Help with ID and treatment ideas

[mothergoose22]

Howdy everyone. After many hours spent trying to figure out if I have Dino’s or some sort of nuisance algae I believe I have narrowed it down to some form of hair algae. Does anyone have any ideas what it might be based of the picture?

Nutrients are
Nitrates 7.3
Phosphates 0.04

 

[mothergoose22]

 

[EnterName]

Those look like Chrysophytes ("golden algae"). Feel free to share both images in my microscopy thread https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/microscopy-thread.1138845/

It will help other people to identify what they got.

 

[mothergoose22]

That’s what I was leaning towards.

Any tips on treatment?

 

[EnterName]

That’s what I was leaning towards.

Any tips on treatment?

Chrysophytes require silicates just like diatoms. A silicate adsorber could help if you have elevated silicate levels. Note that this adsorber also removes phosphate and trace elements.

To ensure you aren't introducing more silicates into the tank with top-off-water or water changes I would replace the DI resin in my RO/DI system, and then get an ICP-MS test to double check everything.

Manual removal is tedious but always helps in some way. It removes all things that makes the nuisance algae thrive and gives other orhanisms a chance to claim the space back.

 

[mothergoose22]

Ok thanks. Do you think syphoning through a 5 micron sock would remove?