Diatoms

[honu808]

Sorry for the age old questions. Im finishing cycling a 60 cube with 100+lbs of live rock, fresh live sand. Ammonia went to 4 and back to 0 over a couple weeks. Nitrites are 0 and Nitrates are 20. I use API test kit. I know all that accurate.
Heres is the question. Diatoms are blooming so I know Im at the end of cycle. Should I Suck out the diatoms? Add clean up crew?
Thanks for all the help. Barry

 

[cav414]

Hello,
I still consider myself a newbie so don't take my word for law. The diatoms will eventually disappear on there own but, I don't see why you can't vaccum them out. As for your cuc I would wait until you add some fish so that you have enough for them to eat.

 

[silverado61]

You really shouldn't vacuum your sand. You'd be vacuuming out the good bacteria that's being established in your tank and releasing toxins barried in the sand. Either get a small cuc or let the diatoms go away on its own.

 

[flower]

You really shouldn't vacuum your sand. You'd be vacuuming out the good bacteria that's being established in your tank and releasing toxins barried in the sand. Either get a small cuc or let the diatoms go away on its own.

I don't think you can vacuum out the good bacteria. The tank is too young to have built up toxins in it. There wouldn't be any "harm" to trying to vacuum it out...it's just a waste of time and effort and it's just not "needed'...just too much work. It's a new tank, and using tap water to boot... diatoms will be the least of your problems. Walmart sells RO water for 37 cents a gallon.

 

[silverado61]

I've really missed having you contradict all my posts Flower. LOL

 

[geridoc]

Barry: Don't worry about the diatoms. Either they will disappear: over time as conditions in your tank even out, or the fish that you add will find a source of live food. There is plenty of work to maintaining a marine tank, but diatom management is a task that you can forget about.