Brown Diatoms-good or bad?

[phishy]

Quick question...
My tank is cycled and I am waiting a few weeks until I place my first order. I have the lights on a timer so they are on 12 hours a day. At first I kept them off all the time, but then thought that I needed to grow some algae for my clean-up crew to survive on (I will be buying them in 2 weeks as well).
With the lights on 12 hours a day some brown diatoms have started to grow on my LR (esp. the ones higher in the tank). Is this a good thing? Will my clean-up crew eat this? Should I keep my lights off until I get a clean-up crew (what will they eat?)?
Specs on Tank-
Am-0
trItes-0
trAtes-8ppm
PH 8.3
temp 80
Thanks...

 

[sheracr123]

Diatoms are a natural part of cycling the tank. What kind of substrate are you using? Did you use tap water or RO/DI water to fill the tank?
Some snails like Nassarius, Cerith and Conch will eat diatoms while crabs and other snails like turbos... will not. The Nassarius, Cerith and Conch are generally for a sandbed substrate.
HTH
Mendee

 

[gypsie32]

My tank had a ton of brown diatom algae after it cycled. It covered my live rock and all the tank, but as soon as I put my clean up crew in their they mowed right thru it. My tank looks great now and you can see the color in my live rock again. If you want to cut down on the algae until you get your clean up crew, just dont run your lights that long, about 6 hrs a day. Dont worry though your clean up crew will chow down. hope this makes you feel better.

 

[phishy]

I am using Southdown as my substrate. And used tap water (I know that is against the better suggestions of many). The brown fur (I called it diatoms, but it could be something else) is only on my LR, not my sand. Should I turn my light off for the next two weeks?
I am planning on getting the following clean-up crew in 2 weeks:
-1 peppermint
-12 Scarlet Hermits
-10 turbos
Will they take care of this? If not, what could I order that will take it off rocks (not sand). Should I scrub it off now? I have heard it is a natural part of the cycle process, but my cycle is pretty much over.
Thanks...

 

[beaslbob]

as stated by others brown (diatoms) algae bloom during the first startup of tanks. As phosphates are consumed that brown starts turning to green which feed more off of nitrates. turning your lights off will kill off all plant life but the result would be higher nitrates and phosphates. Plus you can't see the fishes as well.
Tap water does have phosphates and nitrates in it. As well as calcium, buffering agents, and other trace elements. If it is safe for human consumption it also has small amounts of dangerous stuff like copper.
If you had added plant life as the first thing in your system, The plants would consume the phosphates, ammonia and nitrates. And in the process continously filtered the water. As you add livestock, phosphates and nitrates will occur from feeding the fish and the nitrogen cycle. Those will be there regardless of the amount of nitrates and phosphates in the water you use. A vigorous plant growth will consume those and would have already prevented you brown algae. The algaes would have been starved by the plant action.
So I recomend you add plant life.

 

[phishy]

Bob,
Thanks for the idea...however, I don't like the way plant life looks in a display tank (just personal preference). Does anyone have any other ideas? Any clean-up crew that I am not already purchasing (see above)?
Thanks...

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by Phishy
Bob,
Thanks for the idea...however, I don't like the way plant life looks in a display tank (just personal preference). Does anyone have any other ideas? Any clean-up crew that I am not already purchasing (see above)?
Thanks...
Understand. You could set up a refugium and keep the plants there. Just remember my words as you are fighting algae outbreaks, ph drops, lost fish, and many other problems.

 

[nacl-man]

Originally posted by Phishy
Bob,
Thanks for the idea...however, I don't like the way plant life looks in a display tank (just personal preference). Does anyone have any other ideas? Any clean-up crew that I am not already purchasing (see above)?
Thanks...
Maybe change the direction your powerheads are pointing? or add new ones to move the water around more?
You said it is collecting on the rocks... is there adequete water movement?

 

[phishy]

I have two Maxi-jet 900 which with my skimmer and bio-wheel filter move the water pretty well. In fact, it is growing on one rock that is right in front of the PH, so I think it is pretty "stuck" and couldn't be blown off with a PH (and I tried it already with a turkey baster).

 

[sheracr123]

When I said natural, I meant they usually come and go....
If it's just on the rock and not on the sand it may be some sort of algae and not diatoms. Scarlets and turbos will do great on algae. I would go ahead and try less lighting and see if that helps. What Kind of tank are you setting up? Reef, aggressive...? I had alot of algae on my rocks, and got a black sailfin blenny. He made quick work of any algae in the tank. Even eats it off the glass.
HTH
Mendee

 

[dacia]

If you see any hair algae, I would also recommend a lettuce nudibranch. They add some diversity to the tank while plowing through hair algae.
I just think they are cute, too. Mine is named Cabbage...

 

[bededog]

I think I have exactly or at least something similar to what you are talking about. I bought some turbo snails and some hermit crabs (only 4 of each in a 46 gallon tank) and in 24 hours the stuff was almost gone. Except for on the back wall. The snails won't go there very often for some reason. I wouldn't be surprised if your tank was clean the next day if you order what you said you were going to order for clean up.