Dino’s Again?

[I'm Batman]

Dino’s have been gone for almost this entire year and all of a sudden they’re back. I stopped using Prime in my top off water about a week ago and still not detecting nitrates. 

What do they like and what makes them populate? 
 

BRS was out of the small size ocean magik so the tank went about two months without added phyto. Can’t imagine that would be it. 
 

You can see it creeping up the side glass. I have to scrape the front glass twice a day. It’s taking over a growing GSP. In the last 24hrs I’ve had growth on my gyre that’s wasn’t there. 

 

[paulsz]

you know for sure that it's dinos? you checked with a microscope?

 

Honestly I would get a nitrate and phosphate supplement. Something like seachem nitrogen and seachem flourish phosphorus. Or neophos and neonitro. Or whatever phosphorus and nitrogen supplements are out there. 

 

It's just really easy to dose it and keep track of it that way. Test twice a week for phosphates and nitrates and keep adjusting the dose as needed.

 

edit: to reply to your question. Dinos are always there. I can take a bit of algae or a bit of diatoms and look at it under a microscope and i'll see some dinos. But they thrive in low nitrate/phosphates, when the algae and diatoms can't. All you're trying to do is keep the dinos in check by allowing algae to grow. Then, the snails and herbivorous fish keep the algae in check by eating it. 

[seabass]

5 hours ago, I'm Batman said:

What do they like and what makes them populate?

They are obviously photosynthetic.  And they seem to thrive in low nutrient systems, especially with little competition.  Stopping the phyto dosing may have lessened the nutrient import, as well as lessened the pod population (which might have been helping to out compete it).

[paulsz]

4 minutes ago, seabass said:

They are obviously photosynthetic and they seem to thrive in low nutrient systems (especially with little competition).  Stopping the phyto dosing may have lessened the nutrient import as well as lessened the pod population (which might have helped compete with it).

I agree with seabass. Stopping phyto could have definitely had an impact on it.

 

As for how it came back so quickly: If i had to guess (and by no means am I a biologist of any kind), i would say that it's the fact that the dinos were already present. They're always in the system. They're just in check when you have algae growing, pods, etc. But, they're ready to "takeover" as soon as the conditions allow them to. And so that could be what happened. 

[Clown79]

Dino's can reappear at anytime. They are always present in a tank and in the ocean. They flourish and become an issue with the right conditions.

 

 They generally love low to no nutrient tanks, especially  when phos is lacking. 

 

If you are dosing vitamins and amino's, you definitely  want to stop that during a dino outbreak.

 

Lack of biodiversity is another issue.

 

Pods reproduce better with phyto feedings so stopping the photo dosing would reduce phos levels and pod reproduction. 

[I'm Batman]

Yes I did the test. It’s an off strain of Dino’s there’s a whole write up on it I just can’t find it. Couldn’t find seachem but did find the brightwell products and had good reviews.

 

Since my explosion of Montipora and coralline I always thought that aquavitro fuel had something to do with it however it seems the more I use it, the more problems it causes. Will be stopping all together and sticking with oceanmagik.  
 

I vacuumed out some sand today, I have the weird Carribsea stuff from a few years ago, you can see it definitely got rid of the Dino patches but I’ll end up replacing this sand over time, long needed fix. 

[A.m.P]

Just to add my own voice to the same statement, it's likely your nutrient levels bottoming-out caused the dino resurgence, phyto seems to do a solid job of keeping things at bay, I just use the cheapo-bottle from Kent.

[I'm Batman]

Thanks to all!! You’ve been consistently helpful to my success!!

[Clown79]

4 hours ago, I'm Batman said:

Yes I did the test. It’s an off strain of Dino’s there’s a whole write up on it I just can’t find it. Couldn’t find seachem but did find the brightwell products and had good reviews.

 

Since my explosion of Montipora and coralline I always thought that aquavitro fuel had something to do with it however it seems the more I use it, the more problems it causes. Will be stopping all together and sticking with oceanmagik.  
 

I vacuumed out some sand today, I have the weird Carribsea stuff from a few years ago, you can see it definitely got rid of the Dino patches but I’ll end up replacing this sand over time, long needed fix. 

I didn't like fuel myself. I always had algae outbreaks and even weird white fuzzy mold like form in my return chambers from it. As soon as I stopped using it these issues subsided.

 

Dino's love amino's/vitamins so they should be stopped with a dino outbreak

[I'm Batman]

Here’s my return chamber... can’t remember what these are called but there’s TONS of them... 

I used to have sponges until I blocked the light from the adjacent window. Now I have these things.