Dinos

[Antbar701]

I’ve been battling prorocentrum Dino for about 6 weeks now. I had a huge outbreak after adding reef energy AB+. My tank is 93 gallons 73 display. Almost 9 months old. I’ve lost approx half of my coral a red serpent star, and quite a bit of CUC. I’ve been dosing silicates, phos, Nitrates, copepods, phyto and micro7. I’ve also added two chunks of live rock from my LFS. My plan after research and Mack’s on Facebook was to get a diatom bloom to defeat the Dino’s. This battle has been extremely frustrating. I’m attaching pics I believe the diatoms are out numbering the Dino’s at this point. My question is should I be doing something else or not something I’m already doing. My tank still looks horrible I’m almost at the point of giving up and starting over.

 

[Uncle99]

It a numbers game.
You must keep removing as many ways as possible daily and keeping nutrients pinned on target as you are doing.
Dinos don’t do well in very stable conditions and are pushed out by the good stuff.

That Dino looks photosynthetic so do they move into the water column at night, if so UV can reduce them during this period and change socks/filter daily to reduce further.

I did ensure Nitrate and Phosphate was available through a dose, but once there, no other dose was needed.

I did feel that dosing phyto and bacteria helped a ton in the process.

You will win if you keep pulling them rapidly.

The key is availability and stability.

Good luck.

 

[Antbar701]

It a numbers game.
You must keep removing as many ways as possible daily and keeping nutrients pinned on target as you are doing.
Dinos don’t do well in very stable conditions and are pushed out by the good stuff.

I was under the impression not to remove anything as I will remove the diatoms that I need in the tank to outcompete, the reason behind no water changes or vacuuming the sand. I was doing this in the beginning and the Dino’s just came back with a vengeance.

 

[Uncle99]

I see no issue in removing the pest where possible.
Some are easy cause they move in the water when lights out, so they get stuck in socks and filters and if UV deployed for photosynthetic types (which are very common) can be “sterilized” so they can’t make more bad guys.

As their population is impacted by things you do, the good guys are being “fed” as well, thus their populations are increasing.

There comes a tipping point where all of a sudden, they diminish quickly as there’s no real estate for them as it’s taken up by the good guys. The best good guys come real slow, but, they will come especially when water chemistry is on-point.

I vacuumed lightly when lights on, changed filters when lights come on, and ran UV during dark.

I dosed a small amount of bacteria (3 different types) and live phyto each day when lights on.

I did vacumn through a tight sock and returned the water to the DT.

Sorry, I’m not familiar with the diatoms t method, these, I don’t want either or at least, can be seen.

 

[Antbar701]

Prorocentrum can’t be treated with UV as they don’t go into the water column at night. The only way to kill these things are to have something else to outcompete them, thus dosing silicates to encourage a diatom bloom. My nutrients were bottomed out at 0. I dose my nitrates to above 5 I also dose p04 but I can’t keep them in a readable range.

 

[ScottB]

Prorocentrum can’t be treated with UV as they don’t go into the water column at night. The only way to kill these things are to have something else to outcompete them, thus dosing silicates to encourage a diatom bloom. My nutrients were bottomed out at 0. I dose my nitrates to above 5 I also dose p04 but I can’t keep them in a readable range.

Large Cell Amphids never swim. Proro will swim and can be well cooked with a solid UV. I have done it in a big (filthy) fish only tank. Requires a 36 hour blackout to get them moving. Taped a bunch of black trash bags around the tank.

 

[Antbar701]

Large Cell Amphids never swim. Proro will swim and can be well cooked with a solid UV. I have done it in a big (filthy) fish only tank. Requires a 36 hour blackout to get them moving. Taped a bunch of black trash bags around the tank.

If that’s the case wouldn’t the UV also kill the diatoms??

 

[ScottB]

If that’s the case wouldn’t the UV also kill the diatoms??

Pretty sure none of the diatoms I've viewed under the 'scope have any means of propulsion.

 

[bradreef]

I beat the same thing with silicates after 6 months of pods, uv, bacteria, ect. Silicates will work. Just takes time. Macks is the best resource, some of the people on here share bad info that is wrong. Some good tho.