Dino In Upgraded Tank, Is This Bad?

windyridge · 01/24/2012, 12:37 PM

My upgrade tank is about a month old now with 46 pounds of BRS Ecosaver rock and 40 pounds of live rock from previous tank. New Caribsea aragonite live sand, seeded with some from the old tank. The new dry rock was soaked in a tub with stirring and heat for three weeks with a small live rock added and kept in the dark per BRS recommendations. Then rock old and new was added to tank with water and left to circulate for two weeks with no critters. Then gradually fish and corals were added.

It's been about 4 weeks and I have started seeing dinoflagellates. But only on the new rock. I brush it off, it comes off along with the bubble string. On some rocks it doesn't come back on others, it does. Corraline is just starting to form on these rocks and I think the incidence of new dinos is fading. Is this a normal part of new tank syndrome or should I be worried? Like I said it's pretty easy to stay on top of and seems to be improving. I am having no other NTS issues and the sand is still pristine. My parameters are all where they should be altho' due to winter sometimes the PH hits 7.8.

Dino to right and upper right of photo:

Full tank shot just for perspective:

US27inKS · 01/24/2012, 01:22 PM

My new to me tank is on the downhill side of a nasty dino outbreak. The tank was formerly a FOWLR, but I want corals so I bought 2x 250 MH lights. A week after the lights went on, the dino started. I did a lot of reading here on RC and came up with a plan that's working so far.

No more water changes until it's gone. Don't really know why, but people are reporting that water changes aggravate it. As long as the nitrates etc are good, I'll wait.

Raise ph to 8.4. Most (but not all) dino species have a hard time at higher ph.

Phosphate removal. My phosphates are reading 0 on a salifert test, but I know there are some because I get a pretty good green film every day. I have a GFO reactor on the way, but in the mean time I placed a bag of phos-gaurd in the sump. It's definitely keeping the green off the glass, so I assume it's also helping with the dino.

Lights out for 3 days, wrap with trash bags. I didn't make it the full 3 days because my anemone started moving from where I wanted it, but it made a huge difference.

EDIT - Almost forgot, dosing 1cc hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons every day.

Hope this helps.

Duvallj · 01/24/2012, 02:20 PM

I noticed the same thing in my new tank I setup using dry rock (never used dry rock before). Mine got a bit worse than yours, plenty of stringiness. I would say my perams are just like yours, "within norm" but lower ph. However it seems not to die off, but what is brushed off doesn't come back.

I just manually removed em off a rock and ordered some rubble rock off PA, maybe coralline will out compete? (after it cures in the qt tank).

I guess what I should say is that same thing happened/happening but it appears as it is getting better on its own.

If it didn't I also heard raising the orp with h2o2 was the way to go, but I'd rather save the chemicals as a last resort.

Nice tank btw, I like the aquascape.

windyridge · 01/24/2012, 04:20 PM

Thanks Duvallj. So it looks like it can definitely be a new tank thing or at least for new rocks. I am thinking the corraline will displace it and I had a lot less threads today one of which wasn't cleaned properly the first time. It's hard to get in to some of those crevices. Time will tell...

Names Brucey · 01/25/2012, 02:42 PM

I just got done battling my Dino problem in my 180. Started very small like what you are seeing but significantly worse. My tank was a re-build after moving the tank, bleaching and acid wash of all rocks, etc... The dino's showed up after a couple months. I had perfect success by simply lights out for 3 days. I also just used trash bags to wrap around and over the tank and all is good now. Don't let it get too far out of control because it can get nasty.

MHG · 01/25/2012, 02:47 PM

I am not familar with DINO. What am I looking at in the photo, the purple stuff? I have 4 month old all dry rock...

windyridge · 01/25/2012, 08:24 PM

MHG to the right of the candy cane and a little below is a brown thread with a bubble on top. That's the culprit.

Actually it's definitely improving. Only one spot today. A week ago there were 6 or 7. Yesterday 3. I think it's leaving of its own accord.

01/24/2012, 12:37 PM	#1
windyridge Fish Mother Join Date: May 2011 Location: South Otselic, NY Posts: 1,403	Dino In Upgraded Tank, Is This Bad? My upgrade tank is about a month old now with 46 pounds of BRS Ecosaver rock and 40 pounds of live rock from previous tank. New Caribsea aragonite live sand, seeded with some from the old tank. The new dry rock was soaked in a tub with stirring and heat for three weeks with a small live rock added and kept in the dark per BRS recommendations. Then rock old and new was added to tank with water and left to circulate for two weeks with no critters. Then gradually fish and corals were added. It's been about 4 weeks and I have started seeing dinoflagellates. But only on the new rock. I brush it off, it comes off along with the bubble string. On some rocks it doesn't come back on others, it does. Corraline is just starting to form on these rocks and I think the incidence of new dinos is fading. Is this a normal part of new tank syndrome or should I be worried? Like I said it's pretty easy to stay on top of and seems to be improving. I am having no other NTS issues and the sand is still pristine. My parameters are all where they should be altho' due to winter sometimes the PH hits 7.8. Dino to right and upper right of photo: Full tank shot just for perspective: __________________ 92G Mixed reef, SCA-302 skimmer, 15g sump w/fuge & Eheim Compact Plus @650 gph, AI Sol Blue, Koralia 750 &Tunze Nanostream 6025, Apex Jr,Tomini, 6-Line, Brittle star, damsels, Gramma, RBTA/clown, PJ c Current Tank Info: 92G Corner Bowfront Mixed Reef

01/24/2012, 04:20 PM	#4
windyridge Fish Mother Join Date: May 2011 Location: South Otselic, NY Posts: 1,403	Thanks Duvallj. So it looks like it can definitely be a new tank thing or at least for new rocks. I am thinking the corraline will displace it and I had a lot less threads today one of which wasn't cleaned properly the first time. It's hard to get in to some of those crevices. Time will tell... __________________ 92G Mixed reef, SCA-302 skimmer, 15g sump w/fuge & Eheim Compact Plus @650 gph, AI Sol Blue, Koralia 750 &Tunze Nanostream 6025, Apex Jr,Tomini, 6-Line, Brittle star, damsels, Gramma, RBTA/clown, PJ c Current Tank Info: 92G Corner Bowfront Mixed Reef

01/25/2012, 02:47 PM	#6
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	I am not familar with DINO. What am I looking at in the photo, the purple stuff? I have 4 month old all dry rock... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

01/25/2012, 08:24 PM	#7
windyridge Fish Mother Join Date: May 2011 Location: South Otselic, NY Posts: 1,403	MHG to the right of the candy cane and a little below is a brown thread with a bubble on top. That's the culprit. Actually it's definitely improving. Only one spot today. A week ago there were 6 or 7. Yesterday 3. I think it's leaving of its own accord. __________________ 92G Mixed reef, SCA-302 skimmer, 15g sump w/fuge & Eheim Compact Plus @650 gph, AI Sol Blue, Koralia 750 &Tunze Nanostream 6025, Apex Jr,Tomini, 6-Line, Brittle star, damsels, Gramma, RBTA/clown, PJ c Current Tank Info: 92G Corner Bowfront Mixed Reef

01/24/2012, 01:22 PM	#2
US27inKS Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Olathe, KS Posts: 32	My new to me tank is on the downhill side of a nasty dino outbreak. The tank was formerly a FOWLR, but I want corals so I bought 2x 250 MH lights. A week after the lights went on, the dino started. I did a lot of reading here on RC and came up with a plan that's working so far. No more water changes until it's gone. Don't really know why, but people are reporting that water changes aggravate it. As long as the nitrates etc are good, I'll wait. Raise ph to 8.4. Most (but not all) dino species have a hard time at higher ph. Phosphate removal. My phosphates are reading 0 on a salifert test, but I know there are some because I get a pretty good green film every day. I have a GFO reactor on the way, but in the mean time I placed a bag of phos-gaurd in the sump. It's definitely keeping the green off the glass, so I assume it's also helping with the dino. Lights out for 3 days, wrap with trash bags. I didn't make it the full 3 days because my anemone started moving from where I wanted it, but it made a huge difference. EDIT - Almost forgot, dosing 1cc hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons every day. Hope this helps.

01/24/2012, 02:20 PM	#3
Duvallj Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 379	I noticed the same thing in my new tank I setup using dry rock (never used dry rock before). Mine got a bit worse than yours, plenty of stringiness. I would say my perams are just like yours, "within norm" but lower ph. However it seems not to die off, but what is brushed off doesn't come back. I just manually removed em off a rock and ordered some rubble rock off PA, maybe coralline will out compete? (after it cures in the qt tank). I guess what I should say is that same thing happened/happening but it appears as it is getting better on its own. If it didn't I also heard raising the orp with h2o2 was the way to go, but I'd rather save the chemicals as a last resort. Nice tank btw, I like the aquascape.

01/25/2012, 02:42 PM	#5
Names Brucey Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Middle River, MD Posts: 272	I just got done battling my Dino problem in my 180. Started very small like what you are seeing but significantly worse. My tank was a re-build after moving the tank, bleaching and acid wash of all rocks, etc... The dino's showed up after a couple months. I had perfect success by simply lights out for 3 days. I also just used trash bags to wrap around and over the tank and all is good now. Don't let it get too far out of control because it can get nasty.