed the chemistry of my tank and I've not been able to recover. I've also been able to keep my N&P level high with short success. Even with high amounts of P04 I cannot for the life of me get any hair algae to grow only a slight green film on the glass.

The best success I've had with ostropsis is to remove my sand bed. I kept the Dino's at bay for a couple weeks.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I used fluconozle to battle and kill off bryopsis. A couple weeks after I dosed fluconozole the Dino's slow crept into my tank for the first time.

Fluconozole completely changed the chemistry of my tank and I've not been able to recover. I've also been able to keep my N&P level high with short success. Even with high amounts of P04 I cannot for the life of me get any hair algae to grow only a slight green film on the glass.

The best success I've had with ostropsis is to remove my sand bed. I kept the Dino's at bay for a couple weeks.

Dont take this the wrong way but thats crazy! I mean just how each tank responds differently. Sucks that happened.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Did you dose phyto out of curiosity?

Yes I did. But not after dinos left only during N and P dosing.

 

[tsav87]

Yes I did. But not after dinos left only during N and P dosing.

Why did you choose to stop? If biodiversity is the true key, phyoto feeds some of the smallest members of that biodiversity. Seems to me that phyto is a critical component to increasing biodiversity.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Why did you choose to stop? If biodiversity is the true key, phyoto feeds some of the smallest members of that biodiversity. Seems to me that phyto is a critical component to increasing biodiversity.

Copepods alone do not equate to all of biodiversity. Phytoplankton, at least in my tank would only benefit copepods. However, i had copepods prior to ever dosing phyto. I guess my thought process was it wasn't necessary. In addition phyto adds po4 and no3 to what I was already dosing. In regards to risking a all out phyto bloom, I found it not necessary.

 

[reeferfoxx]

This is what I'll be ripping down.

 

[tsav87]

Copepods alone do not equate to all of biodiversity. Phytoplankton, at least in my tank would only benefit copepods. However, i had copepods prior to ever dosing phyto. I guess my thought process was it wasn't necessary. In addition phyto adds po4 and no3 to what I was already dosing. In regards to risking a all out phyto bloom, I found it not necessary.

https://sciencing.com/trophic-levels-coral-reefs-5523723.html

 

[reeferfoxx]

https://sciencing.com/trophic-levels-coral-reefs-5523723.html

Yes exactly. Zooplankton or copepods are the only consumers other than sponges and filter feeders that eat phyto. I have neither sponges or any filter feeders.

 

[tsav87]

Yes exactly. Zooplankton or copepods are the only consumers other than sponges abd filter feeders that eat phyto. I have neither spongers or any filter feeders.

Just trying to make the point that if anyone spouts the need for biodiversity, you have to start from the bottom of the food chain and work your way up. Otherwise one would be taking a half hearted approach.

I didn’t know I had sponges until a few weeks of dosing phyto daily.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Just trying to make the point that if anyone spouts the need for biodiversity, you have to start from the bottom of the food chain and work your way up. Otherwise one would be taking a half hearted approach.

I didn’t know I had sponges until a few weeks of dosing phyto daily.

The common pineapple sponge is a result of increased nutrients. You don't need phyto for that. That is the point I'm making.

 

[tsav87]

K. Done.

 

[Beardo]

This is what I'll be ripping down.

I don't want to take this thread off track, but since you at the point of a full reset...

I believe you said you weren't sure which species of dinos you have but it reminds me of the way my amphidinium acted (your corals look pretty good and it is heavy on the sandbed and climbing up the walls of the tank. Also don't see the long bubbly strings).
Once I knocked back my other species and was left with just the amphidinium I found Dino-X to be effective. I watched the dinos die under the scope first then treated a 50 cube that i unintentionally carried them into successfully. I just started treatment on my 270 and am already seeing results after 2 doses.
I don't like to push any products and Dino-X doesn't seem to work on all dino species but in your case it may be worth trying before going through the trouble of tearing the tank down and restarting.

 

[taricha]

Why did you choose to stop? If biodiversity is the true key, phyto feeds some of the smallest members of that biodiversity. Seems to me that phyto is a critical component to increasing biodiversity.

Copepods alone do not equate to all of biodiversity. Phytoplankton, at least in my tank would only benefit copepods. However, i had copepods prior to ever dosing phyto. I guess my thought process was it wasn't necessary. In addition phyto adds po4 and no3 to what I was already dosing. In regards to risking a all out phyto bloom, I found it not necessary.

Just trying to make the point that if anyone spouts the need for biodiversity, you have to start from the bottom of the food chain and work your way up. Otherwise one would be taking a half hearted approach.

Philosophically, tsav87 this argument makes total sense, and it really ought to work. But in practice, in my systems and others, it just doesn't. In fact, live phyto seems to have the opposite effect. In fact adding live phyto caused dinos to resurge in my tank better than adding dinos themselves.

To repeat, I've poured straight dinos from an infected system into my display with healthy nutrients and diversity, and the dinos couldn't get a foothold.
But pouring in large amounts of live phyto (nanno and t-iso) and daily infusions of cultured copepods/rotifers caused amphidinium dinos to bloom.
Why? My best guess is that the tank had protective biodiversity, but adding overwhelming amounts of phyto/pods actually pushed other things out, and left less diversity, majority of my zooplankton now being copepods that don't eat dinos. (Growing pods that eat 5 micron phyto cells are apparently poorly equipped to eat 50 micron Dino cells)

In another tank with an already existing ostreopsis bloom, feeding live phyto grew more dinos and more copepods, but then the copepods succumbed to the dinos and then the tank grew way more dinos.

Do our dinos feed off phyto directly? Probably not. But they don't have to. They can capture phyto and pods in mucus and benefit from the organics released as they die.

So, counter-intuitive to the point of being maddening. When battling dinos, biodiversity is awesome, but the evidence I've seen says do NOT dose live phyto.

 

[taricha]

I don't want to take this thread off track, but since you at the point of a full reset...

I believe you said you weren't sure which species of dinos you have but it reminds me of the way my amphidinium acted (your corals look pretty good and it is heavy on the sandbed and climbing up the walls of the tank.

I'm with beardo. Would really like to know what exactly you are overrun by, even if you do decide to tear down.

Oh, and let me share a little story that may shed light on why many who do tear downs end up back in the same spot.
I saw my sun coral "pooping" took a sample of the brown coming out....most of it was nothing recognizable but there were a few live, viable Dino cells and I don't mean the symbiotic stuff.

So just remember, to ensure no spread of Dino cells before you move over, scrub inside the mouths and gut cavities of all your LPS corals too!

 

[reeferfoxx]

I'm with beardo. Would really like to know what exactly you are overrun by, even if you do decide to tear down.

Oh, and let me share a little story that may shed light on why many who do tear downs end up back in the same spot.
I saw my sun coral "pooping" took a sample of the brown coming out....most of it was nothing recognizable but there were a few live, viable Dino cells and I don't mean the symbiotic stuff.

So just remember, to ensure no spread of Dino cells before you move over, scrub inside the mouths and gut cavities of all your LPS corals too!

These corals won't be part of the rebuild .. I understand all risks and contaminations. I'll also be sanitizing the tank prior to rebuild. Its gonna suck but I've had this tank for 1.9 yrs now and I've only enjoyed it for about 2 months total.;Meh

 

[mcarroll]

UV to be added tomorrow (36 watt, 120 gallons, 520 gph pump, should i restrict flow?

...to target parasites – armored dino's if they can tell you that specifically – yes, you should. You have to ask the manufacturer for the correct flow rate.

I have this same issue. Been 5 months now. NO3 O ppm and PO4 .06ppm . The only water chemistry that is odd is Alk. it drops .8-1dkh over a 24hr. period. I dose 35-40ml twice a day and I can barley keep 6.5-7dkh.

Any carbon dosing going on?

How are you testing Po4?

Hey guys! I'm back! So are the dinos wooo. Planning on a reset this winter YAY! ;Rage

Sorry they came back – do you know what happened?

You need a scope to end the mystery of what's in the tank: Selecting a microscope ($12)

Just an update on my situation- after my blackout and the addition of the GARF grunge, the tank looks better.

This is good news!!!

I'm not quite sure.

'scope!

I thought i was on the path to beating ostreopsis but nope....still the dino hangs on.

Can't remember, are you already using UV? Fresh bulb and verified good setup?

me on the other hand would be very nervous about rebooting

Good instinct....reboots may work even less well than bleach or metronidazole. You might already have seen @taricha post!

The majority of folks that started a tank with critter heavy live rock, properly cycled sand, and with little to no chemical filtration rarely if ever see dinos. Biodiversity plays a big roll here.

+1

You tried fluconozole for dinos?

Wrong sterols unfortunately.

 

[zachxlutz]

...to target parasites – armored dino's if they can tell you that specifically – yes, you should. You have to ask the manufacturer for the correct flow rate.

Jebao UV... Good luck getting a flow rate rec. out of them. I'll play with it. Going full bore right now. If no results, I'll restrict flow. Thanks!

 

[Cscultho]

...to target parasites – armored dino's if they can tell you that specifically – yes, you should. You have to ask the manufacturer for the correct flow rate.



Any carbon dosing going on?

How are you testing Po4?



Sorry they came back – do you know what happened?

You need a scope to end the mystery of what's in the tank: Selecting a microscope ($12)



This is good news!!!



'scope!



Can't remember, are you already using UV? Fresh bulb and verified good setup?



Good instinct....reboots may work even less well than bleach or metronidazole. You might already have seen @taricha post!



+1



Wrong sterols unfortunately.

Hey mcarroll...yes my UV is up and running and the bulb is only 2-months old. My dino breakout is not as bad as the initial surge but they are still there in small quantities on the SB. some areas of the SB get bubble late in the day but other areas of the SB seem to stay clear.

@taricha...what was your remedy for eradicating ostropsis? are you running a barebottom system now?

 

[zachxlutz]

Last night we implemented a few new methods for eliminating these dinoflagellates. UV sterilization and diatom filtering.

I hacked the UV system together in an effort to quickly get it up and running. If I see results from it, I'll need to come up with a plan to pull water from the display and run it through the UV unit and return it back to the display without looking like a toddler put it together.

It's a simple setup, 520 gph pump resting on the sandbed running through 3/4" tubing with a ball valve and returning directly to the display. Thoughts on cleaning this up?

This is the Marineland Magnum filter. I put the micron cartridge in it and charged it with 6 tablespoons of diatomaceous earth while running it in RO/DI water in a 5 gallon bucket. I'm not super impressed with this piece of equipment, yet. It was blowing lots of microbubbles and making lots of noise this AM. I'll pull it out tonight and double check everything and see if I can get it running quieter and get the air out of the system.

 

[Eddie Rogers]

here a couple of updated pictures from my tank

This the uv sterilizer i use its the Smart UV 25 watt, it being feed by a rio 2100+ pump set directly in my tank. Last week i removed the sand and rock from the sump. ( i figured it was breeding dinos )

this is a shot of my tank from a few minutes ago, heavy dino population on the sponge from the return line of the uv ( this prevents sand storms) also on the return nozzle and overflow. I still have noticeable dinos in the sand and glass (its early still by the evening the sand is heavily populated). I haven't touched the tank since last Saturday

This white fuzz started showing up, I have no idea (could someone help ID)

and maybe some Cyano

I did overshoot the NO3 its between 15ppm and 20ppm PO4 is between .03 and .1