Diatom vs Algae

[markgsu]

Hey everyone! Just wanted to see if my thoughts/research was correct and not leading me down the path to failure. I think this is just my diatom algae turning green and moving into the Coraline phase, but just wanted to see what your thoughts were. BTW, I have some good Coraline growth thus far for only being up a couple of weeks! Here are some pics:

 

[rbredding]

diatom

 

[hammcd]

yeah looks like diatoms to me

 

[markgsu]

So let it simmer? Remove? Whats the best step for a healthy tank?

 

[rbredding]

if you're cycling.. just wait for another 3-4 weeks..

if, after you add your cleanup crew and turn your skimmer on for a couple weeks, it's still there.. vacuum it out then..

 

[markgsu]

Skimmer and Cleanup crew have been in there for about 2 weeks. Just added my first Corals, yesterday and they are doing fantastic so far! Had fish in there for about a week, maybe longer.

 

[hammcd]

do you have a skimmer?....i have a small biocube 14 that I thought I didnt need a skimmer for and i had diatom outbreaks all the time...then I bought a Biocube HQI that came with a crappy biocube skimmer...i bought an aquaticlife 115 skimmer for the larger tank and put the biocube skimmer in the 14...even with that crappy skimmer I have had the whitest sand with no diatom outbreaks...it was the trick for me

Edit: oh nvm saw above where u said u have a skimmer...in that case maybe too much phosphates or overfeeding?

Edit: also may just be your first diatom outbreak after your cycle in which case it will go away on its own

 

[gmpolan]

Also, i would avoid adding anything else coral, clean up crew, etc wise until the tank finishes cycling....

 

[rbredding]

markgsu;633769 wrote: Skimmer and Cleanup crew have been in there for about 2 weeks. Just added my first Corals, yesterday and they are doing fantastic so far! Had fish in there for about a week, maybe longer.

if you can give your CUC to someone to hold for you.. do it..


your tank should sit EMPTY for a month to 6 weeks..

empty, empty..

 

[oil_fan]

Amici;633806 wrote: It's a common misconception that diatoms are cause by phos but actually they are cause by silicates.

He's right. Typical sources are tap water or from an RO/DI water that needs a new membrane. They also tend to be in new tanks but they go away on their own provided there no new source feeding silicates into the tank.

 

[markgsu]

Diatoms have come gone, come again, gone again, come again. Tested everyday for 3 weeks no signs of NH4, Nitrite, or Nitrate. Everything looks to be doing very well in the tank, fish are eating, not breathing heavy, etc. Corals are fully opened during the day. Coraline algae is consuming most of my rocks at this point. As of yesterday my parms are:

Temp: 79-82
NH4: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
PH: 8.3
Calc: 460 (little high I tuned my dosing)
Alk: 8.5

CUC is doing well, they have been in the tank after my first Diatom bloom. Correct me if I am wrong but isn't the diatom bloom the sign that the tank has completely cycled, coupled with the first signs of some sort of green algae and coraline growth??

 

[markgsu]

Im not trying to be rude, I am just trying to get my thoughts straight sorry if it came off that way. I take all the advice in here very seriously, you guys have been nothing short of awesome!!!!!:thumbs:

Are you using test strips or API test kit by any chance?

I am using an API test kit! I stayed away from test strips since I have read on here many times that they are of poor quality. Should I replace them with say Elos test kits or Salifert. :confused2:

And some pics:
These are from this morning, I would have taken some now but the lights are off. I probably shouldn't have said all over, but it is creeping around the tank pretty good!

The coral in Pic1 got moved I was having some trouble finding a good place with that huge ORA plug on it.

 

[insane_reef_keeper]

Amici;633851 wrote: You are in fact wrong.....Diatoms are the sign of silica in a tank. Nothing more nothing less. Typically it blooms after initial set up and then does not show up again. So judging from the fact its coming back and going shows that something is wrong. Also algae growth shows there are excess nutrients in the system which means there are nitrates and phos present.It may be http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=55518">the fact you rushed the cycle</a> with using damsels but who knows.

Fish eating a breathing normally does not mean that they are not stressed, thats like saying well he isn't running a fever so he didn't break his leg.

Take a picture of the coralline consuming the rocks because coralline just does not grow that fast in a couple weeks. Especially not in a new tank.

And finally something is wrong with your test results. As I am sure you read in your research before starting the tank :yes:, the end of the nitrogen cycle is nitrate. So the fact your nitrates are 0 shows your test is wrong or its user error in the testing. Especially since as I stated above that you have algae growth.

Are you using test strips or API test kit by any chance?

Take the advice you got in the thread you started 9 days ago about using damsels and SLOW DOWN!!!!!

Keep it up and members will just stop giving you advice since you are ignore everything experienced hobbyists are tellsend you in ing you.[/QUOTE]

I agree. You should absorb as much info as you can from the experienced members. No one here will purposely send you in the wrong direction. You should really slow down and not rush this cycle or you will have serious problems with your system and that <u>IS A FACT</u>.

Edit: That's diatom. I suggest you pull all of your live stock out of the tank and let the cycle finish. Other wise you're just wasting your money and killing those animals.

 

[oil_fan]

Mark...I agree with Amici. While it's possible that your tank is cycled (since you say ammonia=0), going slow in a SW tank is key. Some key points that I see:

Diatoms are not algae. If they're coming back after disappearing, then something is feeding silicates into the tank. Top off water would be my first guess. What is the source of your water? Good news is that diatoms are nothing more than a nuisance. And I can attest there is silicates in our water here in Acworth (at least on the Paulding side anyways).

I see that you're using API. API is ok</em>...it will tell you if you have a real issue such as ammonia. What it won't do is give you nice fine readings which is why most of us shy away from them. I personally use Seachem and Salifert depending on the test kit. Elos is another fine brand but it is expensive.

The 'coraline' algae that you're seeing...can it be easily removed? Such as using your hand or a toothbrush (new only please)? If so, then it's not coraline. I ask because there are types of algae that kinda look like coraline but in reality they're not. And has also been said, coraline actually grows quite slowly. I didn't see my first until about 9 months in on my first tank and then it was only because of a coral that was attached to a piece of LR that had it on it.

Also don't be afraid to ask for someone to come over. There are a number of us who live here in Acworth would be happy to pay you a visit and take a look at you're seeing. Then we can give you proper advise on how to proceed.

 

[markgsu]

Thanks for helpful hints, I will test it out in the morning and see if I can get any off the rocks that it just started on.

What is the source of your water?

Sponser LFS, I won't say which one.

Also don't be afraid to ask for someone to come over.

Great idea, I haven't had much time lately as my wife just had surgery yesterday so I have been a little consumed, but I will def. take someone up on this! As a newbie to tanks in general (never had one), I have been reading (good and bad) things like crazy. The forum has been a huge help in things like this. Thanks so much for your advice. You sometimes just can't find everything on the net that fits your situations.

 

[oil_fan]

Totally understand on the wife front. Life does seem to overwhelm at times!!

As for the LFS, I agree on not naming them openly here. Though I would be tempted to test for silicates just to be sure. It's still possible their membrane is starting to weaken. And I've read in the past, silicates only need the smallest of openings to get through a RO membrane. That's typically how I know I need to replace mine. I do have a test kit for silicate but it's long expired. But who knows, it may still work.

 

[markgsu]

I will by my next batch from another store and see if that helps out. Can't really hurt, I am getting an RO unit in the next month or so.