dinoflagellates. Treatment

[davenaj]

Dinoflagellates are real pests. I have read a tried a variety of treaments but the best one is lighting. This algae has a rapid turnover and that is its achilles heel. If you will turn off all lights and close all blinds for 3 days, the algae will die. Be sure to siphon it our first. On day number 4, turn only the actinics on. On day 5, resume full lighting even if that means metal halides. Your corals should do just fine.

Happy reefkeeping.

P.S. I tried a lot of other treatments with very limited success. I stumbled on this one myself.

 

[Len]

Have you tried increasing your alk and pH? I have found raising my levels with kalkwasser. Sometimes, I will need to siphon away the existing dino, but they don't grow back.

 

[davenaj]

Len,

I have tried Kalk and raising pH to no avail. There is some literature out there regarding dino's. I do not find a lot of it though. They include a variety of treatments including reducing DOC, phosphates, limiting photoperiod, raising pH, and using UV light since they seem to be free swimming. Many reefkeepers have tried alot of these with different results. Personally, I do not think it is an issue with any of these things because I have done nothing to change my water parameters. After shutting down the lights it died out. It has not come back. If it was the water parameters I would expect it just to rebloom. Who knows, maybe there are some strains that are more virulent than others.

David

 

[Anonymous]

I got rid of dinos in my build off tank. Large & frequent water changes along with syphoning. Not a fast approach but it did work.