Another Dino or Calothrix Thread

[AT_Hiker]

I have something going on in my tank, and I'm not sure if it's dinoflagellates, calothrix...or something else. I've been fighting a phosphate issue for ages (.14 ppm). I've been doing more frequent water changes and changing my GFO weekly. I decided to test the water that I buy from my LFS...and what do you know? It was .14 ppm phosphates. :angryfire: I just ordered a 6 stage RO/DI unit this week, but my tank is a mess and I don't know if I can get it back.

I did a water change this past weekend, and while the pumps were off I noticed "A LOT" of string/worm like stuff floating in the tank. I've never noticed that before. I've also had a cyano problem for a couple of months.

So here's a pic of the stuff in my tank. What do you think it is?

http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i368/Steve_Acosta/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpspgpe1qzu.jpeg (http://s1090.photobucket.com/user/Steve_Acosta/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpspgpe1qzu.jpeg.html)

[russ265]

whether it is calathrix or dinos. both require h202 imo.

phosphate doesnt accelerate it's growth ime

[jrp1588]

Honestly I don't know how to tell the difference between the two. All the pictures I've ever seen look identical. H2O2 isn't a cure all, but it is worth a try. It never worked for me on 2 different outbreaks in 2 different tanks. Algae X proved to be the silver bullet for me. It killed 95% of it, then a blackout finished what was left.

[LuciDog]

Put it under a microscope. That's how I found out. If it looks like cyano under a scope, then yes you have calothrix.

[Ser Davos]

Not sure from the pics, but 14 days of h202 @ 1ml per 10 gallon, blackouts, sucking it out through a filter sock, and stopping water changes has beaten the hell out my dino problem so far. I wouldn't just try one approach.

[jrp1588]

I wouldn't just try one approach.

This is key. There seems to be no 1 tried and true dino cure. Throw everything you've got at it. EVERYTHING.

[LuciDog]

Not sure from the pics, but 14 days of h202 @ 1ml per 10 gallon, blackouts, sucking it out through a filter sock, and stopping water changes has beaten the hell out my dino problem so far. I wouldn't just try one approach.

Which may work with your Dino problem, but there are SO SO many strains of Dino's, what beats one may fuel another. The only way to know, is to put it under a scope, get a positive ID and compare notes. Did you identify your strain before treatment? That's the first step.

14 days isn't dino free. Make it 6 months and then celebrate. People have tore down 300+ gallon systems, after years of battling dino's. It's just not that simple.

[Ser Davos]

Which may work with your Dino problem, but there are SO SO many strains of Dino's, what beats one may fuel another. The only way to know, is to put it under a scope, get a positive ID and compare notes. Did you identify your strain before treatment? That's the first step.

14 days isn't dino free. Make it 6 months and then celebrate. People have tore down 300+ gallon systems, after years of battling dino's. It's just not that simple.

I did not. I'm trying to locate a microscope to find out which it is. I know I'm not out of the woods yet but so far it is looking really promising compared to what it was.

[stingeragent]

Lucidog, I take it you found a scope to use. I haven't even opened the box yet for the one I ordered. LOL.

[LuciDog]

I did. It was nagging at the back of my head, I just needed to know... And now I do ;)

When you get to play with yours a bit, let me know how you like it. I may order one if its any good.

[russ265]

Which may work with your Dino problem, but there are SO SO many strains of Dino's, what beats one may fuel another. The only way to know, is to put it under a scope, get a positive ID and compare notes. Did you identify your strain before treatment? That's the first step.

14 days isn't dino free. Make it 6 months and then celebrate. People have tore down 300+ gallon systems, after years of battling dino's. It's just not that simple.

best advice so far.

i did 3 day black out with 1 week actinics just for it to come back again.
i did 1ml per gallon dose every 12 hours (knocked it back to next week) but still came back. my suggestion is to never go more than 1ml per 5 gallons.
used an 80 watt uv emperor (retarded it's growth)
i tried algaex, it laughed
bacter m, it laughed

finally i did the unthinkable. i siphoned out all my sand, rinsed it out in untreated tap water, a 40% wc with 1:10 ml/gal h202 new salt water. put the sand back in and fired up the doser.

for 3 weeks my tank was administered 2ml per hour on my 300 gallon system. it stayed that way until my nitrates naturally dropped to undetectable levels.

those cysts will stay in your sandbed until the next opportune time to strike again. sorry to say. we will always have dinos. even if you killed every last one. it just takes one miss with parameters and they are back to no good.

hth. its the aids of reef tanks.