Is this nanochloropsis alive?

[Koleswrath]

Hi all you algae culturing experts out there, I've grown my first phytoplankton culture from a bottle I got from a local reefer and under the scope it does indeed look like Nanochloropsis (at least to me). I'm not sure how to tell if the cells are alive and viable though. Do they look different if they're dead/in stasis, etc.?

Here's my scope pic (first one ever - I love this capability).
Thanks in advance!!

 

[Koleswrath]

Also, does anyone know what these grey dots are?

This is only 1000x zoom so it can't be anything dissolved in the water.

[mcarroll]

Are they moving?

 

[thrillreefer]

Looks fine. Try to grow it! Tiny dots could be bacteria, or could be debris/artifact 

[mcarroll]

I was looking at another scope picture and it had things in it that looked like that – it was fungus/mold in that case.

[Koleswrath]

15 hours ago, mcarroll said:

Are they moving?

 

Nope, nothing moving. 

This culture was left to grow a bit longer than I'd like as I was travelling and did have a bit of mold on the bottom of the bottle so that's very possible. 
Thanks!