Kessil

Article - Raising Temp to Treat Dinos

Interesting. Being a novice reefkeeper, I have to ask whether that high of a temperature would be harmful/a shock to corals and other livestock in the tank?

(Noting that the rest of this isn't directed at you/your post, but just a general frustration I've experienced when trying to learn more about dino outbreaks.)

The scientist in me is skeptical, in the sense that it seems there's a ton of advice proffered with little in the way of hard evidence. I've seen hydrogen peroxide treatments, 3 to 5 day blackouts, Dino-X, lowering nitrates, raising nitrates, lowering phosphates, raising phosphates, increasing skimming, turning skimming off, UV treatment, increasing carbon dosing, decreasing carbon dosing, adding (macro)algae to out-compete dinos, adding copepods/amphipods, and more given as methods for treating dinoflagellates, all with varying degrees of success.

I feel like this is compounded by the fact that 1) people often don't try just one treatment at a time, 2) there's often no confirmed ID of dinoflagellates, and 3) even when there is a confirmed ID, the specific type may not be ID'd, and 4) everyone's tank is a unique microbiome (so what works for one may not necessarily work for another). Combined, that seems to muddy the waters on treatment strategies. Hell, point #4 alone could make it difficult to do a controlled experiment on what 'works' in regards to treatment.

All that is to say: it seems like another, "Maybe it'll work, maybe it won't, maybe it'll work for some" strategy. While it'd be awesome if it does work universally (and I'll happily eat crow if I'm wrong!), I can't help but feel it's going to end up on that laundry list of, "Hey, I did this and it worked, but didn't work for a friend" rather than be a silver bullet.
 
I definitely agree with you.
I don't believe its a cure-all, but looks like it could be an option or something "easier" to try before moving on to the next fix for dinos.

If there's one thing I've learned in the hobby, there's a lot of different paths to success.
We all just use different tools to try and have fun in the hobby.
 
Interesting. I’m as wary as anyone when new anecdotal cures come around. But I also am open to new ideas, especially those that aren’t linked to a proprietary new product with secret ingredients. I have seen several real cures come about through this kind of anecdotal evidence, followed up by many different reefers pitching in their thoughts and experiences. Remember when bryopsis was a tank-killing scourge? Now it’s just a fluconazole treatment. Sometimes easy works, just needs to be replicated and tested.
 
I have a sure fire cure to solve dinos...

...empty tank, let dry. restart... >:) Go ahead -- prove me wrong!

hah...

In all seriousness, doing hydrogen peroxide and shifting to blue lights for a week took care of my problem in my tank at work.
 
Well, my comments earlier on this may have come back to bite me with a confirmed dino ID diagnosis. While I have a plan of attack in place, and raising the temp is more of a 'last resort' - I may be willing to give it a shot, especially since I now have a temperature controller as a failsafe.

Anybody have a suggestion for how (and how quickly) to safely raise the temperature from my current 78 degree setpoint?
 
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