Dino cure?

[ReefMaster48]

Did a 5 day black out, and the dinoflagellates where where gone for a few days. But came back. Not as severe, but they were all in my sump and my DT is getting more and more bubbles on the rock. Dosing DINO X right now, but Im on dose 3 with no results. Not anything!!! In fact, they are continuing to grow.

So here is my question: Will excessive or really low temps kill the dino for good?

I understand that I would have to move everything over to another tank, and give ample time for the bacteria to get back at it again, but I want this problem gone! lol What else would the temp fluctuation kill, and how long would it take to get everything back to fish and coral safe again? I know there is never a time limit, but if you where doing this, how would you go about it?

I may not be to this point yet, but I want to see how hard or feasible it may be.

Lastly, have you heard of fighting conch snails eating dinos? on the sand and rocks? worth a try?

[Potsy]

Some species of dino found in the hobby can go into a dormant cyst mode until favorable conditions return. When I battled dino five years ago, I ran an experiment in which I took some dino covered rock and placed it in a small, unheated tank in total darkness for a month with minimal circulation. The temperature got as low as the 63 degrees. When I turned the lights back on, they were back within days. The only thing that worked for me was doing nothing. In a few weeks the dino started to fade. When I took samples with a microscope I would find a few individuals. Something was keeping them in check.

[ReefMaster48]

Originally Posted by Potsy

Some species of dino found in the hobby can go into a dormant cyst mode until favorable conditions return. When I battled dino five years ago, I ran an experiment in which I took some dino covered rock and placed it in a small, unheated tank in total darkness for a month with minimal circulation. The temperature got as low as the 63 degrees. When I turned the lights back on, they were back within days. The only thing that worked for me was doing nothing. In a few weeks the dino started to fade. When I took samples with a microscope I would find a few individuals. Something was keeping them in check.

Did you do any WCs? Seems like a lot of people say not to, because it can feed the dinos, but I'm not sure.

[ReefMaster48]

Has anyone tried bleach dosing?

From what I understand it is harmful only to fish, at least in moderation. I have the ability to move the fish, and dose the tank with bleach. How about anemones? would that need to be removed too? Anyone have firsthand experience? I know it may seem desperate, but these dinos are making my tank less and less enjoyable. Covering the sump and continuing to grow in the main. Its going to take over if I don't get it.

[sde1500]

Your tank is pretty new. I'd really just suggest keep maintaining it business as usual. Yo-yoing it around with blackouts and this product and that product etc does nothing to hlpe stabilize a new tank that is still maturing. Some dinos can plague tanks for years yes, but it is usually because something goes wrong or isn't cared for originally. New tanks get algae, slime, dinos, cyano etc. In many cases just keeping up with water changes and maintaining ideal parameters is enough. Here is a decent read on them too. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog...sons-i-learned

[ReefMaster48]

Originally Posted by sde1500

Your tank is pretty new. I'd really just suggest keep maintaining it business as usual. Yo-yoing it around with blackouts and this product and that product etc does nothing to hlpe stabilize a new tank that is still maturing. Some dinos can plague tanks for years yes, but it is usually because something goes wrong or isn't cared for originally. New tanks get algae, slime, dinos, cyano etc. In many cases just keeping up with water changes and maintaining ideal parameters is enough. Here is a decent read on them too. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog...sons-i-learned

I think everything you said is right on. And I have read that article before, but it was a good re-read! But here's my thing. And taking his lesson number 3, I want to nip this in the butt. The Dinos have pretty much covered my sump, and now they are starting to get into the main more and more. Even a new frag has bubbles starting on it within a day. And I will be POed if this stuff kills any of my corals. lol I can't see how they are going to just go away, or fizzle out, because they are growing. And at a pretty good rate at that.

I've even thought I could even get all new sand and rock and start over with that. But then that doesn't get what may be on the tank and equipment. I could bleach, burn, blow up the rock and sand, but still have an issue with whatever is left inside the tank. Unless I empty the tank, and put all the rock in freshwater for a day, then drain and fill up the DT and sump with all new RO water. let that sit for a day which would kill anything in the DT.

I guess I should give the DINO X a while longer, and see how it goes. Think I would have seen results by now, but who knows. But I definitely want the Dino gone before the new year. And one way or another, it will be...

[Potsy]

Originally Posted by ReefMaster48

Did you do any WCs? Seems like a lot of people say not to, because it can feed the dinos, but I'm not sure.

I wasn't a frequent water changer to begin with, and my infestations were not very heavy with a few strings of dino here and there. I had them twice and both times they faded on their own. The species I had were ostreopsis (sp?), which are nearly impossible to eradicate because they form cysts. Thank goodness my tank wasn't hospitable to them. I bet if I took a sample I'd still see a few individuals under my microscope.

[rajilnaja]

Originally Posted by Potsy

I wasn't a frequent water changer to begin with, and my infestations were not very heavy with a few strings of dino here and there. I had them twice and both times they faded on their own. The species I had were ostreopsis (sp?), which are nearly impossible to eradicate because they form cysts. Thank goodness my tank wasn't hospitable to them. I bet if I took a sample I'd still see a few individuals under my microscope.

As someone who has been fighting these things for about 6 months now. Good luck. I've had them go away for a couple months at a time only to come back after a water change. Dosing nitrates helped me get rid of them for a few but they came back. Did a 3 day lights out and covered the tank, dosed nitrates, and microbacter7. Been about a week and no dinos at this rate. I'll be turning the UV back on this weekend.

[ReefMaster48]

Originally Posted by rajilnaja

As someone who has been fighting these things for about 6 months now. Good luck. I've had them go away for a couple months at a time only to come back after a water change. Dosing nitrates helped me get rid of them for a few but they came back. Did a 3 day lights out and covered the tank, dosed nitrates, and microbacter7. Been about a week and no dinos at this rate. I'll be turning the UV back on this weekend.

So far, DINO X has not worked great. But, today I did see a difference. The dinos where slow to reappear, and where I usually see lots of clear bubbles, there is less. I also changed my flow, so this might be moving stuff, but I also up the dosage a tad, so maybe that is helping.

Has anyone tried dosing DINO X daily? perhaps less of a dose, but daily rather then bi-daily. Know the purpose behind every other day?

[mjohns27]

I battled dinos last summer for about 5-6 months. I was/am still fairly new to the hobby but I followed advice from an experienced reefer in my neighbourhood.
I turned off my skimmer and ran an airstone in the sump. I didn't do a single water change for months. Did two or three rounds of 3 day black outs, about a month or so in between each I think (must be completely dark), borrowed a decent sized UV sterilizer, and added in some 5 micron filter socks and they slowly but surely disappeared. They are a PITA but they will go away eventually, just be patient. My nitrates got fairly high, but the corals all survived.
Are you dosing two part? I have heard that the ESV B-ionic two part contains trace elements that fuels the dinos, but the BRS two part does not. I am no expert, and this is just what I have heard so I could be wrong.
I have only been in the hobby for 2 years but I seem to find that the less I act to rid a problem, the better off the tank is. Its tough to sit back and watch your tank decline, but over time, I have found that regular water changes and GFO will work wonders.
Good luck!

[sde1500]

If you're interested in a more natural approach, look into Vibrant. Bacteria based product that cleans tanks quite nicely.

[Lsufan]

Dino X did nothing for me a couple years ago when I tried it. I would follow the directions & not dose it everyday. It is potent & could cause problems with coral & fish if overdosed.

More recently I tried vibrant & it also didn’t do anything. The tank I have dino in is low nutrient. Po4 is always between 0 & .02 & nitrate was always undetectable. I stopped doing water changes about 3 months ago & started feeding more & finally got nitrate to show up. It is now right around 1 ppm & po4 has been staying between.02 & .04 ppm. I was dosing nitrate to get it to register but i would have to dose everyday or it would be back to 0. That is why I added another fish & started feeding more. After about a month of having some nutrients & not doing water changes I finally noticed them slowly fading away. In the past couple weeks I noticed a big difference from one week to the next. I still have some but they are slowly disappearing after about a year of having them.

Now that I do have some nutrients I may try the vibrant again as a test. It may have better results now that I have some nutrients