Diatoms or Dinos?

PGJE

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Dec 16, 2017
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Sorry for posting so much, I’m the ultimate noob when it comes to saltwater...
anyways here are some pics of the algae in my tank, what is it? If it’s dinoflagellates how do I get rid of it? Is there a way to tell which is which, like spraying it with a turkey baster?

AA468E00-1003-4F8B-9D0A-7A5E14191A13.jpeg

987F35A6-78FF-4A78-9394-71CDBAB3F8FD.jpeg

EEB15963-2368-40AB-9A3E-D1BBB6F21460.jpeg
 

PGJE

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Dec 16, 2017
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The algae has no bubbles and doesn’t rise up into the spikes like I’ve seen in some of the Dino pictures, if that helps
No stringy mucus stuff either
 

PGJE

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Dec 16, 2017
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some of it seems to come off when sprayed with a turkey baster, but other parts stay on. It doesn't seem to be a dust like some people say diatoms are, its more like a slime
 

BIG-G

Goliath Tigerfish
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Dec 12, 2005
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More then likely it is Diatoms.
This tank is pretty new and as you go forward you will notice cycles.
Diatoms are some of the first things to appear in a new tank especially in saltwater and tanks with excess silicates and high carbonate hardness.
It could be a combination of diatoms and some sort of Cyanobacteria.
Cyanobacteria feed on excess phosphate and usually don’t show up till later in the tanks life, but if a specific rock happens to have some stored Po4 it will grow cyano.

Overall what you are seeing is normal and nothing to worry about.
It’s just part of the process to establishing a saltwater tank.
 
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BIG-G

Goliath Tigerfish
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PGJE PGJE
And don’t worry about posting.
If it wasn’t for people posting this site would be pretty boring.
 
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