Brown algae, ID of Microscope photos

Zinda

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Hello! I've got a new tank (1 Month old). It has begun getting a brown algae on the rocks and the sand bed. It seems to be there consistently during the day and the night.

It is 110 gal. I have 2 clownfish and 1 yellow tang in there, with a seasoned rock from an old tank. Lights are on low at 30%, which is giving around 50-80 par on the bottom of the tank, 100-200 on the top.

Salinity: 1.027
PH: 7.8
Nitrate: 19.6
Phosphate: .05
Alk: 6.2
Temp: 79F

I suspect diatoms due to timing and look of it but I'm hoping folks with more experience can help. I'm trying to get ahead of any issues here, in the past I've got bitten by waiting too long to put in countermeasures...

Here's the macro view:
IMG_0652.jpeg


And using a microscope I found two interesting critters. These guys which don't move. I'm guessing Diatoms:

2.jpg
3.jpg


And these guys which do ... I have no guesses here:



I can't for the life of me figure out the magnification. I'm using the AmScope MD100 digital eyepiece on an Amscope microscope with its 10x objective lens. I can't find a single place that says what that eyepiece magnification is ...

Any idea on what these are?
 

DDenny

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Diatoms they should go away. I was battling Dino’s so dosing silicates now I’m just waiting for the silicates to get used up so the diatoms go away.
 

DDenny

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Thanks @DDenny! I was surprised to learn that some diatoms can move, I thought they were all more "plantlike". I found this fascinating writeup, including a bunch of great photos.
Mine go somewhere at night the sand is clean in the mornings then gets that typical brown dusting. Thought the dinos were still around but but under micrscope I only see diatoms.
 

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