I'm just going to throw this out there. First off, I'm not a microbiologist(my bachelor degree in environmental biology doesn't mean anything). I'm going off anecdotal evidence, and it should not be treated as tested and factual.
I've been dealing with a persistent Dino strain in two tanks for over a year. They go "away" every time, but eventually something triggers another outbreak. My tanks were started with live sand and live rock from Tampa Bay(not dead sterile rock). My large reef runs a UV, which does help control them to some degree. But their reappearance means UV is merely a control, not an eliminator. In my 25 years of reefkeeping, I've not seen anything like it. I've regarded Dino's alongside Diatoms, as just part of the initial ugly phase. And that they usually subside as algal succession occurs. I've been wondering why Dino's are suddenly more persistent in my tanks and for other hobbyists.
I think iron competition and limitation can play a role in Dinoflagellate control. Below are the scenarios. Keep in mind, there are so many other factors in play, but I do feel nutrients adjust the rules of the game and give one team a competitive advantage over another. Lighting/grazers/flow/etc are all pieces of the puzzle of course.
Scenario 1: Plenty of iron, but low nitrates/phosphates = Dinoflagellates have the advantage
Scenario 2: Plenty of iron, and high nitrates/phosphates = green algae have the advantage
Scenario 3: Low iron, and low nitrates/phosphates = hopefully some green algae have the advantage
Scenario 4: Low iron and low nitrates, but high phosphates = Nitrogen fixing Cyano have the advantage
The use of GFO, lanthanum, carbon dosing, dead rock have increased in the hobby in recent years. I think Scenario 1 is a lot more common these days.
Red Tide is a dinoflagellate, and there have been studies linking spikes in iron to red tide events.
My observations:
Let's see what happens... Again, I'm just tinkering here. I could be way off base. I'd like to get to a point again, where I can do a water change without a Dino bloom. Would love to hear from others who have considered the iron angle.
I've been dealing with a persistent Dino strain in two tanks for over a year. They go "away" every time, but eventually something triggers another outbreak. My tanks were started with live sand and live rock from Tampa Bay(not dead sterile rock). My large reef runs a UV, which does help control them to some degree. But their reappearance means UV is merely a control, not an eliminator. In my 25 years of reefkeeping, I've not seen anything like it. I've regarded Dino's alongside Diatoms, as just part of the initial ugly phase. And that they usually subside as algal succession occurs. I've been wondering why Dino's are suddenly more persistent in my tanks and for other hobbyists.
I think iron competition and limitation can play a role in Dinoflagellate control. Below are the scenarios. Keep in mind, there are so many other factors in play, but I do feel nutrients adjust the rules of the game and give one team a competitive advantage over another. Lighting/grazers/flow/etc are all pieces of the puzzle of course.
Scenario 1: Plenty of iron, but low nitrates/phosphates = Dinoflagellates have the advantage
Scenario 2: Plenty of iron, and high nitrates/phosphates = green algae have the advantage
Scenario 3: Low iron, and low nitrates/phosphates = hopefully some green algae have the advantage
Scenario 4: Low iron and low nitrates, but high phosphates = Nitrogen fixing Cyano have the advantage
The use of GFO, lanthanum, carbon dosing, dead rock have increased in the hobby in recent years. I think Scenario 1 is a lot more common these days.
Red Tide is a dinoflagellate, and there have been studies linking spikes in iron to red tide events.
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01313701
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022098104004848
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2018.00118/full
My observations:
- Like others, I get a dino explosion after each water change. I think this is due to nutrient reduction and replenishment of trace elements like iron. In a dirty tank without water changes, trace elements like iron can deplete as more complex micro and macroalgae compete for what is there. Reducing phosphate and nitrates limits macro and turf algae, and gives Dino's a competitive advantage for iron.... Scenario 1.
- When I and others have added GFO to a tank, we also see a recurrence of Dino's. Again, I think this temporarily causes an increase in iron availability and cuts down phosphates which inhibits turf/macro algae.... Scenario 1.
- Many folks have observed that adding a refugium with Chaeto will make the Dino's disappear. Green macro algae will effectively outcompete for iron, if the conditions are right.... like in Scenario 2.
- Dosing nitrates seems to help. I think this just stimulates the growth of microalgae, which in turn competes for iron. As green algae starts to appear, dino's lose out. Dosing helps a tank shift from Scenario 1 to Scenario 2.
- Several days of darkness cures dino blooms for some, and merely pauses it for others. I think it's an effective way of shifting the equilibrium to more complex algae that can sustain without light for longer. I think the breakdown of dino's helps a tank shift from Scenario 1 to Scenario 2, even if temporarily.
- People report sterile tanks and tanks with dead starter rock tend to get Dino's more often(though my tank defies that logic). Real live rock bring with it more complex micro and macroalgae and other organisms that benefit from available iron.
- Another recommended treatment is raising pH with kalk or other means. Increasing pH impacts uptake of Iron. In photosynthesis, they refer to this as “lime induced chlorosis”. I think raising pH works because you impact the availability of iron.
- If you have room to grow some chaeto, do so. If you can't accomodate a fuge or turf scrubber, then look at enriching your nitrates/phosphates by dosing or reducing water changes. Nutrients may be so low, that they end up being the limiting resource preventing turf algae in your display from competing for trace elements like iron against Dino's. Algae in a reef tank is a fact of life, and it's easier to battle green algae with grazers.
- If you're running GFO, remove it. Your hindering other algae from competing with Dino's and it may be a source of iron when fresh or degraded.
- Check your iron levels, and look at eliminating sources of it. While it's a needed trace element, there can also be too much of a good thing. Check your magnets, any metal sources. Try running an absorption media like Metasorb.
- My large tank runs a fuge with Chaeto. The chaeto grew like crazy under a marginal led. When the Chaeto was growing well, dino's went "dormant". Then I had a salinity spike, which caused some deaths in the tank. The disruption stimulated a Cyano outbreak which choked out the chaeto. Next thing you know, Dino outbreak.
- I run chemipure, which is carbon/gfo mix. When I would replace it, I'd get a small dino outbreak. If I replaced with regular carbon, I wouldn't get a Dino outbreak.
- I found one my float switch magnets had rusted through the plastic.. metals, including iron were leaching.
- I live in GA, and we have had a ton of rain. Our soil is rich in iron, red clay. All the rain means more runoff. I'm way overdue for overhauling my RO/DI.
- Replace my RO filters for top off, and avoid water changes.
- Run CuLater, which is same as Metasorb, while doing a 3 day blackout. The hope is that the media absorbs excess iron as the Dino's breakdown.
- After the blackout, replenish the refugium with fresh macroalgae in my larger reef.
- Stop using GFO in any capacity.
Let's see what happens... Again, I'm just tinkering here. I could be way off base. I'd like to get to a point again, where I can do a water change without a Dino bloom. Would love to hear from others who have considered the iron angle.
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