Help with dino ID

[Greyhound]

Need help identifying this. It doesn't look like any of the microscope pics in the dino ID guide. Doesn't totally go away at night. It comes off fairly easily but comes back within a day or 2.

Under a microscope it is spindly/needle like organisms that cluster around the brown clumps.

 

[Matt L]

Might be diatoms. If it is, they will go away on their own. How old is the tank?

 

[Greyhound]

Might be diatoms. If it is, they will go away on their own. How old is the tank?

That's kind of what I'm thinking now. Tank started about a month or so ago

 

[Matt L]

That's kind of what I'm thinking now. Tank started about a month or so ago

Okay, yeah probably diatoms. They consume silica from new rock and sand, then usually go away after about 3-5 weeks.

 

[Greyhound]

That's kind of what I'm thinking now. Tank started about a month or so ago

Okay, yeah probably diatoms. They consume silica from new rock and sand, then usually go away after about 3-5 weeks.

I figured since I used arag alive sand and dried live rock it wouldnt be as much of an issue with silica, but i guess not

 

[Matt L]

I figured since I used arag alive sand and dried live rock it wouldnt be as much of an issue with silica, but i guess not

I wonder if diatoms are one of the first microorganisms to colonize, then get outcompeted or consumed by others as the tank matures?

 

[Ziggy17]

If you don’t have coral or fish in there, there really isn’t any need to have the lights on. Dark cure the rocks as long as you can.

 

[Greyhound]

If you don’t have coral or fish in there, there really isn’t any need to have the lights on. Dark cure the rocks as long as you can.

The rocks are from my prior tank setup, but they've been sitting dry for a few years, so I guess they are sort of re-curing.

As far as lights, I need them for the 3 anemones I have. (Before anyone says its too early for anemones, I'm aware of the 6 month anecdote for anemones, which is debatable with proper parameters. I got them from a local reefer who had too many to keep so needed a home)

 

[GSPClown94]

Need help identifying this. It doesn't look like any of the microscope pics in the dino ID guide. Doesn't totally go away at night. It comes off fairly easily but comes back within a day or 2.

Under a microscope it is spindly/needle like organisms that cluster around the brown clumps.

It is hard to see from your microscope picture but it looks like diatoms. When adding a sample to your slide it helps to use less so it isn’t one giant blob of blurry stuff.

 

[Greyhound]

Need help identifying this. It doesn't look like any of the microscope pics in the dino ID guide. Doesn't totally go away at night. It comes off fairly easily but comes back within a day or 2.

Under a microscope it is spindly/needle like organisms that cluster around the brown clumps.

It is hard to see from your microscope picture but it looks like diatoms. When adding a sample to your slide it helps to use less so it isn’t one giant blob of blurry stuff.

Calling this a "slide" would be generous ha. I got this photo using my kids handheld microscope, which i placed atop a leftover piece of acrylic as a "slide". Honestly this is a better photo than i expected to get. If you zoom on the photo you can see the organisms. Not in detail, but well enough to see the shape, which to me doesn't match with any dinos, which is why I'm thinking spindle-shaped diatoms.

 

[GSPClown94]

Calling this a "slide" would be generous ha. I got this photo using my kids handheld microscope, which i placed atop a leftover piece of acrylic as a "slide". Honestly this is a better photo than i expected to get. If you zoom on the photo you can see the organisms. Not in detail, but well enough to see the shape, which to me doesn't match with any dinos, which is why I'm thinking spindle-shaped diatoms.

Lol you’re working with what ya got, it’s better than nothing.

 

[Ziggy17]

Definitely diatoms there. Doubtful but may be a Dino or two hidden in the out of focus clump, but either way, the diatoms will outcompete anything in those numbers.