Fighting Dinoflagellates..Time for the extreme
 

So after several months of fighting this incredibly resilient algae and trying almost everything I can with no success at all Iv decided to take the next step. I was trying to avoid it but it appears that i don't have any other choice. Iv decided to black out my tank for 3 days with no light at all. I have done a lot of reading on this and it seems to have a fairly high success rate. Here is a really good video showing the process I'm going to use. http://youtu.be/pk1UCB0dNKc Here is a pic of what my tank looks like in the morning, and then some pics of what it looks like by the end of the day.
http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...psm9zmis96.jpg
http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...psmnd8kqyt.jpghttp://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps5kkewo6w.jpg

I have had to take out all of my zoas and anything on my sand as it was getting smothered by the stuff. And i have to syphon sand every day. This to me seems like the next logical step. Last night I completely covered my tank in cardboard and black plastic and changed out my gfo and added new stuff. So today is day 1. http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...pstkf3pmfu.jpg

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...psdoyqvb9u.jpg
Any feedback or input is always appreciated. I figured whether I'm successful or not this would be a good learning experience. I will update this thread on sunday morning, after I uncover it and see if it worked. And if this is in the wrong section sorry mods, feel free to move.

Wanna know what's going on in there?
http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/a...pswla0vwop.jpg

Hahah heres to hoping! :lol:

Really REALLY watch your lighting when you take the cardboard off. Those sps will NOT be happy about that. I fought dinos for a year and lost almost everything, I did the blackout thing too which I think was the final straw for the last of my SPS (they were on the edge anyways). It wasn't until I really shocked the system (removed the sand) that I was finally rid of the little $#@!&s forever.

Good luck! I hope it works for you. Dinos are about the worst algae plague ever.

Thanks for the heads up! I have done alot of reading into this and there is even people out there that have blacked out their tank for 7 days. Im going to do 3 days and take the cardboard off at night. So it will just wake up like it normally does. But i was going to only run 2 t5s for the first day after. This crap is a plauge forsure. If this fails i will be trying the ever so controversial peroxyde. I have read alot of people have great success with this.( http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2082359 )If that fails i will probably start my tank over.

So today i uncovered my tank and was amazed at how clean it looks. There is no algae of any kind and all my livestock seems happy. Now for the waiting game. If it hasnt returned in two weeks ill call it a success.

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...psudx48olo.jpg
http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...psfaktg83f.jpg
http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps4xubdiuj.jpg
http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/a...psvtaosltf.jpg

I'm glad it worked out well for you.tank is looking good.

Thanks, I appreciate that. Lets hope it stays that way, iv heard they can come back up to 2 weeks later.

Sweet, hopefully it stays that clean! Did you vacuum right before covering it up or was it all dino'd?

I syphoned the sand right before black out, and then added the water back through filter sock, because I have heard that adding new salt water will actually help feed dinos. But the rocks were covered in the crap, and its completely gone. So my fingers are crossed.