Dinoflagellates.

[Adrnalnrsh]

Don't think so, looks like same stuff that was all over my frags

[cal_stir]

I wonder if you went too fast, I let my cyano go for about 4 weeks before I chemicleaned it, I controlled it by sucking it up with a baster when it was getting too heavy. I also let the green micro algae grow on the glass until I could barely see through it, about 3 or 4 days. I turned my skimmer on when hair algae was starting to grow on the back glass, scraped it off with a scraper.
I maintained my no3 @ 3ppm (sulphur denitrator) and po4 @ .03 (lanthanum chloride)

I sample my socks every change under the scope and can't find dinos, I also let the bucket stand for awhile when I vacuum the sand and sample it at the bottom, middle and top and nothing.

[Adrnalnrsh]

Originally Posted by cal_stir

I wonder if you went too fast, I let my cyano go for about 4 weeks before I chemicleaned it, I controlled it by sucking it up with a baster when it was getting too heavy. I also let the green micro algae grow on the glass until I could barely see through it, about 3 or 4 days. I turned my skimmer on when hair algae was starting to grow on the back glass, scraped it off with a scraper.
I maintained my no3 @ 3ppm (sulphur denitrator) and po4 @ .03 (lanthanum chloride)

I sample my socks every change under the scope and can't find dinos, I also let the bucket stand for awhile when I vacuum the sand and sample it at the bottom, middle and top and nothing.

Some of it could be diatoms the more I think about it. However, there's still some dinos.



I've had dinos and cyano for months. The cyano actually went from being purple to green and I thought it was actually green algae but it was matted like Cyano and turned black as soon as I dose chmiclean. I did not remove it first. I killed it, then sucked it all up via water change. Perhaps that caused a mini cycle. Snails are all over the brown stuff however.

[karimwassef]

I think chemicals only help dinos. Other than absorbing media, I'm very cautious of using algae killers or removers.

[Adrnalnrsh]

definitely, but Dinos and Cyano have a symbiotic relationship so I wanted to terminate the cyano.

[Adrnalnrsh]

Originally Posted by cal_stir

I maintained my no3 @ 3ppm (sulphur denitrator) and po4 @ .03 (lanthanum chloride)

Where did you get these things?

[bertoni]

I don't know that it's generally true that cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates have some sort of symbiotic relation. That's possible, but I think we see a lot of blooms that are fairly heavily dominated by one or the other.

[EvMiBo]

Question about dosing micro fauna: are Copepods and amphipods actively eating cyano, Dino's etc? Would it be better to not dose as much phytoplankton initially to force the pods to eat undesirable things like cyano, Dino's, algae?

[Adrnalnrsh]

Originally Posted by bertoni

I don't know that it's generally true that cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates have some sort of symbiotic relation. That's possible, but I think we see a lot of blooms that are fairly heavily dominated by one or the other.

Correct, I don't think its generally across the board. But it does happen. I have to find the article I read. Don't know if its related to specific types.

[Adrnalnrsh]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

Question about dosing micro fauna: are Copepods and amphipods actively eating cyano, Dino's etc? Would it be better to not dose as much phytoplankton initially to force the pods to eat undesirable things like cyano, Dino's, algae?

Could be a combination of eating and the phyto out competing them. After all, diatoms, cyano, dinos and green phyto are all types of "phyto plankton".

[cal_stir]

Originally Posted by Adrnalnrsh

Where did you get these things?

I use Brightwell Aquatic Posphat-e and dose it in a 10Um filter sock.
http://www.marinedepot.com/Brightwel...ADSAPR-vi.html

I have a diy sulphur denitrator, similar to this
http://www.marinedepot.com/Korallin_...FRISDN-vi.html

[cal_stir]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

Question about dosing micro fauna: are Copepods and amphipods actively eating cyano, Dino's etc? Would it be better to not dose as much phytoplankton initially to force the pods to eat undesirable things like cyano, Dino's, algae?

There's a lot more to micro fauna than copepods and amphipods, the phyto feeds most of it and being live I believe it competes directly with dinos and the nutrients the dinos are thriving on.

[EvMiBo]

I know there's a lot more to micro fauna but amphipods, Copepods and phyto is really all I'm willing to try and culture.

I just wonder if adding Copepods and amphipods before feeding phyto would work better in initially getting rid of cyano, Dino's, etc. then when the population out competes cyano and Dino's start feeding phyto. Improbably over thinking it hah.

[bertoni]

History seems to indicate that most people don't find animals that eat cyanobacteria or dinoflagellates, at least not enough to solve the problem. You might get lucky, though.

[karimwassef]

Originally Posted by bertoni

History seems to indicate that most people don't find animals that eat cyanobacteria or dinoflagellates, at least not enough to solve the problem. You might get lucky, though.

This is why I support a multi-prong approach. Increasing bio-fauna is great. I got fresh live rock, pods, etc...

But I also went on the offensive with UV

[cal_stir]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

I know there's a lot more to micro fauna but amphipods, Copepods and phyto is really all I'm willing to try and culture.

I just wonder if adding Copepods and amphipods before feeding phyto would work better in initially getting rid of cyano, Dino's, etc. then when the population out competes cyano and Dino's start feeding phyto. Improbably over thinking it hah.

I did add pods and pods+ prior to dosing phyto, about 4 weeks prior, but once I started the phyto it was like the final nail in the coffin.

[EvMiBo]

Okay good to know. Great info here.

[DNA]

It's been two weeks since I added more live rock and sand.
Since there was no visible sign of anything positive after a week I did another test.

I added a dead shrimp in a plastic mesh to the tank and let it rot.
That has been going on for a week and now I'm on my second shrimp.

This was done to see if the dinos disliked the additional ammonia.
They don't seem to care at all, but there is a pleasant side effect going on.

The rest of my SPS, fingernail sized brown leftovers, are showing their polyps for the first time in months.
There is some color also showing in their tissue.

My tank has been going through phases like this for years so ...

[DNA]

Maybe I should look into diatoms as my weapon of choice?

[Adrnalnrsh]

Originally Posted by DNA

It's been two weeks since I added more live rock and sand.
Since there was no visible sign of anything positive after a week I did another test.

I added a dead shrimp in a plastic mesh to the tank and let it rot.
That has been going on for a week and now I'm on my second shrimp.

This was done to see if the dinos disliked the additional ammonia.
They don't seem to care at all, but there is a pleasant side effect going on.

The rest of my SPS, fingernail sized brown leftovers, are showing their polyps for the first time in months.
There is some color also showing in their tissue.

My tank has been going through phases like this for years so ...

I was reading something yesterday where the person raised their nitrates to beat back the dinos. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1620464

[karimwassef]

I think there's a misconception about nutrients and corals. I had it for a long time and I'm convinced that it's a myth. I could be wrong, but here goes.

Nitrates and Phosphates are not evil. They don't kill corals on contact and they are actually necessary for a healthy thriving system. In nature, the export mechanisms are so healthy that the flow of nutrients is balanced (in and out) that the corals can grow with little competition from algae or dinos, etc...

It's like dieting by eliminating all fat and sugars. It's extreme and not healthy.

There is a happy middle place.

[Adrnalnrsh]

So good news is most of the brown stuff I recently saw was in fact diatoms. Now I'm starting to see very short patches of green hair algae.

What dinos I did see have disappeared and only ones left appear to be fading away and don't have any bubbles.

Phosphates were at .1 on Saturday and am waiting on new Nitrate kit as I am not sure what they are.

[cal_stir]

Originally Posted by Adrnalnrsh

So good news is most of the brown stuff I recently saw was in fact diatoms. Now I'm starting to see very short patches of green hair algae.

What dinos I did see have disappeared and only ones left appear to be fading away and don't have any bubbles.

Phosphates were at .1 on Saturday and am waiting on new Nitrate kit as I am not sure what they are.

I went until the hair algae was starting on the back glass, let it go for a couple days, scraped it off and started my skimmer back up.

[EvMiBo]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

I think there's a misconception about nutrients and corals. I had it for a long time and I'm convinced that it's a myth. I could be wrong, but here goes.

Nitrates and Phosphates are not evil. They don't kill corals on contact and they are actually necessary for a healthy thriving system. In nature, the export mechanisms are so healthy that the flow of nutrients is balanced (in and out) that the corals can grow with little competition from algae or dinos, etc...

It's like dieting by eliminating all fat and sugars. It's extreme and not healthy.

There is a happy middle place.

furthermore, there are several thriving, well established/mature systems that have what most would consider "high" nitrates and phosphates.

[karimwassef]

This is posted in another thread. Just passing it along here

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/phosphate-cycle