Are they Diatoms

vivekshankarpmk · Jan 30, 2020

Hi All, Its been 40 days since starting my cucling. Used traditional Shrimp method for ammonia source and used Aquaforest BIO S for bacteria colonizing , As on continous monitoring there are brown algae formed on the rocks and the glass . I am confused is this diatoms that come when the nitrate is high or is it something i need to worry.

Euphyllia97 · Jan 30, 2020

Yep, diatoms due to elevated silicates in the new sand. They will starve out. Are you running lights? Because for a 40 days old tank it looks pretty clean?

vivekshankarpmk · Jan 30, 2020

Euphyllia97 said:
Yep, diatoms due to elevated silicates in the new sand. They will starve out. Are you running lights? Because for a 40 days old tank it looks pretty clean?

yes actually i switched on recently a thrice in night and forgot to switch off them in nights

Euphyllia97 · Jan 30, 2020

vivekshankarpmk said:
yes actually i switched on recently a thrice in night and forgot to switch off them in nights

That explains it :) Just normal diatoms, nothing to worry about

vetteguy53081 · Jan 30, 2020

Typical new tank uglies.

vivekshankarpmk · Jan 30, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
Typical new tank uglies.

i guess they should go away automatically as they consume the silicates and does this have any effect in adding fish as i have planned to add two green chromis for testing

Euphyllia97 · Jan 30, 2020

vivekshankarpmk said:
i guess they should go away automatically as they consume the silicates and does this have any effect in adding fish as i have planned to add two green chromis for testing

Nah, you can go ahead and add the chromis if your ammonia and nitrite is 0. Silicates will be consumed an diatoms will go away by itself. No influence on fish :) Could take a few months actually... I used a sandsifting goby to keep diatoms on the sand in check while there was still silicates in the system.

vivekshankarpmk · Jan 31, 2020

Euphyllia97 said:
Nah, you can go ahead and add the chromis if your ammonia and nitrite is 0. Silicates will be consumed an diatoms will go away by itself. No influence on fish :) Could take a few months actually... I used a sandsifting goby to keep diatoms on the sand in check while there was still silicates in the system.

i had turbo snails which had diatoms as their food and i guess they should help again