Does anyone have an idea how to get rid of Dinoflagellates? They keep coming back. I’ve started dosing Dino X, but it’s affecting my water quality—my pH just keeps dropping.
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@708_reef
5d
Hard to see it. Sure its not diotoms or cyano? Silicates cause both. When I start seeing it I know its time to change some rodi filters. Clears up in a few weeks after swapping them.
@708_reef
5d
And a TDS meter will still read zero with them preset
@mitch
5d
Thanks for the tips! I just got a new RODI filter, so I don’t think the problem lies there. I’ve been using Dino X for three days now, but I was hoping for some other tips as I’d rather not have chemicals in my aquarium.
@708_reef
5d
Did you change the membrane also? Thats the culprit vs the other cartridges
@mitch
5d
Yes I did.
@BlindZide
5d
Do you have a closer image of the algae? I had dinos in my old tank and it sucked. I cut lights to only 3 hours a day, covered the tank after that, and dosed hydrogen peroxide. Great article on it here. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hydrogen-peroxide-doseing-for-dinophlagellates.381164/
@BlindZide
5d
You need to out compete the dinos with other algae and/or dose bacteria to the tank. Do NOT do a water change until you've gotten the dinos under control.
@LolasReef
5d
The most consistent fix across reefers is raising your nitrates and phosphates. Most dino outbreaks hit when both are near zero—test them, and if they’re low, gently dose them up to around 5-10 ppm nitrate and 0.03-0.2 ppm phosphate. That feeds competing diatoms and bacteria that push dinos out.  Siphon off as much as you can daily—get the slimy stuff off rocks and sand. Pair that with a UV sterilizer if your dinos swim into the water column at night; run it low flow for max contact time. A short blackout, like 2-3 days with the tank covered, can help too, especially with UV.  Dose silicates to boost diatoms—they’re fierce competitors. Add some carbon to handle any toxins they release, and avoid aminos or over-cleaning that starves everything else. 
@seabud
5d
I have used bright well micro clean - be patience - go slow - for me it was a phase that went away in a few months - my tanks are 120 and 130 gallons each with large 40% sumps I also on a few bad rocks - took them and and soaked in 50% solution of H2O2 hydrogen peroxide but then had them in a bucket of tank water for about a week with air stone - in a dark closet
@DrJube
4d
I also started dosing bacteria to help them overtake Dino and added more sand shifters. Seemed to help
@mitch
4d
Can I add live bacteria during the Dino X treatment, or should I finish it first? I’m not sure if Dino X also kills the beneficial bacteria
@DrJube
4d
It is ok to use while doing Dino x since it is not an antibiotics and can help increase bacterial diversity. I like microbacter 7 but it does smell like rotten eggs.
@mitch
4d
Thanks!
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Dinos suck man maybe cut lights more see if it helps?