Dinos? GHA? What am I looking at here?
- Thread starter JDMixon
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Could be both. To identify dinos accurately you need to look at it under a microscope
Have you checked phosphates and nitrates recently?
Yes, I’m working on combatting the issue now. But I also wanted to make sure I’m looking at the right thing before trying to treat anything
That kind of growth I'd bet they check out zeroish. Effectively has a refugium in the display.
Looks like a bit of everything but mostly GHA.
Don't know if you are still having issues, but I've had my own battle with DIno's and it wasn't fun. It does look like dino's and depending on what kind will determine the treatment. There is a Facebook dino support group that can ID microscope shots for you.
What it looks like my problem is, is GHA sucking up all nutrients in the water, and the result is dinos (they go away at night and only appear during the day after the lights are on for 4-5 hours, I've observed). I'm adding a UV sterilizer as soon as it arrives in the mail. ReefCleaners crew was DOA when it arrived last week, so I've got to wait a bit longer than anticipated to add more algae eaters.
Well, whenever I think I might have dinos, I get ready to call @scarson61 He has effectively dealt with them in the past, has a microscope and (importantly) knows what dinos look like under said microscope. I'm having some issues in one of my tanks but it's thankfully(!) just cyano. Cyano tends to "mat" up a bit more than dinos but it also can get stringy and really, really look like dinos. The biggest difference that I can see without a microscope is that dinos will often time have a bunch of bubbles in it. Cyano can too but it's usually larger bubbles once in a while and not a whole bunch of small one's growing and popping out of all the strings.
Please note the use of all the qualifier terms. i.e. often times, usually, sometimes. There are always exceptions and cyano/dinos can look totally different tank to tank. My first step would be reaching out to @scarson61 and getting a sample to him to look at under a microscope. Then you'll know exactly what you have and can make a plan to get rid of them.
Please note the use of all the qualifier terms. i.e. often times, usually, sometimes. There are always exceptions and cyano/dinos can look totally different tank to tank. My first step would be reaching out to @scarson61 and getting a sample to him to look at under a microscope. Then you'll know exactly what you have and can make a plan to get rid of them.
I had the same issue during the initial set up on mine. I had a forest of GHA with bubbly slime, probable dinos, over the top. I suspect you will find as you beat the GHA down the dinos will likely solve themselves and will be out competed. Best of luck, keep us posted.
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IME dinos are pretty easy to identify under a microscope assuming a fresh sample. For one dinos are pretty large, and secondly they're mobile.
Please post your parameters. That would help
Most.
Most.
A month-later update: I've since added UV to combat the dinos, increased flow (turns out one of my return pumps was only operating at like 10% capacity) and using Phosguard to keep phosphates down/kill off the GHA -- and it's working! I can actually see the rocks themselves for the first time in months and the dinos are gone since adding UV. GHA is turning white and dying off to the point where I have to clean off my filter pads daily.
For the first time in a very long time, I actually feel optimistic about where this is headed.
For the first time in a very long time, I actually feel optimistic about where this is headed.
Good to hear things are improving. Fighting dinos and gha can be a pain.
Updated pics??
Updated pics??
Reviving this thread a month later since I forgot to post updated pics. Not 100% perfect yet (still a small number of dinos and dead/dying GHA) but 99% of the way there.
