The Dreaded Dinos (1 Viewer)

[jrounding]

Lately I’ve been battling some cyano, but recently the cyano went away. I guess I crashed my nutrients and it turned to the dreaded dinos. Snotty slimy stuff with a little bubble on the tip. I’ve been trying everything to get them under control. Dosing bacteria, vacuuming daily, UV in the tank, lights out. Nothing has helped. So last night I was doing Google searches as you do when you are having issues. By the way one of the things that makes this hobby annoying is the lack of consensus on what to do, but that’s another topic for another day. Anyways so I came across this article on Reef Builders. Could it really be as simple as cranking the heater to 82? I’ll guess I will find out. Is This the Dinoflagellate Treatment We’ve all been Hoping for? | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

 

[mittens]

One of my tanks love dino. I have done black out, 3 UV’s in the DT, made sure to have nitrates and phosphate high, adding bacteria, temp to 82 degrees. Finally, what did it was dosing hydrogen peroxide.

 

[jrounding]

One of my tanks love dino. I have done black out, 3 UV’s in the DT, made sure to have nitrates and phosphate high, adding bacteria, temp to 82 degrees. Finally, what did it was dosing hydrogen peroxide.

I haven’t tried that! If this doesn’t work then I will try that. Thanks!

 

[Seaworthy Aquatics]

I second peroxide. Works surprisingly well and I've used it several times. Make sure the tank has proper nutrients and add 1 ml of 3% peroxide per 10 gallons after lights out and it's usually gone in about a week. There is some debate on why this works, but it seems to promote algae and microfauna growth via an interaction with trace elements such as copper and iron which then out competes the dinos. Be prepared to deal with some hair algae and the like because of this. Pick up some extra clean up crew and you shouldn't have many problems. I just did this last month, dinos gones in 5 days. If it's really bad, you can combine a blackout with the nightly dosing of peroxide. This isn't always 100% effective though and seems to depend on the type of dinos and how bad the infestation, but is my favorite method of dealing with them.

 

[Erin]

Some have added silicates to battle dinos. It encourages diatom growth which outcompete the dinos for nutrients and real estate. The diatoms are more easily eradicated than dinos, so I guess the trade off is worth it for some.

 

[Cody]

If you’ve got your nutrients correct then I would recommend giving it a little time, plus go get some cyano from a friend and put it in your tank. The cyano is a theory of mine that seems to work. The cyano seems to outcompete it for real estate, and once it’s gone, the cyano is much easier to deal with. Just a hair brain idea of mine that I and others have used before with success. The most important thing is elevating nutrients though.

 

[jrounding]

If you’ve got your nutrients correct then I would recommend giving it a little time, plus go get some cyano from a friend and put it in your tank. The cyano is a theory of mine that seems to work. The cyano seems to outcompete it for real estate, and once it’s gone, the cyano is much easier to deal with. Just a hair brain idea of mine that I and others have used before with success. The most important thing is elevating nutrients though.

Yeah I’ve been testing phosphate and nitrate daily. Everything is good there. I’m just waiting it out. I figured I would try raising the temperature and seeing what that does. Apparently raising temperature can take 14 days to be effective against dinos from what I read. Also been dosing microbacter 7. Tonight I’m going to dose waste away. Alternate between the two maybe.

 

[decimal]

After having a personal breakdown and seriously considering getting out of the hobby, I finally gave in and just used vibrant. Cleared out the Dino’s and then chemiclean to deal with the cyano aftermath. That cleared it and everything has been in check every since.

 

[Erin]

If you’ve got your nutrients correct then I would recommend giving it a little time, plus go get some cyano from a friend and put it in your tank. The cyano is a theory of mine that seems to work. The cyano seems to outcompete it for real estate, and once it’s gone, the cyano is much easier to deal with. Just a hair brain idea of mine that I and others have used before with success. The most important thing is elevating nutrients though.

You don't have to be a jerk, Cody. The idea I posted is not "hair brained". It is something Randy Holmes-Farley talked about and I posted it in an honest attempt to help.

 

[PorpoiseHork]

If you’ve got your nutrients correct then I would recommend giving it a little time, plus go get some cyano from a friend and put it in your tank. The cyano is a theory of mine that seems to work. The cyano seems to outcompete it for real estate, and once it’s gone, the cyano is much easier to deal with. Just a hair brain idea of mine that I and others have used before with success. The most important thing is elevating nutrients though.

Recently I had my third dino outbreak happen with an ongoing cyano outbreak I was treating with competing bacteria recently while the nutrients were elevated....


The past year has been hell on me and this tank with the massive continuous phosphate spike, dinos, aptasia etc etc. So much so I am pulling the trigger on it and going to shut it down. I'm about to begin moving my must keep corals and smaller fish to a temporary AIO setup and either restarting or scrapping the 75. If I scrap it I might go for a 120 or just stick with the AIO.

 

[jrounding]

Recently I had my third dino outbreak happen with an ongoing cyano outbreak I was treating with competing bacteria recently while the nutrients were elevated....


The past year has been hell on me and this tank with the massive continuous phosphate spike, dinos, aptasia etc etc. So much so I am pulling the trigger on it and going to shut it down. I'm about to begin moving my must keep corals and smaller fish to a temporary AIO setup and either restarting or scrapping the 75. If I scrap it I might go for a 120 or just stick with the AIO.

I took Cody’s advice and I’m letting it ride. It’s looking a whole lot better since I decided I am not master of their universe and some things I can’t control so I let it ride. Parameters are right and I’m dosing calcium, alkalinity, nopox, and reef energy. I test phosphate and nitrate often and dose accordingly. So far it’s getting much better. My problem is the opposite. I can’t keep nitrate and phosphate levels up. For aiptasia reef builders did a good piece on eliminating it. Ultimate AIPTASIA Guide - Manual and Natural Controls | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

 

[Reefahholic]

I can’t keep nitrate and phosphate levels up.

I’m dosing calcium, alkalinity, nopox, and reef energy.

Have you considered temporarily stopping the Nopox or switching to TM Plus NP.?

Also…reef energy, amino’s, and vitamins promote Dino’s. It would be very beneficial to stop those for now. All fluorescent liquids.

 

[jrounding]

Have you considered temporarily stopping the Nopox or switching to TM Plus NP.?

Also…reef energy, amino’s, and vitamins promote Dino’s. It would be very beneficial to stop those for now. All fluorescent liquids.

I could reduce my nopox a bit and tune it in better. Without the nopox it was a bit out of control. I’ve been dosing Neophos and NeoNitrate to keep my levels up on those two parameters. So far it’s working and the sand is looking better

 

[PorpoiseHork]

I took Cody’s advice and I’m letting it ride. It’s looking a whole lot better since I decided I am not master of their universe and some things I can’t control so I let it ride. Parameters are right and I’m dosing calcium, alkalinity, nopox, and reef energy. I test phosphate and nitrate often and dose accordingly. So far it’s getting much better. My problem is the opposite. I can’t keep nitrate and phosphate levels up. For aiptasia reef builders did a good piece on eliminating it. Ultimate AIPTASIA Guide - Manual and Natural Controls | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Let me take car of your tank for a couple weeks. Just from my proximity to the tank, I'll get those nutrient levels up so high they won't even register.

I have tried all the natural methods aside from nudibranchs. Sadly my wrasses would make short work of them. I have the pests nocked down in the main tank area with peppermits and a file fish. I had a C B-Fly that willingly and happily went for prepared foods right from the start but my purple tang bullied it to death. My problem with aptasia is they are all over the place in the overflow and primary drain pipe. I have scraped them out of the overflow and removed with the filter socks, but they return fairly quickly. To eradicate them from the drain pipes will require a near complete teardown of the plumbing. I figure if I were to go that far to eliminate them there I may as well shut the main tank down and upgrade it. Doing that would take care of multiple issues at once. The dinos, continuous nutrient issues, and aptasia all in one shot.

 

[decimal]

Sorry to hear about your frustrations.. I had a tank and I could never get the nutrients down (before roller filters etc. where a thing) I always suspected the rocks for leaching and finally tore it down too. Strategies have changed so much, battle is the same. Nutrients and water quality and pests. It seems the nutrient part has become easier to manage but pest are more prevelant than ever and seem even harder to treat… good luck with what ever direction you take.

 

[PorpoiseHork]

It's cool. I am actually starting to look forward to the reset. I'll be able to get the bigger tank size I've wanted with the bigger sump that it looks like we are not going to be moving now. To add to this my wife is excited about the prospect because she'll get to paint the living room once I take the tank down. She's been hinting about it for years now so I'll let her have her fun with that.

 

[Reefahholic]

I could reduce my nopox a bit and tune it in better. Without the nopox it was a bit out of control. I’ve been dosing Neophos and NeoNitrate to keep my levels up on those two parameters. So far it’s working and the sand is looking better

Did you ID the species you have by chance?

 

[jrounding]

Did you ID the species you have by chance?

No I never bought a microscope and they are gone now so nothing to identify