Help with Algae? Identification

[dedvalson]

My tank is being overrun by some brown crud and I am uncertain if it is dinos or cyano of some type. I saw quite a few people posting microscope pictures so I obtaned one and tried capturing a few pictures with it. However while I see lots of cool stuff and many little critters moving around I don't see anything that matches the pictures I have seen others post.

I have attached a few pictures. Some of the tank photos show an uncleaned area on the left and a cleaned area on the right. The crud blows off with just a puff of water or blast from a power head.

I also attached some microscope pictures at 400X

My current water parameters are:

Ammonia and Nitrite 0
Nitrate 3.7 PPM
Phosphate 0.06 PPM
Alkalinity 8.6
Salinity 1.023
Temperature 77.8

There is pretty good water flow, multiple gyres and octopulses.

Whatever it is, Chemiclean doesn't seem to touch it.

I would sure welcome any suggestions.

Thanks,

Don

 

[Dan_P]

My tank is being overrun by some brown crud and I am uncertain if it is dinos or cyano of some type. I saw quite a few people posting microscope pictures so I obtaned one and tried capturing a few pictures with it. However while I see lots of cool stuff and many little critters moving around I don't see anything that matches the pictures I have seen others post.

I have attached a few pictures. Some of the tank photos show an uncleaned area on the left and a cleaned area on the right. The crud blows off with just a puff of water or blast from a power head.

I also attached some microscope pictures at 400X

My current water parameters are:

Ammonia and Nitrite 0
Nitrate 3.7 PPM
Phosphate 0.06 PPM
Alkalinity 8.6
Salinity 1.023
Temperature 77.8

There is pretty good water flow, multiple gyres and octopulses.

Whatever it is, Chemiclean doesn't seem to touch it.

I would sure welcome any suggestions.

Thanks,

Don

There does not seem to a dominating organism in any of the photos. I do see two types of dinoflagellates, ovalish golden things. The ghostly rods might be cyanobacteria. The golden grape clusters I have seen.

 

[paragrouper]

Welcome aboard

looks like you have a couple of things going on. How long has your tank been set up?

 

[dedvalson]

Hi,

It has been set up now for 14 months. I should have mentioned that. Thanks

 

[dedvalson]

There does not seem to a dominating organism in any of the photos. I do see two types of dinoflagellates, ovalish golden things. The ghostly rods might be cyanobacteria. The golden grape clusters I have seen.

Any idea what the grape clusters are? I haven't seen anything of that nature elsewhere.

 

[Dan_P]

Any idea what the grape clusters are? I haven't seen anything of that nature elsewhere.

I can’t remember what I came to believe. :)

It does not seem to be a diatom or dinoflagellate. Is it a Chrysophyte or cyanobacteria? I would ‘t worry about it.