Dinos or Diatom?

[hoffmeyerz]

I know this gets asked a lot but I've never dealt with dinos so I'm not sure what to look for. I've read a lot of the past posts on this topic but I'm still having trouble deciding. I really only have two spots that seem to creep up about a week or so after water changes when I vacuum up the substrate a bit.
Tank is a year old:
Sal - 1.025
NO3 - 15
PO4 - .09
PH - 8 - 8.1
ALK - 5.5 (just started working to raise)

 

[vetteguy53081]

I know this gets asked a lot but I've never dealt with dinos so I'm not sure what to look for. I've read a lot of the past posts on this topic but I'm still having trouble deciding. I really only have two spots that seem to creep up about a week or so after water changes when I vacuum up the substrate a bit.
Tank is a year old:
Sal - 1.025
NO3 - 15
PO4 - .09
PH - 8 - 8.1
ALK - 5.5 (just started working to raise)

This was a tough one but due to a great video- Its cyano. The water current gave it appearance of dino but seeing this so many times. To confirm- What is your Nitrate and phosphate level (which will likely be elevated)
Dino occurs when Nitrate and Phos are at or near zero.
Siphon this stuff up, then Reduce white intensity or turn off white lights for 3-5 days, add 1.5ml of liquid bacteria during the day for 5 days to compete with the bad bacteria and after add snails to aid with cleanup such as Margarita, nassarius, trochus, nerite, astrea and cerith

 

[BetterJake]

It's going to be hard to tell with just an eye test. Can you take pictures with a microscope?

 

[hoffmeyerz]

I don't have a microscope but I'll look to get one if it looks close enough to dinos.
@vetteguy53081 my nitrates are at 15 and phosphate at .09, not being at zero made me step back from dinos. Is it common for cyano to be so localized like that, I don't see this anywhere but those two spots, at least for now

 

[sfin52]

I don't have a microscope but I'll look to get one if it looks close enough to dinos.
@vetteguy53081 my nitrates are at 15 and phosphate at .09, not being at zero made me step back from dinos. Is it common for cyano to be so localized like that, I don't see this anywhere but those two spots, at least for now

Yep it is

 

[vetteguy53081]

I don't have a microscope but I'll look to get one if it looks close enough to dinos.
@vetteguy53081 my nitrates are at 15 and phosphate at .09, not being at zero made me step back from dinos. Is it common for cyano to be so localized like that, I don't see this anywhere but those two spots, at least for now

YEP- Cyano

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Well of course it's something completely other than what I thought it was!!
I unfortunately can't afford a good light so I'm just using the Marineland led light that was packaged with the tank when I got it (that's why I don't have coral yet). I only run it 6hrs but with no coral I'll just cut it out and go black out. Do you recommend any particular liquid bacteria?

 

[sfin52]

Well of course it's something completely other than what I thought it was!!
I unfortunately can't afford a good light so I'm just using the Marineland led light that was packaged with the tank when I got it (that's why I don't have coral yet). I only run it 6hrs but with no coral I'll just cut it out and go black out. Do you recommend any particular liquid bacteria?

You don't need an expensive led. You can use vivosun or hydroplanet t5ho

 

[Widdlyscudds]

Well of course it's something completely other than what I thought it was!!
I unfortunately can't afford a good light so I'm just using the Marineland led light that was packaged with the tank when I got it (that's why I don't have coral yet). I only run it 6hrs but with no coral I'll just cut it out and go black out. Do you recommend any particular liquid bacteria?

check out HTG supply they have some very affordable t5 lighting. been running multiple hoods from them for over a decade nonstop.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Thanks for the light suggestions, I'll seriously look into those! I've been watching for a used ati sunpower to come around that I could afford. I'm not familiar with the lights you guys listed so I'll look at those for sure.
I really want to start adding corals but I don't want to mess up!