Originally Posted by
slider101
http:///forum/post/2864552
Yeah, when I did water changes I was going to buy bottled water or from a machine. So the Diatoms are feeding on what is in the water and when they are gone does that mean I have cycled?
Yes and not necessarily; Diatoms feed on silicates and phosphates in the water, and every time you add tap water (assuming is has some silicates and/or phosphates), you keep adding to the problem. As Sep. said, if you start diluting with RO water, then the diatoms will use up whats available and start dying out. Phosphates, like nitrites and nitrates, can be a result of the cycling process, silicates are not. So long as silicates remain available, the diatoms will continue to bloom; However just because silicates are used up, doesn't mean that the nitrogen cycle has ended. The best/only sure way to know that the cycle is finished is to use test kits and follow the spikes; on average, the "cycle" can take 3 to 6 weeks or longer depending on what you started with, then the algae blooms generally start, and its usually a matter of months before the "chemistry" of the tank stabilizes. Again, it varies depending on how you set up your tank - CC vs live sand (real ls vs. bagged ls), base rock vs. live rock (quality and amount - cured or uncured); additionally, the light cycle and lights you have can also affect the "Cycle". So unfortunately, there is no easy way to say do this and this and in X weeks your cycle will be finished - too many variables you see
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