whole new meaning to the word diatoms!
- Thread starter wrassecal
- Start date
timsedwards
Active Member
hey welcome to my world! 
A
angelofdeath132
Guest
that's what mine looks like also!!
nm reef
Active Member
In time they will....I've never seen diatoms remain long term. they are a common occurance in newly established systems. Keep the water clean/stable/balanced.....provide adaquate circulation.....insure a thriving clean-up crew that is diverse....and be patient. After they've been eliminated you can forward me a check for my assistance fee...a couple mill would work!
Sorry to see you sufferin soooooooooooo....
Sorry to see you sufferin soooooooooooo....
wrassecal
Active Member
Yes, Beth it's diatoms, not filmy at all just very, very dusty. The tank is right at 2 months since the changover from the 55. I have a sandbed clean up crew of 2 qeen conchs, nassarius snails, ceriths, worms. All established sand when I changed over. I'm not really too worried about it. Like NM said all part of it. I am taking action though. Everything is so pretty, except the sand bed. I am going to test for phosphates this weekend though and I do think it's a little strange that adding the phosphate sponge material has made it seem worse. Maybe it just caused a big die off and that's why I've got such a spread of the casings. Yeah, that would be good
melissa v.
Member
God that is awful, i am so sorry, wish i could help, but i haven't any advice for you on that tank.
Melissa V.
Melissa V.
timsedwards
Active Member
LOL wrassecal, I think I jinxed you! btw mine arent quite that bad! PLus they seem to be slowly going But you dont wanna hear that.....lol.
Best of luck,
Tim.
But you dont wanna hear that.....lol.Best of luck,
Tim.
broomer5
Active Member
Debi,
I went back and re-read some of your posts on your recent 55 to 135 conversion.
You guys used the established sand from the 55, and maybe topped it off with some new sand ?
Increased lighting for sure.
DI water and I assume Instant Ocean ?
Added a new large piece of live rock.
From your second picture - it's clear that the diatoms skeletons settled on the sandbed in areas that receive direct lighting from above. Around the edges of the corals, and overhangs of live rock - the sandbed is still very white.
So I would say that lighting is playing a major factor in it's growth.
But we already knew that .. right.
Is there any diatoms on your corals or live rock ?? It doesn't look so to me.
How about the glass ???
I also read where you've tried various different frehswater sources. Some store bought, some from LFS and now sounds like you are making your own DI ?
What DI unit are you using by the way ??
I know diatoms can be unsightly, and can make the tank look bad, but here's an interesting article you may find interesting.
It's a refreshing look at diatoms in our reef tanks, and goes into details that I was not aware of.
The article is written by Craig Bingman - and certainly shed some new light on diatom growth for me. It's kind of long ..... but I still think it's worth reading.
It's possible that the bloom is about done - and before too long - your sandbed will "look" better.
Sorry for asking so many questions.
Hang in there !
read me if you want to
I went back and re-read some of your posts on your recent 55 to 135 conversion.
You guys used the established sand from the 55, and maybe topped it off with some new sand ?
Increased lighting for sure.
DI water and I assume Instant Ocean ?
Added a new large piece of live rock.
From your second picture - it's clear that the diatoms skeletons settled on the sandbed in areas that receive direct lighting from above. Around the edges of the corals, and overhangs of live rock - the sandbed is still very white.
So I would say that lighting is playing a major factor in it's growth.
But we already knew that .. right.
Is there any diatoms on your corals or live rock ?? It doesn't look so to me.
How about the glass ???
I also read where you've tried various different frehswater sources. Some store bought, some from LFS and now sounds like you are making your own DI ?
What DI unit are you using by the way ??
I know diatoms can be unsightly, and can make the tank look bad, but here's an interesting article you may find interesting.
It's a refreshing look at diatoms in our reef tanks, and goes into details that I was not aware of.
The article is written by Craig Bingman - and certainly shed some new light on diatom growth for me. It's kind of long ..... but I still think it's worth reading.
It's possible that the bloom is about done - and before too long - your sandbed will "look" better.
Sorry for asking so many questions.
Hang in there !
read me if you want to
wrassecal
Active Member
Brian- Very nice of you to re-read my posts, especially since they are so numerous. I appreciate it. Water source has not changed in quite a while. We get our DI from the lfs and we have used distilled for top offs in a pinch, but almost always the DI. Yes, we went through a few combos before that one but that one's been since before the new tank.
I too suspect the lighting/tank changeover although we didn't increase it we decreased it a little. We had 440 watts vho on the 55 and we have 770 on the 135. A couple of my rocks have a little diatom, but not much at all. The back glass some where a ph hits it. The sand A LOT!
IO - yes, properly mixed and aerated 24 hours or longer with a powerhead, always.
A new rock, yes about 8 pounds added to the already 125 lbs. or so.
No diatoms on corals.
All established sand from the 55 and top inch or so of the 20gal, no new sand, though I need some, my dsb only about 4 inches.
Diatoms, get worse as day goes on. Lights run 9 hours then actinics only, another hour. Just changed out 165 watt bulb from daylight to actinic last week so that both the 6 footers would be actinic and are running on a seperate ballast. This makes the tank a little too blue. We were going to change a 48" actinic to a daylight but they were out, so that change has yet to occur. If lights are the culprit then I may be dealing with this for a while, though I hope not. All bulbs are URI
Very interesting article. From my minimal research on diatoms and good advice here, I've never really worried too much about them and the overall health of the system. This outbreak is just SOOO big and unsightly. I can understand the connection between diatoms and phophate and silicates but I just don't get the connection between the lighting. How does lighing cause a diatom outbreak? Or am I missing something obvious in these articles?
Thank you.
I too suspect the lighting/tank changeover although we didn't increase it we decreased it a little. We had 440 watts vho on the 55 and we have 770 on the 135. A couple of my rocks have a little diatom, but not much at all. The back glass some where a ph hits it. The sand A LOT!
IO - yes, properly mixed and aerated 24 hours or longer with a powerhead, always.
A new rock, yes about 8 pounds added to the already 125 lbs. or so.
No diatoms on corals.
All established sand from the 55 and top inch or so of the 20gal, no new sand, though I need some, my dsb only about 4 inches.
Diatoms, get worse as day goes on. Lights run 9 hours then actinics only, another hour. Just changed out 165 watt bulb from daylight to actinic last week so that both the 6 footers would be actinic and are running on a seperate ballast. This makes the tank a little too blue. We were going to change a 48" actinic to a daylight but they were out, so that change has yet to occur. If lights are the culprit then I may be dealing with this for a while, though I hope not. All bulbs are URI
Very interesting article. From my minimal research on diatoms and good advice here, I've never really worried too much about them and the overall health of the system. This outbreak is just SOOO big and unsightly. I can understand the connection between diatoms and phophate and silicates but I just don't get the connection between the lighting. How does lighing cause a diatom outbreak? Or am I missing something obvious in these articles?
Thank you.
bang guy
Moderator
Debi - I know it's unsightly but it's definately temporary. Something has changed in your system. Possibly hardware but not necessarily. Soon, the populations of Diatom consuming organisms will catch up with your Diatom population.
You have Stomatella, right? Tiny featherdusters? Snails that can reproduce are your answer IMO.
Are you sure your DI rosins are not expended?
You have Stomatella, right? Tiny featherdusters? Snails that can reproduce are your answer IMO.
Are you sure your DI rosins are not expended?
N
newreefers
Guest
I had the bloom from he11 myself lasted about 4 months, then I started dripping 25% kalk and 75% ro water, my bloom is now gone. It took a few weeks, but what a difference it made. I drip 24/7. Good Luck
wrassecal
Active Member
Brian - Sorry for the misunderstanding, what I meant was I do think that somehow lighting changes affect diatom blooms. I read another article on diatoms that said essentially the same thing about silicates and then said to strain the RO/DI or DI 5 times through a silicate removing substance before mixing the saltwater and/or topping off. Lotsa work
Guy - I'm wondering about the DI also. Yes I have stomatella's (thanks ) and I have ceriths too that have multiplied some. I definately agree that the changeover, has something to do with it. This bloom really reminds me of a new tank at about 2 months.
Thanks for the article, I've already informed my fish and corals that I am supplying them with free phytoplankton for the time being
Guy - I'm wondering about the DI also. Yes I have stomatella's (thanks
) and I have ceriths too that have multiplied some. I definately agree that the changeover, has something to do with it. This bloom really reminds me of a new tank at about 2 months. Thanks for the article, I've already informed my fish and corals that I am supplying them with free phytoplankton for the time being
jrein40806
Member
I am just starting my tank out this week. I have some live rock with corraline on it. Now all of a sudden I am noticing that there is brown on the lr that looks a lot like the pictures in this post.
I used tap water with conditioners at first. Now I have been adding ro water to top off for the evap.
What can I do to get rid of this stuff? Thanks!
I used tap water with conditioners at first. Now I have been adding ro water to top off for the evap.
What can I do to get rid of this stuff? Thanks!
wrassecal
Active Member
It's actually a natural part of a new tank cycle. Totally normal. Continue to let it cycle. Once the cycle is finished you can do a water change. Just keep using the RO water. When I set up my first tank,the whole thing rocks and all looked I hadn't dusted in 5 years. It will go away in a few weeks.