Dino(?) problems in a new tank

[Simonsen]

Hi guys! Got a little challenge due to a possible dino outbreak that goes on my nerves. I try to post here for some emergency help before i throw the towel.
I started up a new RedSea Reefer in the middle of October 2024 and had a very nice start of the cycle but for a month ago the brown ugly algae starts to appear. Not sure if this is dinos but my CUC don’t seems to like.
I did start up my tank with dry rock and bacterial that i regret now. Last time i started up with premium live rock and it was a much smoother and better experience.
Anyway, I know the tank is young but i need some serious help to get the motivation back.

My first big mistake was to add the corals at that early stage and this is my biggest regret but i got them from a guy that shut down and i had not any other options to store them any place so i did take a huge chance. Strange enough is that they are getting good colouration, base and the growth is pretty good to my surprise.

But back to the topic, anyone that could advise me to a solution? I am not wanna do any shortcuts with bad products that risk my livestock. I want to to it the right way.
My research have made me a little bit smarter that the solution could be:

- Raise my nutrients
- Reduce the skimmer with 6 hours
- Add bacterials to stabilise the system
- Reduce the light power by 30%
- Add phyto
- feed more


I have read the different threads about dino but want to have some direct advice that is easy to read and understand. I also need advice to what kind of products that i could use to add bacteria.

I have Fauna Marine Elementals P and N (Phosphate and Nitrate). Could i add this to increase my nutrients?

I attached some photos and hope you guys could give me some ideas how to defeat this problem. Getting sick of see that brown **** on the sand and the rocks but not sure if this is an ending of the Ugly stage or this gonna be a future problem.

Thanks in advance for the help guys! Help me find my motivation back.

 

[stE25wy14]

aaaahahh nitrates are veerrrryyy low, raise them to 10-20
whats your par like?

 

[stE25wy14]

also, clean your sand too, that could also be indirectly caused by poop from cuc

 

[BryanM]

I've been going through this recently. I did a lot of things, in the end what seems to have helped the most is UV and a blackout period.

Initially I dosed Microbacter7, NeoNitro, and NeoPhos (I had no nutrients). This seemed promising for a couple days, but dinos came back with a vengeance.

I vacuumed sand religiously for 10 days straight, and cleaned glass every other day.

I ran out of NeoNitro and NeoPhos, and nutrients were still low, so I got more and continued to dose.

Finally, I lowed my return pump flow to allow more time in the UV, and I think this was the key. I am cautiously optimistic that I have beaten them in to submission.

FYI, current nutrients, Nitrate 23.7, Phosphate .3 -- Some will find the phosphate too high, I am not worried about it, and if you search you'll find a lot of "dirty" tanks that are incredibly successful.

 

[CHSUB]

vacuumed sand religiously for 10 days straight, and cleaned glass every other day.

With turkey basting and WC this is all that is needed. Raising nutrients with healthy corals, yours, is 100% a mistake.

 

[BryanM]

With turkey basting and WC this is all that is needed. Raising nutrients with healthy corals, yours, is 100% a mistake.

When most people believe dino outbreaks are caused by bottomed out nutrients, which is what I had, how can raising nutrients be a 100% mistake?

 

[CHSUB]

When most people believe dino outbreaks are caused by bottomed out nutrients, which is what I had, how can raising nutrients be a 100% mistake?

1.2 ppm no3 is not bottom out, if that even exist in a fed aquarium with fish…if coral are healthy plenty of nutrients. Do his coral look unhealthy?

 

[BryanM]

1.2 ppm no3 is not bottom up, if that even exist in a fed aquarium with fish…if coral are healthy plenty of nutrients. Do his coral look unhealthy?

I was quoting my numbers when I replied to him, and mine were bottomed out.

And I do find the OPs numbers very low, and I would still recommend increasing them, as clearly this is not an SPS tank trying for an ULNS.

 

[CHSUB]

I was quoting my numbers when I replied to him, and mine were bottomed out.

And I do find the OPs numbers very low, and I would still recommend increasing them, as clearly this is not an SPS tank trying for an ULNS.

Type of tank or coral is irrelevant. Many fish, healthy corals, overgrowth of algae, no reason to increase inorganic nutrients. Increasing inorganic nutrients here is misinterpretation of a theory of controlling dinoflagellates.

 

[stE25wy14]

Type of tank or coral is irrelevant. Many fish, healthy corals, overgrowth of algae, no reason to increase inorganic nutrients. Increasing inorganic nutrients here is misinterpretation of a theory of controlling dinoflagellates.

u do make a good point!! but since it is a sps dominated tank, i feel like he should keep his numbers where he likes them, his params seem good, except nitrate, which needs to be raised

 

[stE25wy14]

When most people believe dino outbreaks are caused by bottomed out nutrients, which is what I had, how can raising nutrients be a 100% mistake?

imo, dinos were caused by an excess of waste
raising nutrients would be fine, but nitrate has to be raised, that does seem bottomed out

 

[CHSUB]

raising nutrients would be fine, but nitrate has to be raised, that does seem bottomed out

A picture is worth a 1000 words. Never would this picture lead to a belief that raising inorganic nutrients is needed or helpful, in fact, lowering inorganic nutrients is probably required. Forget hobby test kit reading or anything else.

 

[stE25wy14]

A picture is worth a 1000 words. Never would this picture lead to a belief that raising inorganic nutrients is needed or helpful, in fact, lowering inorganic nutrients is probably required. Forget hobby test kit reading or anything else.

what are inorganic nutrients for you? that also just looks like a normal back wall...
or a badly cleaned one at that
and im saying he should only raise nitrates,which is needed, he is at 2.5 nitrate which is bad, he should be at 10-20

 

[CHSUB]

he is at 2.5 nitrate which is bad, he should be at 10-20

I will very respectfully say and not trying to be smart or more knowledgeable than you, however this is a completely false statement. Regardless of who disagrees, hobbyists can do whatever they deem appropriate.

 

[Simonsen]

Ok guys, now i am pretty confused. My corals have pretty great colour, the LPSs is pretty large and happy, but i tear my hear off because of that ugly brown film on the sand and on the rocks. I have brushed the rocks and manual removed them and running UV 24/7.

I have currently 3 theories that i am not sure how to deal with:

1) My nutrients are too high and the algae make my Hanna gauges read wrong. False readings because of the high nitrates and phosphates

2) My nutrients are too low the the Dinos love the environment.

3) My tank is too new and this will work it out itself when it’s get more matured? Just keep dosing bacteria’s, pods and Phyto?

 

[Simonsen]

Just a little picture of the SPS that I would say looks pretty good.

 

[CHSUB]

vacuumed sand religiously for 10 days straight, and cleaned glass every other day

I highlighted this because, imo, it’s perfect. Tank is young filled with healthy fish and corals. Continue with what you are doing and get more diligent with manual removal. Don’t change anything else, including adding stuff to fight algae.
Edit: increase CUC after a vigorous cleaning.

 

[stE25wy14]

I will very respectfully say and not trying to be smart or more knowledgeable than you, however this is a completely false statement. Regardless of who disagrees, hobbyists can do whatever they deem appropriate.

i am wrong! im sorry!
with nitrates, i feel like its whatever you find your corals like, for me, mine like 15-20ppm nitrate, and i dont have any problems

 

[Simonsen]

I highlighted this because, imo, it’s perfect. Tank is young filled with healthy fish and corals. Continue with what you are doing and get more diligent with manual removal. Don’t change anything else, including adding stuff to fight algae.
Edit: increase CUC after a vigorous cleaning.

Do you think the problem will solve itself when the tank matures?

 

[BryanM]

Do you think the problem will solve itself when the tank matures?

IMO, no. But I've read other stories where the answer is yes.

I would start fighting them if it were me, and if I ever set up a 2nd tank I'll start fighting them faster than I did this time.

This answer also depends on what kind of dinos. Ones that go in to teh water column at night I think are more problematic. Ones that stay in place you can introduce a diatom bloom to outcompete the dinos, and therefore can naturally go away.