Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

[Moe K]

For ostreo I micro dosed bleach as per the old dino thread. This is controversial as it can kill your fish but corals and clean up crew seem to be unaffected. Ostreo was wiped out in less than 5 days and no sign of it returning in over a month now.

Unfortunately I didnt extend the micro dosing of bleach beyond a week and waiting to see some aquabiomics testing of its effects at that time. With that, I still have LCA but the good news is that appears to be dying down with the use of heavy microbelift special blend. The first day I dosed the microbelift I injected it into the sand with a turkey baster. Looked like my LCA was near half gone after a week. Im still battling it so only time will tell but at least the tank is somewhat presentable now.

Also pods. Lots an lots of copepods. Previously in my tank there is usually no pods in site. I am making it a mission to keep them over populated now. I ran out of live phyto weeks ago but luckily there is a lot of products that are more economical and will last longer in a fridge to keep them fed. I am trying reef enhance right now to keep the population up. I also know they like to eat phytochrome by brightwell. Smells like tomato juice.

So far I have lost no animals. SPS and LPS continue to grow. The only nuisance algae I have is bubble algae that was always a problem even before the dinos. I have not seen any sign of cyano.

 

[MickeyCT]

Update to my posts #12,449 and 12,451...Tank is now covered in hair algae, though little on the sand and mostly on rocks and back wall. Microscope still shows dinos mixed in (LCA, small cell amph., and prorocentrum). I'm upping my silica dosing again as I had reduced it. Corals still not doing well, BTA's not happy and not expanding. Added additional clean-up crew on 4/17 including 5 Mexican Turbos and had many losses (not sure if from shipping stress or tank conditions).

Nitrates still running 20-25 and Phosphates are continuing to drop but still high. Now at .9 down from over 1.5

Very frustrating. I started trying to manually remove as much as I can but it's tough as I have to do it in-tank. Will try peroxide dip on the corals with hair algae hoping I can save some of them. I'm considering starting AlgaeFix or Brightwell's Razor as a last resort but not sure if that will make things even worse. Any thoughts?

 

[reef’r]

Alright boys and girls looks like it’s my turn… got brown stringy stuff on my substrate and for some reason it really seems to like getting on my Zoas. Of course, P03 and N04 are zeroed out which I’m trying to remedy. I believe this is ostreopsis Dino’s can anyone confirm?

 

[Chris Coulaud]

Hello everybody!

Can you help me identify which dino is taking over my reef? The hammers are suffering. I think I'm going to lose the corals. I appreciate any advice.

Microscope video:

 

[GobyGuy]

LFS showed me in microscope what looked like Osteo… they were identical to the ones in the pic, but only one or two moving, not a comcentrated sample of water.

They also recommended a JBJ nano UV and a 50gph pump, UV is 3W approved for 30 gallons, and I double confirmed it would be sufficient for these Dino’s. Am I going to need to rebuy a proper 9W as tank is 29 long with about 2’’ sand bed & not full to rim so maybe 24/26 gallons and reading 1W per 3gal :/

 

[Moe K]

I HAVE ANNHILATED MY LCA!!! Not one demon on the scope slide today.

Been dosing Reef Brite Reef Enhance for about a month and I had a pod population explosion. I believe Reef Enhance may have been the hammer. Seems to be like pod roids lol.

I also diluted 35ml of Lynn waterglass silicates into 3000ml rodi in a container and I put it on a doser to consistently dose through the day. This seemed to speed up my diatom growth significantly. Previously I tried brightwell sponge excell in my ato but it was not as good at growing diatoms as it was sponges.

While microbelift did seem to make an improvement initially it totally feels like it is not enough. I am starting to question the whole dose a lot of bacteria method. Sure it might be good for the tank but I can't really see where bacteria can outcompete aggressive dinos. Under a scope there is never a significant amount of bacteria visible in my samples no matter how much I dose. Pods are a different story.

I am not sure but by how many pods I got running around I think they might be the main reason LCA has disappeared. That is if it is true that they eat them of course. I tried to stick with tisbe pods btw.

Here is a video of my pods on the sand at night. I dose Reef Enhance 2 to 3 times a week at night. Main pump and wavemakers off for about 30 mins to let the little gremlins feast.

 

[OsciBosci]

Should I dose or stop dosing Microbe-lift Special Blend Water Care bacteria if I have PO4 0 and NO3 0?

 

[MickeyCT]

Congratulations! What kind of fish do you have?

I'm battling LCA and also SCA right now along with hair algae. I've added pods periodically over the last few years and they never seem to thrive. I think my fish snack on them too much.

 

[Moe K]

Should I dose or stop dosing Microbe-lift Special Blend Water Care bacteria if I have PO4 0 and NO3 0?

If you think it is still helping, keep dosing it. If po4 and nitrate are getting low you should dose something like brightwell neonitro and neophos to raise them. You never ever want zero with or without dinos.

Congratulations! What kind of fish do you have?

I'm battling LCA and also SCA right now along with hair algae. I've added pods periodically over the last few years and they never seem to thrive. I think my fish snack on them too much.

I have 2 large corris wrasses, 2 tangs, 3 lyretail anthias, and 2 clowns. Nothing is stopping these pods.