Cylindrotheca Diatoms?

[JPK_Esquire]

So I've been battling some brown sand bed and PO4 showed up zero and NO3 zero about a week ago (previously, PO4 was overing around .09-.15, and NO3 was around 15-25). I've been dosing NeoPHOS and NeoNitro for about a week to get the numbers up. Numbers are finally above zero.

I am concerned that I may have Dinos (fought those once in a another tank and lost), so I got out the microscope today. From other posts, it looks like Cylindrotheca Diatoms, but could be wrong. What is the pizza-looking thing? I saw multiple on various slides.

 

[JPK_Esquire]

@taricha ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Cant open video.

If you see this - Dino:

 

[JPK_Esquire]

Lets try this:

 

[taricha]

agree with your assessment cylindrotheca diatom likely and the wedge is another diatom licmophora probably.

 

[JPK_Esquire]

Finally got PO4 and NO3 back over zero, and it swung the other way (PO4 at .9--yes, I got the decimal correct). Over the last two ways, after turning the Protein Skimmer back on, PO4 has dropped back to .2. Sand bed is looking pretty ugly, but still thinking it is probably diatoms and probably some Cyano. I skipped the water change last week trying to get PO4 and NO3 up.

Going to setting up the UV sterilizer today.

Question: Should I continue10% water changes while going through this ugly stage?

 

[taricha]

Should I continue10% water changes while going through this ugly stage?

I would.

 

[JPK_Esquire]

I would.

Thanks, that's my thought as well. I am actually thinking of doing two 10% water changes a couple of days apart. I think the UV should help as well.