Help with outbreak of Dinos

Justfbilly · Feb 16, 2017

I have a 125 gallon reef tank that has been up and running for about 2 years now. I have been dealing with what I think are dinos for some time but never like this.

I tested my water prior to doing my water change:
Temp is 78
Calcium: 400
PH: 8.0
Mag: 1320
Salinity: 1.025
Amon: 0
NO2: .03
NO3:0
KH: 161 ppm

I installed new filters on my RO system and ran about 5 gallons of water through the new filters, checked the TDS meter and it was at 0.00 so I mixed up my saltwater, let it mix with a powerhead for 4 days before using. On Friday I changed out 20 gallons of water during my weekly maintenance. The next day the Dinos were a bit more noticeable than normal and then on Sunday there were small piles all over the sand bed. I tested the water again and to my surprise the Calcium dropped to 360, Magnesium dropped to 1120 and the KH dropped from 161 ppm to 107 ppm and like I mentioned earlier there were brown piles of what I think are Dinos all over my sand bed only. There is nothing on the rocks or coral?

?

Any ideas what would have caused such a quick drop in my levels and the sudden growth of Dinos? Here is a picture of my sand bed and the brown plies that are every where on the sand. Any ideas or help is greatly appreciated.

sowellj · Feb 16, 2017

If they are dinos (microscope is best way to confirm), people usually try the following:
1) elevated pH
2) no water changes
3) 3 day blackout, followed by reduced photoperiod
4) hydrogen peroxide dosing
5) dino x
6) vibrant
7) bleach dosing

Some folks can run some kalk and a blackout and they are done for. If you have one of the more aggressive strains (ostreopsis ovata), you could try everything and it still not be effective. Who knows on the levels.

BoneXriffic · Feb 16, 2017

I tried the masses and resorted to bleach...it works great but i reccomend the safer options first

GoVols · Feb 16, 2017

sowellj said:
If they are dinos (microscope is best way to confirm), people usually try the following:
1) elevated pH
2) no water changes
3) 3 day blackout, followed by reduced photoperiod
4) hydrogen peroxide dosing
5) dino x
6) vibrant
7) bleach dosing

Some folks can run some kalk and a blackout and they are done for. If you have one of the more aggressive strains (ostreopsis ovata), you could try everything and it still not be effective. Who knows on the levels.

+1
Dino's love water changes.

Years ago I battled it and finally bought (Algae - X) now it's Dino-X. It did the job

You must follow the instructions to a tee. Also any inverts but BTA's won't make it during the Dino-X treatment.

GoVols · Feb 16, 2017

BoneXriffic said:
I tried the masses and resorted to bleach...it works great but i reccomend the safer options first

@BoneXriffic

What's the regiment you used to rid dino's with bleach?

Just want to learn

Did it hurt your livestock?

Thanks, GoVols

Shameless_Dood · Feb 16, 2017

Vibrant did the trick for me. I tried it because it was bacteria based, seemed a lot safer than some of the chemical options.

GoVols · Feb 16, 2017

Shameless_Dood said:
Vibrant did the trick for me. I tried it because it was bacteria based, seemed a lot safer than some of the chemical options.

+1
I would not use Dino-X unless all other natural options have been exhausted.

Usctom · Feb 16, 2017

Bleach dosing is a new one to me. That sounds like a scary option.

Lights out never seems to work for me. Peroxide seems to work but something else takes over.

BoneXriffic · Feb 16, 2017

Usctom said:
Bleach dosing is a new one to me. That sounds like a scary option.

Lights out never seems to work for me. Peroxide seems to work but something else takes over.

Bleach dosing is safe and effective when done right. I experimented with it seemingly successfully with velvet.

GoVols said:
@BoneXriffic

What's the regiment you used to rid dino's with bleach?

Just want to learn

Did it hurt your livestock?

Thanks, GoVols

@twilliard maybe beable to link you...im currently one handed temporarily lol

badd · Feb 16, 2017

Bleach.. dose 3 days twice a day.. dinos gone.. didnt lose a thing..but dinos.. lol..

GoVols · Feb 16, 2017

badd said:
Bleach.. dose 3 days twice a day.. dinos gone.. didnt lose a thing..but dinos.. lol..

That's pretty vague...

How much bleach per total gallons in your display tank??????????????????????

BoneXriffic · Feb 17, 2017

GoVols said:
That's pretty vague...

How much bleach per total gallons in your display tank??????????????????????

.003 divided by bleach percentage. Then multiply by gallons... dose this amount 2 to 3 times daily

badd · Feb 17, 2017

BoneXriffic said:
.003 divided by bleach percentage. Then multiply by gallons... dose this amount 2 to 3 times daily

yep.. In my 46 gallon.. I dosed 1.5ml twice a day for 3 days... I think my bleach was 7.89%..

GoVols · Feb 17, 2017

@BoneXriffic @badd

Thank You

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 17, 2017

Just a guess, but it doesn't look like dinos to me. Dinos are usually a snotty, viscous mass over stuff.

This looks like cyano on the sand.

badd · Feb 17, 2017

Randy I thought samething...only 1 pic looks like dino.. but Im only guessing. .only a scope would identify.

GoVols · Feb 17, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Just a guess, but it doesn't look like dinos to me. Dinos are usually a snotty, viscous mass over stuff.

This looks like cyano on the sand.

+1
lol
Randy, I didn't look at the picture that good

Looking at it now, your spot on. It doesn't even look close to the Dinos species that I've dealt with in the past.

Looking at it now... It's like cyano or a diatom bloom. Hard to tell against the black substrate.

The times I had dinos it's been snotty with bubbles in it and worked it's way to my SPS base's really quickly.