Resurrecting this - would anybody be willing to sell a bit of sand from their tank? I started mine with dry rock/live sand, and - while I've gotten corals from a few tanks - I figure imposing a bit of biodiversity early on wouldn't hurt.
BAR Bio-Transplants?
- Thread starter Squist
- Start date
ofzakaria
Guest
If you can get someone to give u clear l8ve rock even small ones I think will also have very good results. If u want I can spare u a medium size rock that you can even use in your aquascape
San Jose.
How big is medium? I only have a 20g so I'd love to take you up on that (if I can fit it); thanks!
ofzakaria
Guest
It's small enough for u do not worry. U can always take it out. But my guess is that u might end up using it as part of your aquascape. Its fiji live rock that been part of my system for 3 years. So it must be full of clean life
Squist
Guest
Thanks for this post getting bumped back up I can share with the club that the dinos didn't go away. They ramped back up over the last several months. I've been controlling them with semi-nightly rock basting, 2- to 3-day sand vacuuming, and approx. weekly brushing of rock.
Yesterday, in prep for my 1-year tank post, I blacked-out again (6-14) thru this Wednesday (6-17) while dosing 0.1 ml/10 gal/day hydrogen peroxide.
Yesterday, in prep for my 1-year tank post, I blacked-out again (6-14) thru this Wednesday (6-17) while dosing 0.1 ml/10 gal/day hydrogen peroxide.
ofzakaria
Guest
Did u do an ICP latley? How is ur silica, po4 and heavy metals?
Thanks for sharing btw, it's rare to admit things not working. This is how ppl learn from others experience.
MonkeyReefer
Guest
What are your current NO3 and PO4?
Squist
Guest
I plan to have my next ICP in the mail this week. Every 2-3 mos I run one. Will be added to my last report as my 1-yr anniversary report. Been running Rowaphos and Cuprisorb in a low-flow media cup and I've seen silica and other metals falling (between the first and 2nd ICP); this will be the third and I have another test "in the chamber".
I'm sticking to my hypothesis that this thread derived: lack of biodiversity caused by my believing that I could eliminate ugly tank syndrome by automating water changes on an early-stage tank. Hindsight 20/20: wish I had bloomed the F-out of the system before doing anything related to water changes.
By running the early-stage tank at low nutrient _with_ auto water changes I believe I created the ideal environment for dinoflagellates to take hold.
I have one of Maureen's (@MolaMola 's) microscopes on loan to confirm and will have an update to share in coming weeks in my tank's 1-year anniversary.
Although it was a huge disappointment (especially a few months ago coming to terms with "all the planning in the world does not equal execution of the plan") the tank is doing great otherwise. Eventually ... I’ll get there.
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Squist
Guest
Last test (last week):
NO3: 8-ish
PO4: 0.04
These were "zero" for a long long time because I was running auto water changes unnecessarily.
MonkeyReefer
Guest
I’m sure you’ve read and tried different things and lost some sleep over this like I did! I had dino take over after NO3 and PO4 near zero for a few weeks. Battled it for about 2-3 months and lost all sps, but lps survived. I’ve tried a few things, some helped but Dino eventually returned in a week or two. I initially raised NO3 only, because my Hanna checker was reading 0.02ppm for PO4, but it has a range of error +/- 0.02ppm so it could’ve been 0. That increased NO3 helped but dino didn’t go away. What finally kicked it I think was increasing NO3 to 10-20ppm and PO4 to 0.1-2ppm for a few weeks while running UV and skimmer, adding microbacter7 and phyto daily, Replacing filter pad every day or two. Then No lights on for 3 days (not blackout). When I turned the light back in, the tank was relatively clean, bits of dino here and there. Been 4-5 weeks now and no sign of dino And everything is now fluffy and growing again!
NanoCrazed
Guest
I found for cyano, hydrogen peroxide and blackout followed by blues only too care of my problem.
Snuck into work again today to top off my ATO. And my tank has never been cleaner!
No water change, and no filter media...or carbon.
Snuck into work again today to top off my ATO. And my tank has never been cleaner!
No water change, and no filter media...or carbon.
Coral reefer
Past President
Maybe consider removing sand, at least for awhile? I think that’s what @Eugene eoind up doing and it worked I think?
NanoCrazed
Guest
Squist
Guest
This’ll be my next step, if necessary. I’ve read about a “tap water flush” of Dyno-affected sand. A super-flush, of sorts.
Trying to do as little as possible
It'll get back once new sand is in place - been there, done that. Remove it completely - I was thinking of adding sand back after a year but without it looks much cleaner.This’ll be my next step, if necessary. I’ve read about a “tap water flush” of Dyno-affected sand. A super-flush, of sorts.
Trying to do as little as possible
The downsides are that everything not glued to the glass will move around.
Coral reefer
Past President
I put corals that go on the bottom on 3” tiles so they start put
max_nano
Supporting Member
I need to put stuff on bigger plugs, I have my snails just moving everything every night
Squist
Guest
Will probably, eventually, go down this road. Before doing that, I’ve got more patience to burn.