Diatoms or Dino’s?

[toads74]

Hi! I’ve been having this plague for a while and want to come up with a treatment plan, but first I would like to confirm what I’m dealing with so I can act appropriately. I think they are diatoms. Anyone know for sure?

Tank age about 2 years.
75g + 20ish in sump
35ppt
Alk 8
Ca 483
Mg ?
0 nitrate
0.04 phosphate

Did 1 treatment of Chemiclean, no visible affect.
To the touch, the strands are not slimy and fall apart into dust or small pieces readily. Can be easily brushed off the rocks with a paint brush, and return within a day, same for water changes. If I dose KNO3 (potassium nitrate), they recede while being replaced with a nice hair algae bloom.

The microscope is a cheapo that claims 50 - 1000x, so no idea what the magnification really is.

Thanks!

 

[radreef02]

For dinos probably a closer shot is necessary but I’m voting Dino due to the GHA on your rock

It can cause all the nutrients to get pulled out & then dinos will take over on sand bed first typically

 

[Lavey29]

Looks like dinos to me and as long as your nutrients are bottomed out they will be with you a long time.

 

[toads74]

Ok, thanks!