Nitrates & Phos at 0 with lot of bioload

[Luke Schnabel]

Good analogy, but how do I counter Dinos, I assume they came due to low to no nutrients. Whats confusing for me is I have algae scrubber working and it has quite a lot GHA in it, so what prompted Dinos, when it had its competitor consuming nutrients.

Is it due to very low nutrients, that is not utilised by GHA as efficiently as Dinos? Meaning I need to increase my nutrients so GHA gets a short.

In the past I countered dinos by reducing light and bunping the tempreture to 28-29 Celsius, but I can't risk this now as I have livestock.

So would love to hear what you guys think.

I think you should do a few things that will help out.

1) Reduce the time on your scrubber to only 8 hours and actually increase your skimming on the skimmer to a very wet skim which you need to empty out every day. (You will want to compensate for the reactor being off and will help to pull any gunk out of the water that you dislodge)
2) Increase flow if you can.
3) Manual removal of the "brown algae" on your rocks by siphoning directly from the rock AND then turkey basting the rockwork. (This will only benefit you if you are using filter socks/ fleece which will filter the water. I suggest cleaning them every day if you can)
4) Slowly increase feeding or manually dose small amounts of nitrate until you have detectable levels. Doesnt need to be high but slight pink is fine on your test kit.

Once you get the "brown algae" under control then you can focus more on the input/output side of things.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

If you have a UV sterilizer it will help tremendously as well.

 

[merfury1989]

I think you should do a few things that will help out.

1) Reduce the time on your scrubber to only 8 hours and actually increase your skimming on the skimmer to a very wet skim which you need to empty out every day. (You will want to compensate for the reactor being off and will help to pull any gunk out of the water that you dislodge)
2) Increase flow if you can.
3) Manual removal of the "brown algae" on your rocks by siphoning directly from the rock AND then turkey basting the rockwork. (This will only benefit you if you are using filter socks/ fleece which will filter the water. I suggest cleaning them every day if you can)
4) Slowly increase feeding or manually dose small amounts of nitrate until you have detectable levels. Doesnt need to be high but slight pink is fine on your test kit.

Once you get the "brown algae" under control then you can focus more on the input/output side of things.

What does reducing algae scrubber light duration do to counter dino?

 

[jkcoral]

Hey guys need a help with this one.

My tank is 23g (90L)
I have 2 clownfish, 1 Blue Damsel, 1 Scopas Tang, 1 Lawnmower Blenny, 1 Cleaner Shrimp

Have mixed collection of corals from softies to sps.

I have skimmer which runs 24/7
I have algae scrubber that works 18hr

I do water changes every 2 weeks (10%)

I feed twice a day. I have a lot of algae trapped in the scrubber, and I have brown algae on rocks.

My question is why my nitrate and phos at 0ppm?

Alk 9
Cal 455
Mag 1390
Salinity 35
Ph 8
Temp 25

Sir, please step out of the car.

 

[merfury1989]

Sir, please step out of the car.

What are the charges

 

[jkcoral]

What are the charges

Sir, this is an active investigation into cruel imprisonment and possession of a tang with less than 100g, please step away.

 

[merfury1989]

Sir, this is an active investigation into cruel imprisonment and possession of a tang with less than 100g, please step away.

Ah that. I just got it from a friend recently week ago, so storing here until 200g is ready

 

[jkcoral]

Ah that. I just got it from a friend recently week ago, so storing here until 200g is ready

Yeah, I’m just joking around

I saw you said you had a 200g on the way/cycling earlier in the thread and that made me happy for you and the fish. Love scopas tangs, and I miss my old guy that passed a few years ago. Had him for 9 years but he was already pretty grown when I got him.

Nothing more relaxing than watching them cruise around.

 

[Tired]

Ah, if you've got dinos, you've got a tank that's not doing well at those levels. Reduce or remove the protein skimmer and algae scrubber- that will make more nutrients available so that various algaes can compete with the dinos on your rockwork and crowd them out. Plus that algae growth will feed copepods and the like, which are instrumental in getting rid of dinos.

 

[Budman93]

Ok did a new test, here are the the results

Nitrates = 0ppm (Salifret test kit - shows comple white)
Phos = 0.02ppm (Hannah)

Also I noticed brown slimy stuff on rocks and have bubbles attached to it. Dinos?

Take a picture but very possible with zero'd out nutrients.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

What does reducing algae scrubber light duration do to counter dino?

INPUT vs OUTPUT. Your algae scrubber is an OUTPUT tool so reducing the time it runs will reduce its OUTPUT so you then might start balancing out the nitrates and phosphates from being essentially zero. You may not even need it altogether but try cutting its light cycle in half and go from there. Your goal is to not immediatly suck out every bit of nitrates and phosphates that enter the water.

 

[merfury1989]

So this is what I am doing now:

I am feeding twice a day (Frozen + Dry)
Closed Skimmer completely
Dosing Fauna Marin Rebiotics (2 times a week)
Changing Filter Sock every day

Will keep you all updated what happens.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

So this is what I am doing now:

I am feeding twice a day (Frozen + Dry)
Closed Skimmer completely
Dosing Fauna Marin Rebiotics (2 times a week)
Changing Filter Sock every day

Will keep you all updated what happens.

Did you change the photoperiod of your algae scrubber?

 

[nereefpat]

Could we get a pic of the display for algae ID?

 

[Dburr1014]

Has anyone seen pictures of the "algae" yet?

I got bets it may be Dino's

 

[twentyleagues]

Has anyone seen pictures of the "algae" yet?

I got bets it may be Dino's

post 13 op wonders if its dinos.

I agree it probably is.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

post 13 op wonders if its dinos.

I agree it probably is.

That would be my guess too but still needs to keep the tank from staying ZERO-ZERO to help fight them.

 

[bruce337]

How do you plan on catching the tang? Curious to know as I need to rehome my brown scopas tang as well but not sure how to catch him

place 2 nets in tank - leave them there for at least 1/2 a day so they don't see it as a threat, feed them, then when they go up to eat- catch em.

 

[merfury1989]

Here are pics. Those white dots are bubbles, they are not as clear in the photos sorry

Also little update - the color of rock is still dark, and visible bubbles everywhere, but the water is less cloudy (it was cloudy prior to changes).

 

[Dan_P]

Hey guys need a help with this one.

My tank is 23g (90L)
I have 2 clownfish, 1 Blue Damsel, 1 Scopas Tang, 1 Lawnmower Blenny, 1 Cleaner Shrimp

Have mixed collection of corals from softies to sps.

I have skimmer which runs 24/7
I have algae scrubber that works 18hr

I do water changes every 2 weeks (10%)

I feed twice a day. I have a lot of algae trapped in the scrubber, and I have brown algae on rocks.

My question is why my nitrate and phos at 0ppm?

Alk 9
Cal 455
Mag 1390
Salinity 35
Ph 8
Temp 25

Simple. There is no excess nitrogen or phosphorous. Between the coral and microorganisms, they are consuming it.