Brown all over sand, microscope ID please

[Reefer Dan]

I’m stumped on what this this. Anyone have any ideas? Microscope and a pic of the sand.

YouTube Video to see movement

 

[Saltyreef]

Looks like chrysophytes and diatoms.

Nice gonzos btw

 

[Reefer Dan]

Looks like chrysophytes and diatoms.

Nice gonzos btw

Thanks! Haha I was wondering if it was chrysophytes but I thought they didn’t move?

 

[Saltyreef]

I could be wrong...

Thats just what it looks like to me lol.

 

[taricha]

these are likely cryptomonas or similar. They aren't known to cause long-term problems in a reef tank.

 

[Reefer Dan]

these are likely cryptomonas or similar. They aren't known to cause long-term problems in a reef tank.

Thanks! That looks more like what I saw. Any idea what eats them? Makes the sand look pretty unsightly…. Obviously white sand is an unrealistic pipe dream, but probably need to manage it this stuff?

 

[taricha]

Thanks! That looks more like what I saw. Any idea what eats them? Makes the sand look pretty unsightly…. Obviously white sand is an unrealistic pipe dream, but probably need to manage it this stuff?

My sense is that they don't typically last in tanks (they don't last in mine or others I've seen). They'll get outcompeted, or run out of food or get fed on by inverts like pods etc.
If they persist longer than you want to look at them, just vacuum them out.