ReefMaster48
New member
So I got some liquid Phosphate (SeaChem). Does anyone know the specs on dosing? Also, what would you try to keep the tank levels at? I don't want to dose to much or to little obviously.
Dinos again!!!!!!! I think I have beaten them for good, but still need some help!
- Thread starter ReefMaster48
- Start date
The formula on the bottle is 0.8 * gallons * gain in ppm.
So a good starter dose would be to target 0.1 ppm, so 0.8 * 0.1 * 50 gallons = 4ml
However, this assumes your phosphate level is 0 and your phosphate consumption is 0. In actuality, your tank's phosphate consumption is probably quite high. So when you dose 0.1 worth of phosphate, it will probably go back to being 0 the next day because your tank consumes it all. So you need to find the dose where you are dosing enough to satisfy all the phosphate consumers and add a slight excess so you get the levels to 0.1 PPM. If you overshoot and get to 0.2 ppm or 0.3 ppm that is also fine, but you don't want to go too crazy because the higher the phosphate levels the more nuisance algae you are going to get (which is better than dinos, but worse than having less nuisance algae).
For example in my tank, I had to dose 0.8 PPM worth of phosphates to get my phosphates to increase 0.05 PPM. This is because during the peak of my bloom, my tank was consuming about 0.75 PPM of phosphates per day. After the bloom subsided I currently do a maintenance dose of about 0.1 PPM worth of phosphate to maintain my levels. IE the phosphate consumption of my tank is down from 0.75 PPM during the bloom to about 0.1 right now.
So how do you figure out your tank's consumption?
You need to test phosphates everyday, keep track of the amount of phosphate you dose and then figure it out.
I think a good practice is the following...
Right before the lights come on, test phosphates, write down the result.
Then dose your phosphates (your starting dose should be 4 ml).
If your phosphate test the next comes up at 0, take whatever dose you did the previous day and add 4 ml to it.
Once your test shows 0.1 ppm of phosphates, you've found your maintenance dose of phosphates and keep dosing that everyday.
As the dino bloom subsides, your tank's consumption of N
will go down so you won't need to dose as much. Slowly ease off the dosing and eventually you shouldn't have to dose anything.
Keep in mind you'll have to do this both for nitrate and phosphates. When you start dosing phosphates your nitrates will probably start going down as the availability of phosphates will allow bacteria and algae to grow, which consumes both N and P. However in my case I had to dose tons of phosphates and very little nitrates, but I've seen anecdotes where people had the opposite situation.
So a good starter dose would be to target 0.1 ppm, so 0.8 * 0.1 * 50 gallons = 4ml
However, this assumes your phosphate level is 0 and your phosphate consumption is 0. In actuality, your tank's phosphate consumption is probably quite high. So when you dose 0.1 worth of phosphate, it will probably go back to being 0 the next day because your tank consumes it all. So you need to find the dose where you are dosing enough to satisfy all the phosphate consumers and add a slight excess so you get the levels to 0.1 PPM. If you overshoot and get to 0.2 ppm or 0.3 ppm that is also fine, but you don't want to go too crazy because the higher the phosphate levels the more nuisance algae you are going to get (which is better than dinos, but worse than having less nuisance algae).
For example in my tank, I had to dose 0.8 PPM worth of phosphates to get my phosphates to increase 0.05 PPM. This is because during the peak of my bloom, my tank was consuming about 0.75 PPM of phosphates per day. After the bloom subsided I currently do a maintenance dose of about 0.1 PPM worth of phosphate to maintain my levels. IE the phosphate consumption of my tank is down from 0.75 PPM during the bloom to about 0.1 right now.
So how do you figure out your tank's consumption?
You need to test phosphates everyday, keep track of the amount of phosphate you dose and then figure it out.
I think a good practice is the following...
Right before the lights come on, test phosphates, write down the result.
Then dose your phosphates (your starting dose should be 4 ml).
If your phosphate test the next comes up at 0, take whatever dose you did the previous day and add 4 ml to it.
Once your test shows 0.1 ppm of phosphates, you've found your maintenance dose of phosphates and keep dosing that everyday.
As the dino bloom subsides, your tank's consumption of N
will go down so you won't need to dose as much. Slowly ease off the dosing and eventually you shouldn't have to dose anything.Keep in mind you'll have to do this both for nitrate and phosphates. When you start dosing phosphates your nitrates will probably start going down as the availability of phosphates will allow bacteria and algae to grow, which consumes both N and P. However in my case I had to dose tons of phosphates and very little nitrates, but I've seen anecdotes where people had the opposite situation.
ReefMaster48
New member
The formula on the bottle is 0.8 * gallons * gain in ppm.
So a good starter dose would be to target 0.1 ppm, so 0.8 * 0.1 * 50 gallons = 4ml
However, this assumes your phosphate level is 0 and your phosphate consumption is 0. In actuality, your tank's phosphate consumption is probably quite high. So when you dose 0.1 worth of phosphate, it will probably go back to being 0 the next day because your tank consumes it all. So you need to find the dose where you are dosing enough to satisfy all the phosphate consumers and add a slight excess so you get the levels to 0.1 PPM. If you overshoot and get to 0.2 ppm or 0.3 ppm that is also fine, but you don't want to go too crazy because the higher the phosphate levels the more nuisance algae you are going to get (which is better than dinos, but worse than having less nuisance algae).
For example in my tank, I had to dose 0.8 PPM worth of phosphates to get my phosphates to increase 0.05 PPM. This is because during the peak of my bloom, my tank was consuming about 0.75 PPM of phosphates per day. After the bloom subsided I currently do a maintenance dose of about 0.1 PPM worth of phosphate to maintain my levels. IE the phosphate consumption of my tank is down from 0.75 PPM during the bloom to about 0.1 right now.
So how do you figure out your tank's consumption?
You need to test phosphates everyday, keep track of the amount of phosphate you dose and then figure it out.
I think a good practice is the following...
Right before the lights come on, test phosphates, write down the result.
Then dose your phosphates (your starting dose should be 4 ml).
If your phosphate test the next comes up at 0, take whatever dose you did the previous day and add 4 ml to it.
Once your test shows 0.1 ppm of phosphates, you've found your maintenance dose of phosphates and keep dosing that everyday.
As the dino bloom subsides, your tank's consumption of N
Keep in mind you'll have to do this both for nitrate and phosphates. When you start dosing phosphates your nitrates will probably start going down as the availability of phosphates will allow bacteria and algae to grow, which consumes both N and P. However in my case I had to dose tons of phosphates and very little nitrates, but I've seen anecdotes where people had the opposite situation.
Thank you very much! I started dosing yesterday, but only at 2ml because I wasn't sure. About an hour and a half to two hours later, phosphates where still at or less then .25, definitely not over. (Before dosing they were around .10). Started with 4ml today, so we will see what it tests in a hour or two and then tomorrow morning.
Thanks again for the great info! :thumbsup:
ReefMaster48
New member
Ok, so little bit of an update.
After the nuke, the dinos came back. Only in the sump (where I run the light 2 hours before the main and 2 hours after; which is what I think saved the DT. But nevertheless, they did come back. I suppose that this was somewhat good, as I now had something to test against. Although, it would have been perfect if they never came back.
Before I first started dosing the phosphates, there was a readable measurement, however, that's all I can say. Less then .10-.15 ppm. Not much. So I started dosing, and am now dosing at 20ml once a day to get levels at 1-1.5ppm. And I have to say, it is working so far. Dinos have receded from a thicker mat to a few strands here and there at most, and guess what? For once in this particular tank's life time, we have GHA! Not much, but GHA starting in the sump nonetheless. None in the main as of yet, I think my fuge light will out compete anything in the main.
I am going to keep this up for a few weeks, and see how it goes. Likely reduce the dosage after a week or so. Hopefully it stays this way and the dinos stay at bay. We will also see if they come back after stopping the phosphate dosing, or if I will need to keep it up.
Thank you in particular to karimwassef and sfdan for the very helpful tool on how to get rid of dinos!!! I know it is still early, but even if it is temporary, it was very cool to see this change already. Thank you!
After the nuke, the dinos came back. Only in the sump (where I run the light 2 hours before the main and 2 hours after; which is what I think saved the DT. But nevertheless, they did come back. I suppose that this was somewhat good, as I now had something to test against. Although, it would have been perfect if they never came back.
Before I first started dosing the phosphates, there was a readable measurement, however, that's all I can say. Less then .10-.15 ppm. Not much. So I started dosing, and am now dosing at 20ml once a day to get levels at 1-1.5ppm. And I have to say, it is working so far. Dinos have receded from a thicker mat to a few strands here and there at most, and guess what? For once in this particular tank's life time, we have GHA! Not much, but GHA starting in the sump nonetheless. None in the main as of yet, I think my fuge light will out compete anything in the main.
I am going to keep this up for a few weeks, and see how it goes. Likely reduce the dosage after a week or so. Hopefully it stays this way and the dinos stay at bay. We will also see if they come back after stopping the phosphate dosing, or if I will need to keep it up.
Thank you in particular to karimwassef and sfdan for the very helpful tool on how to get rid of dinos!!! I know it is still early, but even if it is temporary, it was very cool to see this change already. Thank you!
Growing GHA and the Dinos going away is exactly what you are hoping for!
You next step is to maintain the dosing, and once the dinos are mostly gone you can safely add to your clean up crew to start eating the healthy algae that is growing in your system. Or just let the algae grow in your fuge and manually export it.
You next step is to maintain the dosing, and once the dinos are mostly gone you can safely add to your clean up crew to start eating the healthy algae that is growing in your system. Or just let the algae grow in your fuge and manually export it.
karimwassef
Active member
Yay!
Feed your algae! Feed it!!
Feed your algae! Feed it!!
ReefMaster48
New member
Woah, just figured out how to multi quote for the first time lol!
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Absolutely! :bounce3::lolspin:
Thanks again, and Merry Christmas! Hopefully everyone has their shopping done unlike some of us... :facepalm::lolspin:
:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Absolutely! :bounce3::lolspin:
Thanks again, and Merry Christmas! Hopefully everyone has their shopping done unlike some of us... :facepalm::lolspin:
JTL
New member
Do dinos have a "furry" look to them because that is what we are battling. It doesn't blow off it needs to be brushed and sometime agressively. We keep a very clean tank (only 6 months old). Measure nitrate is zero as is phosphates. Alk 9, Ca 450, Mg 1500, pH 8.1. I also have a little slime on the water in my sump and in the filter sock. I run carbon but not gfo. Cheato is growing, albeit slowly.
Dinos will blow off easily. They are single celled organisms that form very fragile strands/webs when at high density. You hit them with a turkey baster they will go flying (of course that is part of the problem, they will just attach somewhere else and don't mind being free-floating).
If it needs to be brushed off they aren't Dinos.
Got a picture?
If it needs to be brushed off they aren't Dinos.
Got a picture?
JTL
New member
It is difficult for me to get a good pic but in the attachment what looks fuzzy on the rock is what I am dealing with.
karimwassef
Active member
Doesn't look like dinos
