2 Questions from a newbie

[saintsfan]

Hi all. My wife and I started a sw tank for the first time a week before Christmas. Since everyone here seems to be so knowledgeable, I hope you can help us. We do believe the tank has gone through its cycle, but we are having a diatom outbreak. I've read on some threads that it is normal for a new tank. My question is, should I stir up the ls sometime or leave it alone? The "kid" at the lfs said I should. But from what I've read hear don't know whether to listen to him or not.
My secound question: We have a glass cover on the tank and was wondering whether to leave it on or take it off. Haven't seen many issues on this topic.
46 gal. bow front
approx. 20 lbs lr
80 lbs ls
marine land 400 bio filter
maxi jet 1200 ph
hydro 150w heater
5 hermits
8 turbos
1 lmb
1 Scooter Blenny
1 pencil urchin
2 yellow taildDamsels
Thanks for all of your help in advance.

 

[barchtruong]

I can help you with question 2.
If your light is hi enuf so water wont splash to it,
and the glass cover is still new,
return it.
It trap the heat inside your tank alot, that will increase water temp. which you don't want that to happen.
And there will be buildup on glass and it will get foggy very quickly with salt. So you will have to take it out and clean it very often which is a pain.
I bought mine, use for aweek, and now 2 of them are in the closet.

 

[the gift]

HEY Welcome!
What kind of lighting do you have?

 

[the gift]

well there you go barchtruong thanks for taking it form me...

 

[the gift]

Well anyways I had a diatom breakout and all I did was cut my photoperiod down to 6 hours a day until it went away...then slowly worked it back up.

 

[royal gang]

yeah, and the diatoms?

 

[krull001]

The first thing about saltwater tanks is patiences!!!!! You move to fast and the tank might crash on you..... I've been doing this for 15 plus years 4 of them pro! take your time!!!!! You should only run your lights for a few hours a day for right now. that will help keep your algea from breaking out to bad.. The diatoms you see is really Cyanobacteria you can suck it out of the tank with a small tube and syphon it into a bucket, but the tank is so new that it needs to run its course and will go away in time.... read, read and read some more. You need to over time start adding more liverock and be sure that it is cured live rock!! Uncured rock will have a foul odor! You glass lids are optionial you will get better light penitration thru the water without the lids but you evaporation will be higher and you will need to top off the tank with freshwater not saltwater(salt doesn't evaporate). If you have any more questions just let me know!!!!! good luck and be patient!!!!!

 

[cowboyswife]

Dont stir up your live sand, its fine. Your cleanup crew will take care of that. Ive had my cleanup crew for less than a week, and theyve done a good job. The outbreak is normal. Welcome to the hobby!

 

[saintsfan]

Thank all of you. Forgot about the light. We have a coralife 198w pc 10,000k and acintic with 2 lunar leds. We have found only one person at our lfs that we trust. He is actually the one who told me to come hear and read, read, and read. Which I have been doing. Sometimes until 2 in the morning. We have both found this hobby to be very interesting and enjoyable. Just trying to teach her some paitence. lol Thanks again for the help.

 

[barchtruong]

I bet your lmb and scooter put up some good fight heh?
you can have one or the other, unless you have some serious rockwork.

 

[saintsfan]

Neither has really taken a 2nd lood at the other. So far so good, maybe we'll get lucky. Of course no one at the lfs said anything about that to us.

 

[symon]

Originally Posted by krull001
The first thing about saltwater tanks is patiences!!!!! You move to fast and the tank might crash on you..... I've been doing this for 15 plus years 4 of them pro! take your time!!!!! You should only run your lights for a few hours a day for right now. that will help keep your algea from breaking out to bad.. The diatoms you see is really Cyanobacteria you can suck it out of the tank with a small tube and syphon it into a bucket, but the tank is so new that it needs to run its course and will go away in time.... read, read and read some more. You need to over time start adding more liverock and be sure that it is cured live rock!! Uncured rock will have a foul odor! You glass lids are optionial you will get better light penitration thru the water without the lids but you evaporation will be higher and you will need to top off the tank with freshwater not saltwater(salt doesn't evaporate). If you have any more questions just let me know!!!!! good luck and be patient!!!!!
As Much as i agree with you about patience ( it is very important to take your time) Diatoms and Cyanobacteria are 2 completely differant things!)
SaintsFan, You don't want to stir the sand bed, Diatoms will generally go away in a couple of weeks, But it would not be a bad idea to cut even minimal lighting to only a few hours a day! Even though your tank sounds like it has gone through a cycle it still takes some time to stabalize!
BTW Welcome to the boards and the Addiction!
When you next post give us some info , tank size , lighting info , water specs!
The niners may not be in the playoffs, But they did a fine job keeping the Donkeys out of them !