Dino identification and treatment

[DiverDave32]

Hi All,

After battling a hair algae outbreak which is now very much under control, I am now dealing with what I think is a Dino outbreak. More specifically, I think it is Ostreopsis. Can anyone confirm from pics?

My current water parameters are Ca 405 ppm, Nitrate 8 PPM, Phosphate 0.00 PPM(Hanna checker), Salinity 1.025 PPM, Alkalinity 7.8 dKh. I dose Kalk in the evenings, I do about a 3% water change daily (automated). My alkalinity despite dosing Kalk and daily water changes does drop significantly over the week.

Also, the pump on my skimmer just died and was not working for about 5 days. Now up and running with a new pump and working very well despite still dialing it in.

So here are the pics:





So here is my plan of action:

1) Remove GFO to get phosphate up
2) Reduce light period
3) Install my UV sterilizer but hesitant as I have read that the problem is due to a lack of biodiversity. Do you think I should or not?
4) Change filter socks every 2 days
5) Blow sand and rocks daily

Any other suggestions?

Thanks again for your input.

Dave

 

[sfdan]

I'm nearly certain that isn't Ostreopsis. No little clear pointed tip. Looks a bit like Amphidinium to me but quite hard to tell. A focused picture at this zoom level would allow for a positive ID. Look at this site for pictures/examples and also pay attention to their movement. It is sometimes easiest to tell which type by how they move.

Assuming they are Amphidinium, search the internet for "Amphidinium Dinoflagellate Treatment Methods" and there is a good thread about it on another forum which I can't link to directly. I believe the most up to date treatment method is Silica dosing, which I did in my own battle with Dinoflagellates and now just do continuously. The idea being to fuel diatoms with silica, let them outcompete the dinos, and then eventually you can lower/stop the silica dosing and then the diatoms will die off. In my case I just keep a low level of silica dosing which creates a low level of diatom growth which (presumably) keeps the dinos away and provides a great food source to all my clean up crew and pods.

 

[DiverDave32]

Thanks Sfdan for the helpful information and link to the site. I do agree that they move more like Amphidinium. Sort of like someone who doesn't know how to parallel park, back up, change direction, back up change direction and repeat.

I will try to get a silicate test kit and some silica and see what happens. I do find the occasional diatom in my tank but they are rare. I have worked hard to ensure that I had no silica in the system with 3 DI canisters on my RODI but if they can outcompete the Dinos it would be a good thing. I also didn't mention but I do have a pretty high mortality rate of my cleanup crew but many seem to survive.

I'll place an order today for Sponge Xcel and a silica test kit. Will post back with results in a few weeks. I also prefer this approach as I am not too interested in increasing nutrients to let my hair algae get the upper hand again. I have had enough pleasure with that one!

Thanks again,

Dave

 

[DiverDave32]

Here is a little video

https://youtu.be/BPtir8aOSMg[/URL

 

[sfdan]

Video isn't working for me but that movement sounds like Amphidinium to me.

The thing with Amphidinium is I wouldn't go crazy trying to destroy them. Ostreopsis will decimate your tank if left untreated, but Amphidinium are ugly but generally are not toxic and normally will stay on the sandbed. Just don't panic and go at it slowly. Hair algae (or diatoms) are also not the worst thing in the world. My new motto in a post-dino tank is that any algae my clean up crews eats is fine by me.

 

[DiverDave32]

Yes, the more I look at them, the more convinced I am that they are indeed Amphidinium. I will go slowly, have silicate and test kit on their way and if the addition of silicates stimulates sponge growth, all the better.

Definitely lots to learn in this hobby.

Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction.

Dave

 

[DiverDave32]

So it's been 5 days without GFO. My phosphates have risen to 0.07 ppm and I am seeing a definite reduction in Dinos with an increase in Diatoms. I haven't started the silicate but things are definitely better. Also have removed some sand and moved power heads lower to blow surface stronger. Very little visible diatoms on the sand and only a few to be seen under the microscope. So far things are encouraging for such a short time.

 

[DiverDave32]

So the fight continues.

Here is a video of what I believe to be a copepod, amphipod and my dinos.

https://youtu.be/R8fXMNeWx1M


Have been dosing silica for about 4 days, adding 5ml per day to roughly 100 gallons. My nitrates are stable around 10ppm and phosphate at 0.06.

Been testing with the salifert silicate test kit and am not able to detect silica as of yet.

Sand is looking better but have been blasting it pretty hard with my powerheads.

 

[rjjr1963]

Ostreopsis. UV filter killed them within days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o2alraNmsY

 

[ABzReef]

Iused dino x for my outbreak.