Reef nutrition

kinetic Reefer 170

Bummer.
Id with scope
3 day blackout w uv (depends on scope findings)
Add beneficial bacterias
Check for nitrates and phosphates and correct if they are zero/near zero
 
Coral reefer said:
Bummer.
Id with scope
3 day blackout w uv (depends on scope findings)
Add beneficial bacterias
Check for nitrates and phosphates and correct if they are zero/near zero
Click to expand...

Yup, I bought a microscope for my dinos, but by the time it arrived my dinos were gone (the first time). I guess it's time.

I've gone through the whole rigmarole before, but that was before I got a microscope.

What didn't work for me:
1. Increasing NO3/PO4 -- this just fueled the dinos more. It seems like these levels were close to zero at that point BECAUSE the dinos were consuming it all. Too late to keep those levels up.
2. 3-day blackout w/ UV -- I probably didn't have THAT kind of dino

What did work for me:
1. DinoX
2. Dosing NoPox

What ended up happening is my tank went to the extreme of ULN, so that nothing would really grow except bacteria. Ultimately I stopped NoPox and things seemed stable, but nothing in my tank was growing. Which is why I started tinkering again.

My current attempt will include:
1. Identify which dinos it is and address that
2. Hopefully I can grow my chaeto out to outcompete future dinos and algae
3. Or just revert back to NoPox and start feeding way more (I got an Avast Plank, so I'll just have it on a lot)
 
iani said:
What kind of UV, what flow rate, and how was it plumbed.
Click to expand...
AquaUV 8watt UV Light + about 350 - 400gph. It's plumbed with a pump that takes it through my algae reactor and chiller. It has been off for years now, but it's still attached to the system.
 
kinetic said:
Thanks everyone for the help. The final ticket was everyone suggesting to go the route of starving out the tank. Let's hope it stays this way!

Before and after:

February 9, 2018 -> April 4, 2018
40345038695_645a526ff5_k.jpg
Click to expand...

Dino battle back in 2018. Three years later, they came back. And now I'm winning again but with a UV.

Just to give a summary:

April 2018
- Sudden onset of dinos
- Didn't know exactly the cause, didn't use a microscope but I bet it was Ostreopsis like I have now, it's behaving the same
- Won by dosing DinoX and NoPox
- Continued with NoPox for about a year, and then stopped

April 2021
- Noticed my sand was always brown
- Thought it was just ugly algae
- Decided to restart my chaeto reactor
- Started dosing Brightwell Chaetogro and chaeto started doing well
- Then, suddenly, huge dinoflagellate bloom
- Used a cheapo microscope, 99% sure it's ostreopsis
- Turned on my 8watt Aqua UV, with very slow flow (about 100gph or so)
- I'm on day 4, and the only dinos left are on the sandbed
- I'm blasting the rock and sand every day at least twice
- Added AquaBiomics live reef rubble
- Starting to dose Chaetogro again to see if I can build up my chaeto to outcompete with any future dinos

The sandbed dinos don't look to be getting any better, but there's a dramatic decrease overall.

There's a chance I might have another kind of dino that is only in the sandbed and doesn't care about UV. *sigh* -- I'll bust out the microscope again this weekend.
 
Horray, my tank looks back to what it was before the dinos outbreak.

My chaeto I got from @Da_Neefer is looking a little white and brittle, so not sure if they will pull through. I've started dosing Chaetogro again (at 1/4 dose of before) and the dinos haven't come back, but the chaeto isn't either.

I'll probably up the dosage of chaetogro to see if that'll help.

Overall, I'm thinking to keep my AquaUV on permanently, dosing chaetogro to get my chaeto really going, and I might invest in another package of the live reef rubble from Aquabiomics when they're available again.

Maybe I should also get some ecopods/phyto from Algaebarn? I just feel like pods/phyto doesn't last long in my tank, and nothing really eats it, so it probably won't be useful to diversify my micros.
 
Well, it's been awhile. Tank has been fine. My bubble anemone split into 4 recently:

_DSC2569.jpg


Speaking of bubbles, somehow bubble algae got into the tank. I blame it on a mini colony I had awhile back.

I'm not too worried because I'm taking down this tank soon for a home remodel (temporarily housing my magnifica, these anemones, and my 3 remaining fish) and will be upgrading once that's done (maybe 12 months from now?)

The tank will either be:
1. ELOS 120XL + Absolute Stand
2. Waterbox Peninsula Infinia (minus the ugly stand)
3. Custom Starphire 48" x 24" x 21" with ReefSavvy Ghost or Synergy Shadow overflow

I'll pair it with a Trigger System Platinum 26 (https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/platinum-sump-26-aquarium-sump-trigger-systems.html) sump.

Full equipment list to come, but I'm basically going for:
1. Neptune ApexEL + Trident + DOS
2. Neptune ATK (I have a nice setup already)
3. IceCap Algae Scrubber (medium 60watt) -- get rid of all this algae and bubble, don't want to deal with a chaeto reactor
4. 2x ReeFi Uno lights (already have them)
5. Reef Octopus VarioS-8 return + two manifolds
6. 1/5 HP Chiller
7. 40Watt AquaUV (keep my dinoflagellates at bay)
8. 2x Maxspec XF350 gyres w/ NemGuards
9. Avask Plank feeder (I'm hoping for a bellus genicanthus pair or anthias, need a ton of food)
10. NYOS Quantum 220 skimmer

Also going to build out a water changing station. I already have a 75G tank with a 5-stage RODI. Probably just need to build out a mixing tub and find some genius way of getting an outlet close to the tank in the living room by plumbing under the house.

Anyway, total build is going to cost A LOT. I need to start saving like crazy.
 
Slowly starting to break this tank down and moving it to a temporary tank (40G breeder) to get ready for the home remodel. The dinoflagellates are back since I haven't been running a UV (I guess they never totally went away), but I added the UV in the new temporary tank so that should help.

The temporary tank has one of my big rocks now and a handful of bioballs that I took from my sump. I'm going to let it "cycle" a bit by feeding that empty tank for a few more weeks, though I don't think there will be much of a cycle since I'm going to be moving all these rocks over too.

_DSC2590.jpg


You can see the dinos in the sand and all the bubble algae. Who knows where that came from.

Here's a close
_DSC2610.jpg
up of the BTA(s):
 
This is probably one of the longest running tanks I've had so far, 5 years! But it's time to let it go. As you may know, my home is getting a nice remodel, the living room build will be specifically catered to a new peninsula tank, which will be my new long term tank (as long as we have the home, I believe that tank will be there). I know, new long term tank? No way. But yes, I'm determined this time. That space cannot take anything bigger (maybe taller), and it's built specifically for the peninsula, so I think that's going to be it.

For now, I don't expect to be keeping more than one tank (other than a coral QT), it's just too much work. As much as I'd love a predator tank (try my hand at a lionfish or angler), or a dedicated frag tank, I just don't have the time.

That being said, this mint Reefer 170 is for sale! I'll put up a post momentarily.
 
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