Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

[sfin52]

@taricha you are the Dino Id expert. Can you tell what these little buggers are

 

[techhnyne]

Can you get any higher magnification pictures? I can't see enough detail to tell what type they are

sorry thats the best i can do with this point of sale microscope but if you see the movement they spin in circles

 

[techhnyne]

also where can i get kno3?

 

[ImpossibleKid]

also where can i get kno3?

I used Spectracide Stump Remover. Then I went to this website which will help you determine how much KNO3 to mix into RO/DI to get a specific concentration. The website then links to a Google Docs dosing calculator which you can download and input your own numbers for tank volume and desired rise in Nitrate levels. That's how I personally did it.

What level of magnification was that video at? What microscope did you get? The cheap toy ones should go up to 1200x. The movement pattern of tumbling sideways looks like my Ostreopsis but like @Beardo said it's going to be tough to get a positive ID without a higher magnification.

 

[techhnyne]

I used Spectracide Stump Remover. Then I went to this website which will help you determine how much KNO3 to mix into RO/DI to get a specific concentration. The website then links to a Google Docs dosing calculator which you can download and input your own numbers for tank volume and desired rise in Nitrate levels. That's how I personally did it.

What level of magnification was that video at? What microscope did you get? The cheap toy ones should go up to 1200x. The movement pattern of tumbling sideways looks like my Ostreopsis but like @Beardo said it's going to be tough to get a positive ID without a higher magnification.

some ****** amazon one that falls over and doesnt focus on magnifying also they sent me a disk for the drivers to use on my pc and i dont have a cd rom, who even uses cdroms these days.. they dont even have a website to download drivers

 

[mcarroll]

I used Spectracide Stump Remover. Then I went to this website which will help you determine how much KNO3 to mix into RO/DI to get a specific concentration. The website then links to a Google Docs dosing calculator which you can download and input your own numbers for tank volume and desired rise in Nitrate levels. That's how I personally did it.

What level of magnification was that video at? What microscope did you get? The cheap toy ones should go up to 1200x. The movement pattern of tumbling sideways looks like my Ostreopsis but like @Beardo said it's going to be tough to get a positive ID without a higher magnification.

Thanks!

That's "website" link above is still good, but it does go to my old blog which doesn't get updates anymore. If you simply change the domain in the link to reefsuccess.com it'll point to the new location where I still post articles.

Here's the current link to the same article, which includes the Doc (same author for both!):
A Nitrate Dosing Calculator For Better Tank Health (And Better Coral Color!)

 

[Beardo]

The movement pattern of tumbling sideways looks like my Ostreopsis but like @Beardo said it's going to be tough to get a positive ID without a higher magnification.

I agree that movement looks like Ostreopsis, but that is just a best guess.

 

[techhnyne]

so if they are Ostreopsis what steps should I do next?
I just dosed some no3 and will check back tomorrow how everything is doing

 

[mcarroll]

There are specifics up in the first post as well as shortcut searches to additional resources.

But the place to start is almost always fixing your nutrient levels....then proceed with the other guidance from there. Ask any questions you come up with too!!!

Target...
≥5-10 ppm NO3
≥0.10 ppm PO4

 

[chefjpaul]

I had this everywhere:

So I grew this everywhere:

Added CUC and urchin to get this:

Cleaning up and now working on nutrient stability.

 

[TbyZ]

There are specifics up in the first post as well as shortcut searches to additional resources.

But the place to start is almost always fixing your nutrient levels....then proceed with the other guidance from there. Ask any questions you come up with too!!!

Target...
≥5-10 ppm NO3
≥0.10 ppm PO4

So I'm reading that as - NO3 minimum 5ppm to maximum 10ppm

PO4 minimum 0.1. Thats pretty high. What's your maximum for NO3 ?

Also, these levels are obviously recommended for people fighting dinos. But if your not, & your PO4 is 0.03, is there any other advantages gained by raising it, IYO?

cheers

 

[mcarroll]

I would call it “at least 5 to 10 ppm– more is fine, but not better“ and “at least 0.10 ppm“

And yes those levels are specific for getting your tank back from dinos.

We actually arrived at these numbers experimentally, but I doubt it’s a coincidence that these levels are also very compatible with growing corals and other things too! (They virtually match the levels recommended on the side of the bottle for some of the supplements we’re using.)

That said, if you are not having a problem growing corals and other things right now, should you really change what you’re doing?

 

[TbyZ]

I would call it “at least 5 to 10 ppm– more is fine, but not better“ and “at least 0.10 ppm“

And yes those levels are specific for getting your tank back from dinos.

We actually arrived at these numbers experimentally, but I doubt it’s a coincidence that these levels are also very compatible with growing corals and other things too! (They virtually match the levels recommended on the side of the bottle for some of the supplements we’re using.)

That said, if you are not having a problem growing corals and other things right now, should you really change what you’re doing?

I'm considering increasing PO4 to get better polyup extension, especially with a Duncan. Will increasing PO4 achieve this? I don't know.

I've dosed PO4 but it is nowhere to be found.
I believe you have to keep dosing because the rocks absorb it, until at least equilibrium is reached.

 

[mcarroll]

I agree that I would dose it on a very consistent basis if I was going to dose it at all...much like alk. I would feel free to experiment since there’s nothing to be hurt by increase of phosphate, but there’s no need to shoot high for any of your numbers. Start small, be consistent, and see what happens.

And technically, yes calcium carbonate can adsorb phosphate.

I could be wrong, but I believe the effect, if it happens at all in home aquariums under normal circumstances, is very minute because there is very little pure calcium carbonate in the system. My understanding of the situation in the wild is that most of the phosphate that is bound in this manner is bound to tiny particulate calcium carbonate floating in the water column – it acts as a perpetual phosphate sponge and reserve for the reef.

If your brain is getting amp’d on this, you can take any of the links from this thread (or the first post) back to my blog and run a search for phosphate – there are a ton of good articles! ;Bookworm

 

[techhnyne]

where can i buy kno3 because the stump remover method just is not working for me and my tank is getting worse by the day

 

[zachxlutz]

where can i buy kno3 because the stump remover method just is not working for me and my tank is getting worse by the day

Stump Remover is KNO3.

 

[techhnyne]

Stump Remover is KNO3.

yea but for some reason its not working in my tank or something eats it up right away I can not get a nitrate reading for anything

 

[Dhoggs]

yea but for some reason its not working in my tank or something eats it up right away I can not get a nitrate reading for anything

What brand of test kit are you using to test nitrates? How concentrated was the solution that you created, how much did u dose and what is your total water volume?

 

[zachxlutz]

yea but for some reason its not working in my tank or something eats it up right away I can not get a nitrate reading for anything

Dinos soak up nutrients in a speed which would rival the Flash. It may take several days of dosing to see a reading. KNO3 WILL raise your nitrates. Give it time. Increase your dose by 5-10% each dose until you start to see a reading and then adjust accordingly.

 

[sfin52]

Another way is to dose in the morning and test in the afternoon and still 0 reading preform another dose. Till you start getting a reading. Be patient, with my phosphates I ended up at 5 mil a day till I got a reading that stayed above a zero.

Go slow and be patient. Slow and steady will beat these guys.