Dinos or diatoms ??

[MikeDesjean]

I am at what I thought was end of diatom bloom I my new tank. It’s been running for about 2 months. All dry rock and 2 inch sand bed.

Nitrate-10
Phosphate-.25 or just under (api)

My question is if this is diatom or Dino? It seems to mostly blow away but some spots clumped when I cleaned tank last night.

I missed a spot in a crack of rock so I cleaned it with turkey baster and will see if it’s back by end of day. ( small patch of sand I couldn’t reach with syphon.

I don’t think it’s Dino’s, as I never had bottomed out nutrients.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[Idech]

I’m not an expert but just want to say I never bottomed out nutrients, far from it, and still had dinos in my new tank.

 

[MikeDesjean]

Ahh… gotcha. I’ve only noticed yesterday that the diatoms different in one section of the tank (back corner) and figured maybe it was diatoms with detritus on top.

I keep a pretty good eye on the tank and was letting the diatoms do their thing, but stepped in yesterday when I saw a different “texture” I guess you would say to it. Looked like it was flowing. So I did my best to remove all of it and scrapped down the glass with blade.

I’m going to keep and eye on it. I have a clean patch of sand I made as a control.

If it is Dino’s how long until this spot should be dirty again?

 

[Idech]

If it is Dino’s how long until this spot should be dirty again?

The next day or even sooner.

There is a test you can do with a coffee filter. I forgot how it goes but it’s here somewhere if you want to search for it.

 

[MikeDesjean]

The next day or even sooner.

There is a test you can do with a coffee filter. I forgot how it goes but it’s here somewhere if you want to search for it.

Found the test. I will do that tomorrow. I want to see what comes back.

I cleaned this small patch of sand and waited 4-5 hours at this point and this is the result so far attached. I think it is still diatoms.

Only thing worrisome is that when I stirred the sand what I was sure was diatoms kinda clumped and is gently stirred sand?

Time will tell

 

[Idech]

It could be both, time will tell. If it’s dinos, there is a method to get rid of it. It worked for me in about 10 days and many people are using it.

@vetteguy53081 has the recipe.

 

[MikeDesjean]

Oh nice! Thanks for tagging vetteguy53081 much appreciated!

 

[Duncan62]

Ahh… gotcha. I’ve only noticed yesterday that the diatoms different in one section of the tank (back corner) and figured maybe it was diatoms with detritus on top.

I keep a pretty good eye on the tank and was letting the diatoms do their thing, but stepped in yesterday when I saw a different “texture” I guess you would say to it. Looked like it was flowing. So I did my best to remove all of it and scrapped down the glass with blade.

I’m going to keep and eye on it. I have a clean patch of sand I made as a control.

If it is Dino’s how long until this spot should be dirty again?

The sand will be cleaner at night if it's dinos. They swim at night, clump during the day.