Yet another diatom question

[sammyw]

I started a 90 gallon about one month ago. I placed about 50 lbs of base (dried) rock and about 50 lbs of cured live rock to start. No sand bed, just rock rubble on the bottom.
My parameters are leveling out with my trates at about .2 and coming down. My salinity is 1.024 my ph level is normal.
I have 18 turbo snails and about 20 hermits. One green chromis and one yellow tank. They all seem to be happy and healthy.
My question is why is all my base rock covered in diatoms and my cured rock is clean as can be? It's not just a light dusting. It's totally covered and dark brown. I have 2 65w 20k blue actenics, 2 65w 20k white pc's and 2 250 mh's. I run the pc's for about 5 hours per day and the mh's for about 5 hours per day. I HATE DIATOMS!!!!!!
I am using ro/di water with an ATO so the salinity remains stable. I have a 30 gallon sump with a EuroReef skimmer. The skimmer is working like a charm and pulling all kinds of crud out of the water.
Why the diatom outbreak on the base rock??????

Also, what supplements to use for sps, mushrooms, etc? I am currently supping with vitamins, iodine, and a few more.

 

[salty blues]

Originally Posted by sammyw
http:///forum/post/2553112
I started a 90 gallon about one month ago. I placed about 50 lbs of base (dried) rock and about 50 lbs of cured live rock to start. No sand bed, just rock rubble on the bottom.
My parameters are leveling out with my trates at about .2 and coming down. My salinity is 1.024 my ph level is normal.
I have 18 turbo snails and about 20 hermits. One green chromis and one yellow tank. They all seem to be happy and healthy.
My question is why is all my base rock covered in diatoms and my cured rock is clean as can be? It's not just a light dusting. It's totally covered and dark brown. I have 2 65w 20k blue actenics, 2 65w 20k white pc's and 2 250 mh's. I run the pc's for about 5 hours per day and the mh's for about 5 hours per day. I HATE DIATOMS!!!!!!
I am using ro/di water with an ATO so the salinity remains stable. I have a 30 gallon sump with a EuroReef skimmer. The skimmer is working like a charm and pulling all kinds of crud out of the water.
Why the diatom outbreak on the base rock??????

Also, what supplements to use for sps, mushrooms, etc? I am currently supping with vitamins, iodine, and a few more.
From what I have learned, diatoms are part of a new tank going through it's motions in establishing and stabilizing itself, although several things from lighting to bio-load to type of water used to insufficient flow will contribute to the severity and duration of the problem.
There are several folks on this board that are far more experienced than I who can give you their expertise. I'm sure they will be glad to help.

 

[veeraj87]

^ on this ... i ahve a 20GL and i am going through the same problem with a massive Diatom outbreak, its even on the substrate..... hope that the water changes will get it away

 

[sammyw]

Is it normal for the tank to smell a bit? Like dead? All critters are fine, but it smells.

 

[reefkprz]

diatom outbreaks in new tanks are extremly common once you set up the tank soluble forms of silica dissolve forming silicic acid (silicates) which dioatoms use to build their bodies, all is not lost though, as a diatom uses a set amount of silicate it binds it into a non soluble form, once the diatom dies the silicate it used is no longer available. so as long as your not adding more silicates the diatom even will pass.

 

[sammyw]

Should it smell?

 

[spiderwoman]

How is your ammonia? My tanks is on it's second week with everything cured and LS so I didn't experience a cycle at all, but from what I've noticed with my curing tubs, there is a smell in the water ammonia is up.

 

[sammyw]

I'll check

 

[sammyw]

Trates - 2.5
Trites - .1
Alk - Norm
pH - 8.2
Ammonia - 0
Temp - 78F
Salinity - 1.024
Everthing seems normal for a cycle, trates a little high tho.

 

[sammyw]

OK. So a little carbon took care of the smell, but my red algae is KILLING ME!!!! HOW DO I GET RID OF IT?????

I cut back on the lighting and the feeding. All my livestock seem to be fine, however the snails are sluggish. Still alive though.

 

[sammyw]

I think I'm going to try the lighting method. I'm going to kill the lights for two or three days and see what happens. In the mean time, I'm going to baster those SUCKERS off my rocks and then place them on the HOT concrete in my driveway and KILL EM!!!!! I'm going to win this battle.

 

[atrialfib22]

Hey I hope you win this battle! I like the way you setup the rocks too...
As far as the red stuff...I've read here that in order to avoid an abundance of algae and cyanobacteria growth you should make sure you have adequate water flow...I try to focus on one little speck of detritus or food during feeding time and follow it as it flows around the tank. That way I can detect any dead spots that I may have...I am so worried about outbreaks of cyano that I find myself doing this all the time!
Also, if your tank or sump is exposed to direct natural sunlight you will get a lot of growth.
Good luck!

 

[slt wtr stupid]

Ding Dong the Diatomes are gone

I had and out break when my tank was about two months old that progressevly got worse so i just decreased my lighting to about 4 hrs a day and it took about two weeks for them to be gone they will naturaly die off in a new tank but decreading you lighting time will help also make sure that you have no direct natural light hitting the tank this will cause many headachs in the future.

 

[sammyw]

With the lights off, there is no direct lighting hitting the tank. Just a small amount of ambient lighting.

 

[sammyw]

So, I turned the lights out for about four days. I lit the tank up today, and the algae is gone for the most part. There are a couple little patches, but its mostly gone. The bits that are left are deep red in color and are stuck really good (kinda like coraline). The light trick works and everybody seems to still be happy (even the mushrooms)!