Dinoflagellates!!!!!!

I've fixed that algae problem. the exact same one. Its a silicate based algae and I got it when I removed all my sand to make my tank into a bare bottom tank. I was using regular filtered oceon water from california. The water, has high phosphates and silicates. Well when I took out my sand I guess it released all those things into the water. and it spiked my tank like a couple days later. I fixed it by doing water 15% water changes with H2O saltwater and AquaMaxx UltraMaxx AIO All-In-One Filter Media<--- this stuff is awesome. Hope this post helps good luck with that. It will take one week. BTW if you siphon it out it will reduce the damage the algae will do. IT WILL KILL ZOAS. IT WILL KILL montis. first hand experience.

 

I don't understand........ When I initially shut off the lights the Dino's started fading away, now this morning I see this stuff coming back. Why?? I noticed them less when my pH was at 8.0 where am I know with this thing?


Water Parameters
pH 8.3
Salinity 1.024
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0.1
Nitrates around 5 ppm
Phosphates 0

 

Did you complete the black out, and if so how long was it?

Remember I posted that you will see it develop still once the lights come on.

Are you doing water changes? Stop if you are.

Are you cleaning if off every day, letting it settle and then cleaning all mechanical filtration?

 

I was just reading about palytoxin after reading a post about someone who got it in their eye. In case you were not aware, palytoxin is one of the most dangerous toxins in the world. Most people think that the source of this toxin is solely zoas and palys, which can squirt this substance across the room. I read one of the organisms that synthesizes this toxin is dinoflagellates.. Be sure you wear gloves when putting your hands in your tank, and you thoroughly wash your hands when you are done working on your tank. Don't do something like rub your eye before washing your hands, or put your hand in your tank if you have a cut. Do not risk getting this into your eyes, ears, nose, mouth, bloodstream, lungs, etc. Just a friendly warning

 

I'm still on black out since Friday
No water changes
I have not siphoned yet
Mechanical filtration skimmer cleaned and socks changed

 

Do not expect to see dramatic changes as of yet.

It will still creep back up but to a lesser degree every day.

No easy cure if it's Dino.

I have never had another episode of it since the initial outbreak, but it took me a long time to figure out what it was and longer to effectively treat it.

 

Hey Corailline,

Day 4 Blackout
I'm gonna baste my rock and siphon all debris out today.
Should I be turning lights on tomorrow?
so I can set them, also you said you started with 3 hours of lights. Explain to me how you went about increasing the lighting and how long before you were back to your full photo cycle. Also how much actinics and whites did you use?

 

Well I have MH in a 28 gallon tank with the bulb about 4 inches from the surface.

I started at three hour or when ever I saw the air bubbles begin to develop on the strands again.

If I saw this development I turned the lights out and cleaned.

I would say after a little more than 1 week after lights out did I notice a significant reduction in the growth of the strands.

 

Well I have MH in a 28 gallon tank with the bulb about 4 inches from the surface.

I started at three hour or when ever I saw the air bubbles begin to develop on the strands again.

If I saw this development I turned the lights out and cleaned.

I would say after a little more than 1 week after lights out did I notice a significant reduction in the growth of the strands.