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Unread 06/18/2018, 12:43 PM   #1
MJFlorida
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 1
Identifying algae or bacteria with microscope

Hello reef central, this is my first post here after having lurked here for a while.

I have some problems with an algae or bacteria that looks like short brown hair algae. After reading the various Dinos threads and viewing the many tank pictures and threads trying to identify problem algae, I decided to purchase an inexpensive microscope to assess what is in my 6 month old tank. After examining samples from the rocks and sand, I have found some Dinos in the system, but the majority of what I'm seeing is shown in the photo attached to this post. This is a sample from the hair-like matter that is covering the rocks. My first thought was a filamentous diatom, but I'm also seeing zig-zag shaped growths inter mixed with pizza-shaped organisms.

Any biology experts out there that might be able to help identify this stuff?

My phosphates have been pegged at zero (tested with Hanna phosphorus checker) and my nitrates are always below 5 (Red Sea test kit). I've tried feeding heavy to being the phosphates to a measurable level, but ALWAY read 0 on the meter.


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Unread 06/18/2018, 04:39 PM   #2
csellers
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Chico, CA.
Posts: 20
The pizza ones kind of look like this https://sites.evergreen.edu/vms-spring/licmophora-sp/


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Current Tank Info: 135 g reef, 65g hex FOWLR, 50 gal clown fishes and their BTA's, 50g FW, plus all the little ones
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