help please - Dinoflagnellates ..... (or paranoia!?!?)

[Rachelh01]

Hi,
Quite new to reefing, have a Red Sea reefer max nano total water 105ltrs, new dry rock and sand, added ATM Colony to cycle it (nearly 4 weeks ago), then added 2 x clown fish. They have been great for a couple of weeks and then it started getting Diatoms so added some CUC (2x red leg hermits, 3 x blue leg hermits, 3 turbo snails, 1 x small conch, 1 a pedderson shrimp) after 6 days of them being in, one of the red leg hermits died, (neither have been very active at all - but all the other crew have been active) then today one of the turbo snails is on its back (still alive but looks to be fading fast!)
parameters are:
Ph - 8.3
Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 0.5
Nitrate - 25
Phosphate - 0.1
Salinity 1.026
Alkalinity - 8.9

Today i have noticed on the sand the following 2 pieces of what i think (after some google checking!) to be possibly dinoflagnellates??
Can anyone please confirm if they think this is the case also and if so what can i do about it? (and how did i get it??)

thank you so much!

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Try the coffee filter method of testing found here
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/helpful-method-for-identifying-dinoflagellates.216508/page-2

Likely it is not if your nutrients have been fairly steady and high. New tank?

 

[Rachelh01]

thanks i will have a look at that thread, yes tank only about 4 weeks in

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Resist the urge to keep making adjustments and adding things as the uglies gets pretty rough. Keep us updated!