I assume there was LPS and SPS in this system...? If not, how long should I dare to keep the lights out, before it could harm my newly aquired SPS'?
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dino experiment
- Thread starter t4zalews
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I assume there was LPS and SPS in this system...? If not, how long should I dare to keep the lights out, before it could harm my newly aquired SPS'?
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Homeytwist
New member
I have one SPS colony in my system which was fine after the blackout still trying to identify exactly, but I think it's stylophora... Also a nice branching hammer, trumpet (candycane), favia, GSP, zoas, all fine afterward. In fact once the dino was gone everything was looking better than ever 2-3 days after the wraps came off!
I'm trying to remember if there was SPS in the tank at the LFS.... I was talking with them about my dino problem and they showed me the tank they did the blackout on for 10 days to deal with their dino and it was a heavily stocked mixed reef; lots of SPS, softies, anenome, urchins... I'm pretty certain there was SPS in there too but I can't say 100%. They didn't have any reservations about recommending the procedure to me and we didn't get into exactly what livestock was in my system.
Just poke your head in there after a few days with a flashlight and check on things, then check each day afterward. If 10 days seems like a lot (I know it's a tough pill to swallow!) maybe start with 7days. I noticed in my system that on day 3ish my skimmer was pulling a lot of crap from the dieoff of nuisance algae and dino, then afterward it settled down. I was also running a lot of activated carbon in the system to pull crap out of the water during the dieoff. When it's time to unwrap ease back into the lighting. I started with T5's only on the 1st day, then an hour of MH on the 2nd and each day after an extra hour of MH until I was back up to regular lighting.
The thing the LFS stressed (and I will 2nd) is blackout. I don't mean lights out, I mean tank completely covered in dark material. And when you feed and inspect things use a light with an incandescent bulb.
I don't want to give the impression that I'm a pro at this (I've only been reefing for a couple years) and only had to deal with dino once, but I tried all sorts of methods over the 8months that I was dealing with it and nothing worked until I spoke to my LFS about it and they suggested this method. I understand that every system is different and every reefer has different methods, but I feel your pain in dealing with this problem and hope you can benefit from the advice given to me and my success.
I'm trying to remember if there was SPS in the tank at the LFS.... I was talking with them about my dino problem and they showed me the tank they did the blackout on for 10 days to deal with their dino and it was a heavily stocked mixed reef; lots of SPS, softies, anenome, urchins... I'm pretty certain there was SPS in there too but I can't say 100%. They didn't have any reservations about recommending the procedure to me and we didn't get into exactly what livestock was in my system.
Just poke your head in there after a few days with a flashlight and check on things, then check each day afterward. If 10 days seems like a lot (I know it's a tough pill to swallow!) maybe start with 7days. I noticed in my system that on day 3ish my skimmer was pulling a lot of crap from the dieoff of nuisance algae and dino, then afterward it settled down. I was also running a lot of activated carbon in the system to pull crap out of the water during the dieoff. When it's time to unwrap ease back into the lighting. I started with T5's only on the 1st day, then an hour of MH on the 2nd and each day after an extra hour of MH until I was back up to regular lighting.
The thing the LFS stressed (and I will 2nd) is blackout. I don't mean lights out, I mean tank completely covered in dark material. And when you feed and inspect things use a light with an incandescent bulb.
I don't want to give the impression that I'm a pro at this (I've only been reefing for a couple years) and only had to deal with dino once, but I tried all sorts of methods over the 8months that I was dealing with it and nothing worked until I spoke to my LFS about it and they suggested this method. I understand that every system is different and every reefer has different methods, but I feel your pain in dealing with this problem and hope you can benefit from the advice given to me and my success.
Hi, and thank you for that long and thorough answer;-) Yes, I can definitively benefit from it. I am on my second day of total darkness and seventh day of h2o2 now, and it is good to hear that my corals will survive this harsh treatment
I will keep an eye on my skimmer, to try and spot when things start to die off. My last blackout lasted 3 days. I could not notice any extra skimmer activity, but then again my dinos was just almost gone, not completely. It was probably not dead even, just dorment and less visible. Only took only hours for it to return when I switched the lights on. I have two 84w key leds on my 250l tank. How many hours of light should I start with when the blackout is over? Any suggestions?
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I will keep an eye on my skimmer, to try and spot when things start to die off. My last blackout lasted 3 days. I could not notice any extra skimmer activity, but then again my dinos was just almost gone, not completely. It was probably not dead even, just dorment and less visible. Only took only hours for it to return when I switched the lights on. I have two 84w key leds on my 250l tank. How many hours of light should I start with when the blackout is over? Any suggestions?Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
Homeytwist
New member
If you've been working at the dino before this then you're right you probably won't see much happening in terms of die-off and skimmer activity. But by the time you're done your tank should be pristine!
I'm assuming there's no dimmer on the LED's? They're either all on or all off? If that's the case maybe start the first day with room lights only (room lights on, window shades open) and start the LED's late in the day for maybe an hour so and ramp up the LEDs' on-time for the next few days until back to normal... And if you can raise the LED fixture maybe take it up 6"-12" and ease it back down after you've returned to full photoperiod, again over a few days. Idea is not to light-shock the corals and cause them to bleach out.
I'm assuming there's no dimmer on the LED's? They're either all on or all off? If that's the case maybe start the first day with room lights only (room lights on, window shades open) and start the LED's late in the day for maybe an hour so and ramp up the LEDs' on-time for the next few days until back to normal... And if you can raise the LED fixture maybe take it up 6"-12" and ease it back down after you've returned to full photoperiod, again over a few days. Idea is not to light-shock the corals and cause them to bleach out.
Hi!
I was peeking at my tank with a powerful torchlight, to see if the dinos have disappeared. Can`t see any sign of them on the sand, but I was wondering if they may still be on my live rocks.
It looks like there are some sort of "hair" on the rocks, swaying in the currents, and covered in dust. Could this be leftover-dinos, or is it just some sort of harmless algae?
I was peeking at my tank with a powerful torchlight, to see if the dinos have disappeared. Can`t see any sign of them on the sand, but I was wondering if they may still be on my live rocks.
It looks like there are some sort of "hair" on the rocks, swaying in the currents, and covered in dust. Could this be leftover-dinos, or is it just some sort of harmless algae?
Beenalongtime79
New member
Most likely dead or dying dinos... they leave a white/grayish stringy residue that disappears w/ time.
Cheers,
John
Beenalongtime79
New member
I think you can Jaris, but why not finish the 7 days, and then slowly add a bit of light each day and if you get a flare up, you know it was too early... some people have been touting a total of 10 days now for almost fool proof elimination...
3 days was good enough for me, but my infestation was just beginning.
Cheers,
John
3 days was good enough for me, but my infestation was just beginning.
Cheers,
John
I have finished my seven days now, and I have started with 4 hours of blue light. Tomorrow I'll turn on a third more with white light, and the third day I'll turn on my third last.part of light. Still only 4 hours. Then I'll add 2 more hours each day till I am at 10 hours.
It doesnt lokk too godd at this point. Still some dark spots at the sand. And there is som algae at the glass. It could be diatoms, but I am not sure... Still no sign of any "blooming";-) *fingers crossed*
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It doesnt lokk too godd at this point. Still some dark spots at the sand. And there is som algae at the glass. It could be diatoms, but I am not sure... Still no sign of any "blooming";-) *fingers crossed*
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Homeytwist
New member
Hey, I guess it's that time huh! Since you've got the wraps off, how's your livestock looking? Any signs of trouble? You can always try the process again and go an extra day or two once your livestock recovers... Hope your dino's gone though, keep us posted!
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My livestock seems to doing ok. After 4 hours of actinic lights yesterday, there is no sign of dinos blooming. It`ll be exciting to watch the tank today with twice the amount of lights...
Yeah, if the dinobloom returns, I`ll do the whole process again, only this time for a whole ten days. I managed to increase my NO3 to appr 20ppm, so, if I got the facts straight, the reason for dinobloom in my tank has disappeared.
I was anxious to remove the cover, since I was afraid my livestock would have suffered with the absence of light. Now lnowing they all were doing great, I`ll have no problem going the whole distance;-)
Yeah, if the dinobloom returns, I`ll do the whole process again, only this time for a whole ten days. I managed to increase my NO3 to appr 20ppm, so, if I got the facts straight, the reason for dinobloom in my tank has disappeared.
I was anxious to remove the cover, since I was afraid my livestock would have suffered with the absence of light. Now lnowing they all were doing great, I`ll have no problem going the whole distance;-)
steevareno2002
New member
Just dosed H2o2...
Homeytwist
New member
Glad to hear all the livestock is ok, will be following your progress!
steevareno2002
New member
4 days and nothing 
Aquaman101
New member
H2O2 didn't work for me. I'm moving onto Ultra Algae X.
It's been a week now, and the dino seems to be gone. I have had som brown goo on the glass, but either it is dying dino, or it is some other stringy algae. It has been very little, and when I clean the glas, it doesn't return. I think the h2o2 didn't work in my tank either. There was no difference with the dino when I just dosed h2o2. Only when I started the blackout and upped my nitrate, did it disappear.
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jrp1588
New member
Blackouts never worked for me either. I actually was blacked out for a week once because of a huge power outage. I ran necessary life support on a 900watt 2 stroke generator, after a week, it almost seemed like they had evolved to become non-photosynthetic and had a small regrowth around day 5. I was furious. hah
frank2926
Active member
Agreed. Rufio, did you also raise ALK or Magnesium?
I had Alk at 13 DKH and Mag at 1500 and was dark for 3 days, 2 days of partial light and had another flare up. went 2 days dark and was good after.
I think the key is raising Alkalinity which also should raise ph, both of which are said to block the dino from intaking nutrients.
I think if I just went 4 or 5 days dark I would NOT have had the flare up.
