Diatom!!!

nvmycj

nvmycj

Member
I've got it EVERYWHERE!!! WTH?!?!?!?!? It's on my LR, sides, and back of tank. I've heard this is a "normal part of cycling process." But I believe that it's getting out of control. The tank has been cycling for about 2.5 weeks. Should I scrub my live rock to get the diatoms off? And why is my top piece of live rock full of bubbles? (see pic) Thanks guys!!
 
slice

slice

Active Member
What pic?
I remember my tank had terrible diatoms for a couple of weeks when very young. I siphoned it off the sand when changing water; toothbrushed it off the rock. In due time, it subsided. It sure was butt-ugly though. I had a power filter on the tank at that time, and after doing the toothbrush thing, I would rinse the filter foam in used sw and it turned the whole bucket rust brown.
I have had small outbreaks since then when adding new rock, which blossomed and subsided quickly btw...
edit:
ah, there is the pic. When I had the diatom explosion, I had "pearling" like that, especially where the diatoms were thickest and where it was directly under the light.
 
nvmycj

nvmycj

Member
Did you see my pic?
So I shouldn't take out my LR from my tank, go to my kitchen sink and scrub it under running water??? Just scrub it within the tank... OK. But I gotta tell you,...it looks like someone took a dump in my tank and smeared it on the sides and back of the tank... YUCK!!!
 
slice

slice

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by NVMYCJ http:///forum/thread/384706/diatom#post_3371054
Did you see my pic?
So I shouldn't take out my LR from my tank, go to my kitchen sink and scrub it under running water??? Just scrub it within the tank... OK. But I gotta tell you,...it looks like someone took a dump in my tank and smeared it on the sides and back of the tank... YUCK!!!
nope, no kitchen sink required, just be patient. I think I read nerite snails (someone correct this if wrong) will eat diatoms, you might try that if you can't stand looking at it.
Otherwise, if you have a HOB power filter laying around, hang it on, toothbrush off all you can and let the filter catch it.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Bubbles are not normal....do you have any red?
What do you have for a powerhead? and filtration? What are your test #'s showing? Do you own a baster? Do not stir it up....siphon it off the rocks
 
cam78

cam78

Active Member
Holy crap. Are you sure its not bubble algae? If so DO NOT SCRUB IT!!!!! If you touch them are they hard or soft. Is it green or a brownish red? If its soft, brownish red its not diatoms, its.....can't think of the name. Let me look it up
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
NO, it is not bubble algae...those look more like air bubbles....Could be beginning of cyano though...which is a bacteria..NOT an algae
that is why I said siphon off the bubbles, and need more info on coloring...or if it is matted
 
slice

slice

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/384706/diatom#post_3371064
Bubbles are not normal....do you have any red?
What do you have for a powerhead? and filtration? What are your test #'s showing? Do you own a baster? Do not stir it up....siphon it off the rocks
Diatoms, where it was the thickest in my tank would form bubbles after lights were on for a while. Not as much as cyano, but would definitely form gas bubbles.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slice http:///forum/thread/384706/diatom#post_3371075
Diatoms, where it was the thickest in my tank would form bubbles after lights were on for a while. Not as much as cyano, but would definitely form gas bubbles.
REALLY???? How odd...with all my tanks, I have never experienced that......so...bubbles with diatoms is normal
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I've had diatoms bubble as well.
Siphon as much as you can and scrub it off the rocks and then do a hefty water change.
Diatoms are very common to new tanks. They really like silicates if I remember correctly, so you might be experiencing more diatoms than others depending on what type of sand you used, your filtration, etc. Since this is a new setup, I'd ride it out. Turn the lights off as well, or don't keep them on as long. You don't need lights while cycling and I've noticed that this can cut down on the diatoms. When you're ready for critters, hermits and snails will help get rid of most of it.
 
slice

slice

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/384706/diatom#post_3371083
I've had diatoms bubble as well.
Siphon as much as you can and scrub it off the rocks and then do a hefty water change.
Diatoms are very common to new tanks. They really like silicates if I remember correctly, so you might be experiencing more diatoms than others depending on what type of sand you used, your filtration, etc. Since this is a new setup, I'd ride it out. Turn the lights off as well, or don't keep them on as long. You don't need lights while cycling and I've noticed that this can cut down on the diatoms. When you're ready for critters, hermits and snails will help get rid of most of it.
+1
and thanks BTLD for confirming that I am not a loon*. If diatoms get thick, the product(s) of their respiration can collect into bubble(s). I had a butt-load when starting as most of my rock (35# of the 55#) was base rock.
I still get small amounts of it when I add additional rock like I did a couple of weeks ago. I currently have a small patch of dust that will go away in a weekish or so.
*in this particular case at least.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
LOL
I see the worst diatoms when people use playground sand. That makes it bubble like crazy. When I set up my 40G, I had the WORST diatom bloom, I actually resorted to chemicals to help combat it, I could not stand looking at it anymore. In most cases, snails, hermits and siphoning works best.
 
nvmycj

nvmycj

Member
Its not bubble algae. They're literally bubbles! I see them floating to the top occasionally. Weird, right?!?
 
nvmycj

nvmycj

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slice http:///forum/thread/384706/diatom#post_3371075
Diatoms, where it was the thickest in my tank would form bubbles after lights were on for a while. Not as much as cyano, but would definitely form gas bubbles.
Thats EXACTLY what happens... After the lights are on for a while,...here come the bubbles....!
 
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