Help me identify, diatoms?

[David_CO]

So it looks like the ugly stage is full swing for me. The tank has been up a little over a month and the lights on for ~1.5 weeks. I'm using an acclimation mode and right now the blues are ~12% and the whites 5%. The water coming out of my RO membrane is 2 TDS and 0 after my dual stage DI. My phosphates are .08 and my nitrates are 6.5. PH 8.2-8.1. no live rock. I believe this to be diatoms based on my research but want to make sure its not dino. It does mostly disappear at night. I'm running my lights 11 hrs a day, my thought was to just get the ugly stage over with. the pic showing the glass looking green is misleading, the crud on the glass is the same brown as the sand. pics taken under only white lighting. Thanks!

one other thing i noticed is that high flow areas do seem to be better but part of the glass is getting blasted by flow and thats one of the worst areas.

 

[maleks.reef]

Looks like cyano. Also, 11 hours is ALOT of light for any tank, new or mature. I suggest you start at 6 and slowly make your way to 9, which is how long most reefers have their lights on.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It’s cyano and to verify, siphon up and see how quickly it returns
You can reduce white light intensity or amount of hours if white lights for now and add 1.5ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons during the day for the next 5 days and empty skimmer cup daily

 

[maleks.reef]

Looks like cyano. Also, 11 hours is ALOT of light for any tank, new or mature. I suggest you start at 6 and slowly make your way to 9, which is how long most reefers have their lights on.

Sorry i meant to say i tihnk it is diatoms* since it is very brown and now forming any thick plaques of algae. Either way, decrease light and siphon it out.

 

[David_CO]

It’s cyano and to verify, siphon up and see how quickly it returns
You can reduce white light intensity or amount of hours if white lights for now and add 1.5ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons during the day for the next 5 days and empty skimmer cup daily

what makes you think its cyano? just trying to learn. My skimmer is producing a negligible amount of skimmate (same as when i added the fish basically). Filter socks only have a tiny bit of detritus after 3-4 days and since ive turned on my reefmat its moved 3 inches.

 

[Spare time]

Looks like diatoms and maybe green cyano

 

[David_CO]

Looks like diatoms and maybe green cyano

the green on the glass is the same brown color as on the sand and rocks, my phone is making it look green.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Looks like cyano. Also, 11 hours is ALOT of light for any tank, new or mature. I suggest you start at 6 and slowly make your way to 9, which is how long most reefers have their lights on.

I run 11.5 hrs

 

[Spare time]

the green on the glass is the same brown color as on the sand and rocks, my phone is making it look green.

It looks dusty like diatoms. Cyano makes visible patches or blobs. Diatoms are dusty. Are you using tap water? If not, do you know the tds of the water? Diatoms are super common in new tanks, but silicates in tap water can prolonged their proliferation in a tank that doesn't appear to have much competing for silicates.

 

[vetteguy53081]

what makes you think its cyano? just trying to learn. My skimmer is producing a negligible amount of skimmate (same as when i added the fish basically). Filter socks only have a tiny bit of detritus after 3-4 days and since ive turned on my reefmat its moved 3 inches.

The amount of slime that’s produced
s as couple closer pics may be helpful

 

[David_CO]

It looks dusty like diatoms. Cyano makes visible patches or blobs. Diatoms are dusty. Are you using tap water? If not, do you know the tds of the water? Diatoms are super common in new tanks, but silicates in tap water can prolonged their proliferation in a tank that doesn't appear to have much competing for silicates.

2 TDS out of my RO menbrane, 0 TDS after the dual stage di resin.

 

[David_CO]

The amount of slime that’s produced
s as couple closer pics may be helpful

I dont know if these pics are any better, before I was emailing them which compressed them. These I downloaded from icloud and zoomed in.

I ordered a microscope so I guess I'll know tomorrow for sure.

 

[Spare time]

PS a lot of new tanks get both of the suggestion ID's, and they typically go away, so don't get stressed out over it

 

[David_CO]

PS a lot of new tanks get both of the suggestion ID's, and they typically go away, so don't get stressed out over it

appreciate that.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks more like diatoms

 

[David_CO]

confirmed to be diatoms under microscope. moved the bulk of my CUC from QT to the display and they seem to me making progress.