possible dinnoflagellates problem ???

[cracker]

Hello , Iv'e posted this pic before and never really got a definite id.

I started running biopellets to rid my tank of a bad ha and bubble issue. The pellets wiped out the ha and pretty much decimated the bubble. but this brown stuff took over. It was slimy and would keep coming back after intense scrubbing and siphon. I later learned I overdid it with the pellets and read that could lead to a biofilm. Today I was at my lfs and the owner has a small tank with the exact same stuff. He says it's dinnoflagellates .well my affected tank has since been taken down and the rock was well scrubbed and then put in barrels for cooking since July 4th
Do You think this cooking will kill this stuff? Should I treat it while it's in barrels. I hear that peroxide will kill it. I've never dosed any of my tank with chemicals or meds and I'm very hesitant to do so. I will if it could kill it off !
I'm concerned this stuff is very difficult to get rid of and don't ever want to see this stuff in "anybody's "tank. Thanks

 

[cracker]

Ok I just learned some more . Long blackout periods and peroxide . can take it out.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/how-i-beat-dinoflagellates-and-the-lessons-i-learned

 

[mtamorrow]

Thanks for posing all of this. I did a 3 day blackout as well, along with scrubbing and filtering. I may need to repeat the process and use peroxide as well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DaveK]

In a way your better off with the dinnoflagellates compared to all the unwanted green algae. Even though the brown stuff is more unsightly, it;s usually a lot easier to remove.

"cooking" the rock is effective, but it takes a long time. You want to keep the rock in total darkness while doing this. The process is similar to curing LR, but it's done for a much longer period of time. Often you'll see an ammonia spike, followed by a nitrite spike. You usually see nitrates rise. So far, so good, it's just like curing the rock. Now you wait until the nitrate, yes nitrate, drops to 0. This usually takes at least a 2 - 3 months. At this point your rock will look almost white, but the problem algae and so on should be gone. Best part is that this process doesn't wipe out the good bacteria you want.

Yes, people do use peroxide. I'm not a fan of using it because it will usually wipe out everything alive. In that regard it's similar to using bleach.

While your cookinig the rock, it's a good idea to clean everything in the tank. If you have no livestock, you might want to do a total tear down, and start from scratch. If you do this, it's not a bad time to clean all the equipment with bleach. I also recommend you replace the substrata.

 

[cracker]

I was reading up on this stuff for some time last night. There is a"lot" of info and op's out there.
The old tank and sand are gone. I soaked all equipment in vinegar . A bleach bath could easily be done. The rock is in pretty much darkness, 2 grey brute cans with lids snapped down in the darkest room in the house. I will test for nitrates now and phosphates this weekend. I have a kit waiting for pickup at my lfs.
mtamorrow, I hope You are able to get rid of this stuff. pretty much all the info I read dealt with up and running reef tanks. Thanks again Dave !

 

[DaveK]

Since you already used vinegar, there is no real need to go back again and use bleach.

About all you need now is time for the rock to cook. This is also a good time to consider any changes you want to make in the system. No matter how good it is, there is always something you want to improve upon.

 

[cracker]

I really don't know for sure what the white stuff was. I will treat it as dinno's just to make sure. Another little little variable I almost missed. If I hadn't seen it at the lfs then I would have forgotten all about it.

 

[DaveK]

You may not often see problems like this at a LFS. Their water tends to be higher in nitrates and phosphates than your tank, so they will get green algae and cyano. Also many stores will wipe down the glass every few days so the tanks look nice.

Once you get a home setup going, it's very easy to provide an environment that grows all sorts of things you don't actually want (grin).

 

[cracker]

Quote "Once you get a home setup going, it's very easy to provide an environment that grows all sorts of things you don't actually want (grin) "
You are so right ! So the nitrates in the cooking barrels were at 10
Po4 was right around .08 Still have a way to go . I also read how dinno's like low nutrient water ?This stuff can be practically self sustaining. That's what has happened in the little nano tank at the LFS. The owner, Jason said he took out the old rock and sand. replaced with dry base and it came right back.