Dino covered rocks outside for 2 months, ok to put back in tank?

20 20 · 09/25/2007, 12:22 PM

I've been having a dino problem in my tank for months now, and I think I'm on the way to clearing it up. There were 2 fairly large rocks covered in the dino's, and as part of a "moment-of-re-aquascaping-madness" about 2 to 3 months ago I tossed em' out the back door where they've been ever since. I would like to think that after that long being outside in the elements that the dino's would be completely killed off by now. Would they be OK to put back in the tank if another "moment-of-re-aquascaping-madness" came upon me (which I think I can feel coming...)? I would give them a cleaning, but assuming I can actually get rid of the dino's in my tank, I don't want to reintroduce them again. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!

lilchris · 09/25/2007, 03:34 PM

I would cook them for a few weeks, before I put them in the tank. If you do you could cause your tank to cycle again dueto the die off that is on the rocks.

20 20 · 09/25/2007, 06:09 PM

That's what I figured, but not being very familiar with dino's (become familiar, though, unfortunately), I was hoping someone could confirm that they would already be dead on those rocks, and putting those rock in won't restart the dino-invasion.

lilchris · 09/25/2007, 06:17 PM

I don't think the dinos will come back. I am also fighting them as we speak. I have my LR cooking and will keep them in total darkness for about 4 wks., at least that is what seems to get rid of them (lack of light, and a source of nutrients) My tank has been in total darkness for two days now and so far The dinos that was all on my sand bed is gone.
Back to your question though, I don't think the dinos will come back from your rocks unless there are some still in your tank and it makes its way to the rocks once you put them in. I am not an expert by no means so take what I say w/ a grain of salt.

Hopefully somebody else w/ a little more experience will chime in and give you an accurate answer

ALso, I will be posting a few pictures a little later w/ my two day results.

20 20 · 09/25/2007, 06:52 PM

I've been adding a kalk slurry twice a day to raise the PH, but I had a hard time keeping the PH high enough to make a dent. 8.6 or over is the target, and I had a hard time getting to 8.5, it would always drop to 8.1ish overnight, I'd add the kalk (3 teaspoons at a time in a slurry mix), it would jump to 8.35ish. Come home at night, it'd be 8.2ish, add the kalk, it would jump to 8.5ish. It helped a little, but not enough, and I was leary of adding more kalk. So after 11 days of that, I started the blackout (4 days ago), and upped the kalk to 4 teaspoons twice a day. I did a 10% water change tonight, dino's have been reduced to about 75% of their original amount. Going to up the kalk to 5 teaspoons a day as well as the 'blackout'.

lilchris · 09/25/2007, 07:29 PM

As long as you keep your Ph levels around 8.4to 8.5 in the day and around 8.2 to 8.3 at night I think you will be fine. The levels will drop a little. One thing you have to be weary about is overdosing the Kalk slurry. You don't want to stress the lil buggers out to much. I only add 2 tablespoons.
I posted a picture of my sand bed after 2 days of lights out and Kalk slurries.

Steve 926 · 09/25/2007, 08:12 PM

Stop playing with the PH !!
8.1 ~ 8.3 is just right. I ocasionally use seachem marine buffer to help it, but at 1/2 the dosage.

I have had good success with no / very little dinos's on occasion, over feeding being the culprit for it's return.
check your kalk for phosphate & make sure it is phosphate free, otherwise you are just feeding the problem. ESV has a phosphate free kalk.

I keep my Mg level at 1425 ~1450 using a MAGNESIUM SULFATE additive ( Randys 2 part formula using the baked baking soda mix to get the sulfate, or Kent Tech M has the sulfate additive also )
This has proven to work on a bryopsis algae that is a real problem. My corals are doing fine & the fish are happy also, with no adverse effects from this Mg. level
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?
s=&threadid=1113109

This is just my experience with it & it seems to work for me.
Hope this will help

Steve 926

20 20 · 09/26/2007, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Steve 926
Stop playing with the PH !!
8.1 ~ 8.3 is just right. I

I agree that 8.1 - 8.3 is a good level under normal circumstances. But I've read a few threads on RC where people have raised PH to 8.6 or above for a few days and that killed off the dino's. Farley recommends it also, so I figured I'd give it a try. It's certainly not my intent to keep the level up that high permanently.

09/25/2007, 12:22 PM	#1
20 20 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Stewartstown, PA Posts: 1,246	Dino covered rocks outside for 2 months, ok to put back in tank? I've been having a dino problem in my tank for months now, and I think I'm on the way to clearing it up. There were 2 fairly large rocks covered in the dino's, and as part of a "moment-of-re-aquascaping-madness" about 2 to 3 months ago I tossed em' out the back door where they've been ever since. I would like to think that after that long being outside in the elements that the dino's would be completely killed off by now. Would they be OK to put back in the tank if another "moment-of-re-aquascaping-madness" came upon me (which I think I can feel coming...)? I would give them a cleaning, but assuming I can actually get rid of the dino's in my tank, I don't want to reintroduce them again. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!

09/25/2007, 08:12 PM	#7
Steve 926 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NJ. Posts: 555	Stop playing with the PH !! 8.1 ~ 8.3 is just right. I ocasionally use seachem marine buffer to help it, but at 1/2 the dosage. I have had good success with no / very little dinos's on occasion, over feeding being the culprit for it's return. check your kalk for phosphate & make sure it is phosphate free, otherwise you are just feeding the problem. ESV has a phosphate free kalk. I keep my Mg level at 1425 ~1450 using a MAGNESIUM SULFATE additive ( Randys 2 part formula using the baked baking soda mix to get the sulfate, or Kent Tech M has the sulfate additive also ) This has proven to work on a bryopsis algae that is a real problem. My corals are doing fine & the fish are happy also, with no adverse effects from this Mg. level http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php? s=&threadid=1113109 This is just my experience with it & it seems to work for me. Hope this will help Steve 926 __________________ Experience is something you don't get, until just after you need it . Current Tank Info: Small in nature (50gal. Reef) Large in Heart. Re-occurring dream of a 300 gal.

09/25/2007, 03:34 PM	#2
lilchris Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 984	I would cook them for a few weeks, before I put them in the tank. If you do you could cause your tank to cycle again dueto the die off that is on the rocks.

09/25/2007, 06:09 PM	#3
20 20 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Stewartstown, PA Posts: 1,246	That's what I figured, but not being very familiar with dino's (become familiar, though, unfortunately), I was hoping someone could confirm that they would already be dead on those rocks, and putting those rock in won't restart the dino-invasion.

09/25/2007, 06:17 PM	#4
lilchris Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 984	I don't think the dinos will come back. I am also fighting them as we speak. I have my LR cooking and will keep them in total darkness for about 4 wks., at least that is what seems to get rid of them (lack of light, and a source of nutrients) My tank has been in total darkness for two days now and so far The dinos that was all on my sand bed is gone. Back to your question though, I don't think the dinos will come back from your rocks unless there are some still in your tank and it makes its way to the rocks once you put them in. I am not an expert by no means so take what I say w/ a grain of salt. Hopefully somebody else w/ a little more experience will chime in and give you an accurate answer ALso, I will be posting a few pictures a little later w/ my two day results.

09/25/2007, 06:52 PM	#5
20 20 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Stewartstown, PA Posts: 1,246	I've been adding a kalk slurry twice a day to raise the PH, but I had a hard time keeping the PH high enough to make a dent. 8.6 or over is the target, and I had a hard time getting to 8.5, it would always drop to 8.1ish overnight, I'd add the kalk (3 teaspoons at a time in a slurry mix), it would jump to 8.35ish. Come home at night, it'd be 8.2ish, add the kalk, it would jump to 8.5ish. It helped a little, but not enough, and I was leary of adding more kalk. So after 11 days of that, I started the blackout (4 days ago), and upped the kalk to 4 teaspoons twice a day. I did a 10% water change tonight, dino's have been reduced to about 75% of their original amount. Going to up the kalk to 5 teaspoons a day as well as the 'blackout'.

09/25/2007, 07:29 PM	#6
lilchris Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 984	As long as you keep your Ph levels around 8.4to 8.5 in the day and around 8.2 to 8.3 at night I think you will be fine. The levels will drop a little. One thing you have to be weary about is overdosing the Kalk slurry. You don't want to stress the lil buggers out to much. I only add 2 tablespoons. I posted a picture of my sand bed after 2 days of lights out and Kalk slurries.