Are these diatoms?

[seanbugeja]

hi all, i noticed this growth on my aquarium glass...cleaned it away and after a week its starting to come back again...look like diatoms but are perfectly white.

my aquarium is still cycling amonia is 0.2 nitrites are 0.5 and nitrates are over 50. Im not sure if these are diatoms or not...can someone id them? they are in the following link and highlighted in red...if you zoom in on the picture they can be seen clearly...

thanks everyone

http://bishopsconservatory.edu.mt/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/IMG_20160123_202033.jpg

 

[cloak]

Sponges? Do they have any sort of consistency to them?

 

[seanbugeja]

nope its like when you remove tape from a piece of glass and the glue is left stuck to the glass... im at a loss

 

[cloak]

What does it feel like to the touch? Kind of abrasive? Is it ON the glass, (flat) or does it kind of grow away from it?

 

[seanbugeja]

its flat on the glass and goes away using a sponge eventhough takes some scraping to get it off...feels flat on the glass just like remnance of glue from tape....when i touch it feels abrasive yes

 

[cloak]

If it does take some doing to remove it then it might just be Coralline algae. This does comes in all sorts of colors & forms. Your tank is still young, but stranger things have happened. If it is indeed Coraline algae, consider this a good thing. GL.

 

[seanbugeja]

yep its only 3 weeks old still cycling with live rock......will definitely look that up...thanks a lot man!

 

[oh207]

Looks like corraline that died. But highly unlikely since this is a new setup.
Was this a new tank or used?

 

[seanbugeja]

it was brand new...seems to be coming up from crushed coral substrate though...could it be from it? if yes how can i stop it from forming? thanks