Avoiding the ugly stage?!?

[Exotrezy]

Link? But it can be difficult to give advises - you must self try to compile the information you get in this thread and come to your own decision

Si in reef tanks comes from sand and stones. There is an equilibrium constant that determines how much is in the stone/sand and in the water. There is a constant movement either out of the stone/sand or into the stone/sand depending on the current equilibrium.

PO4 comes from food and and decomposition of organic matter

Sincerely Lasse

Phosphate might be my issue, I just got my fish maybe 1 week ago and I think it might be a mix of silicates and phosphates but I think some of the leftover fish food could be the root of the issue. What can I do?

 

[lbacha]

Is this to OP or to me?

This recommendation is for anyone with a new tank that isn’t sure how to work through all the issues they may encounter

 

[Tamberav]

Need HELP with CUC for Diatoms!!

Hello, I started my tank in October and I am using RODI water. I have 1 bumblebee Snail that was a hitchhiker from one of my coral. My tank is a 3ft long 30 gallon tank. Let me know Clean Up Crew suggestions. I attached a couple of pictures and 1 video. Also the "diatoms" randomly appeared with...

www.reef2reef.com

You’re not supposed to have a sterile white tank. That just leads to death and Dino.

I’m not sure what you are trying to do but you just need a healthy balance of clean up crew and the natural micro algae and such.

Your tank looks fine. If anything it is too clean for cuc because you are keeping the light off.

Turn the light on so you can progress and eventually have coral…

 

[Exotrezy]

You’re not supposed to have a sterile white tank. That just leads to death and Dino.

I’m not sure what you are trying to do but you just need a healthy balance of clean up crew and the natural micro algae and such.

Your tank looks fine. If anything it is too clean for cuc because you are keeping the light off.

Turn the light on so you can progress and eventually have coral…

I have coral right now, And the light was off for the picture, I am on full blue right now.

 

[Exotrezy]

You’re not supposed to have a sterile white tank. That just leads to death and Dino.

I’m not sure what you are trying to do but you just need a healthy balance of clean up crew and the natural micro algae and such.

Your tank looks fine. If anything it is too clean for cuc because you are keeping the light off.

Turn the light on so you can progress and eventually have coral…

I am trying to find the cause of the diatoms, the source. I don't know if I should get CUC as people are saying it is too clean.

 

[Tamberav]

I am trying to find the cause of the diatoms, the source. I don't know if I should get CUC as people are saying it is too clean.

Is this your first diatom bloom? The source is the rock and sand and pumps and everything basically.

Diatoms need silicates but they also need nutrients and other stuff. If you recently added a fish and feeding it, now it has all it needs to appear.

Now it needs to run it’s course.

 

[Exotrezy]

Is this your first diatom bloom? The source is the rock and sand and pumps and everything basically.

Diatoms need silicates but they also need nutrients and other stuff. If you recently added a fish and feeding it, now it has all it needs to appear.

Now it needs to run it’s course.

Isn't phosphate caused by fish food? In this tank this is my first diatom bloom. Added fish about 1 week ago and just got the first couple spots about 2 days ago. Am I allowed to add a yellow watchman goby? I want one and I think that if I do add it, it could help with the sand.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

you can add whatever you want as long as you are cycled but you need to test your water at least 3 days a week for phosphate and nitrate. Diatoms are not an issue at all. All part of the process. Please read more posts here and get good test kits. That also includes Alkalinity which is very important for corals and establishing coralline algae (4-6 months down the road when it first appears)

 

[Tamberav]

Isn't phosphate caused by fish food? In this tank this is my first diatom bloom. Added fish about 1 week ago and just got the first couple spots about 2 days ago. Am I allowed to add a yellow watchman goby? I want one and I think that if I do add it, it could help with the sand.

yes phosphate will be in fish food, you need some in your tank to keep your tank healthy and avoid dinos.

A yellow watchman is fine, but expect to need to vaccume/stir the sand yourself to keep it clean.

 

[coltpwrs7]

Ugly phase took 3 months to really hit for me.

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

I was trying to limit my ugly stage, I did Dr Tim fishless bacteria start, then I got 3 marine pure balls from Topshelf aquatics that was in their system for a very long time to seed, Was dosing Aquaforest mud weekly and added a bottle of pods. I am 6 weeks in and the ugly phase started about the day before xmas alot of diatoms and they got taken out by snails in 2days. Now round two just hit like 2days ago and getting the uglies. Just added a little more cleanup crew but I dont think there is a way to avoid the uglies

Thinking about using life source mud for my new tank howndidbyoublikenit do you think it was worth it?

 

[Exotrezy]

you can add whatever you want as long as you are cycled but you need to test your water at least 3 days a week for phosphate and nitrate. Diatoms are not an issue at all. All part of the process. Please read more posts here and get good test kits. That also includes Alkalinity which is very important for corals and establishing coralline algae (4-6 months down the road when it first appears)

So I need to get phosphate tester? Ok

 

[Exotrezy]

yes phosphate will be in fish food, you need some in your tank to keep your tank healthy and avoid dinos.

A yellow watchman is fine, but expect to need to vaccume/stir the sand yourself to keep it clean.

Ok, thanks

 

[Exotrezy]

yes phosphate will be in fish food, you need some in your tank to keep your tank healthy and avoid dinos.

A yellow watchman is fine, but expect to need to vaccume/stir the sand yourself to keep it clean.

So why am I getting the diatoms? Is it because of the silicates or the phosphates?

 

[lbacha]

So why am I getting the diatoms? Is it because of the silicates or the phosphates?

Because you have new rock and sand, until you get a nice biofilm on them and build up your biome you will have diatoms. There is nothing wrong with diatoms many of the cuc you add will eat them. Make sure your lights are on and they will start growing with is a sign the tank is maturing. Add cuc and blow them off the rocks and you can keep them in check. Once you see the rocks starting to grow green film algae you will know you are getting over the diatom stage. I would also recommend seeing if you can get some sand, rock, cheato or bio media from an established tank. This will add copepods and amphipods, bacteria and other beneficial items to the tank and help you with bio diversity. Add it to the sump if you are concerned about algae or aptasia. It is inevitable you will add these over time unless you have a quarantine tank for you cuc and corals so I would t get too concerned.

 

[Exotrezy]

Because you have new rock and sand, until you get a nice biofilm on them and build up your biome you will have diatoms. There is nothing wrong with diatoms many of the cuc you add will eat them. Make sure your lights are on and they will start growing with is a sign the tank is maturing. Add cuc and blow them off the rocks and you can keep them in check. Once you see the rocks starting to grow green film algae you will know you are getting over the diatom stage. I would also recommend seeing if you can get some sand, rock, cheato or bio media from an established tank. This will add copepods and amphipods, bacteria and other beneficial items to the tank and help you with bio diversity. Add it to the sump if you are concerned about algae or aptasia. It is inevitable you will add these over time unless you have a quarantine tank for you cuc and corals so I would t get too concerned.

The rock isn't new, and half of the sand isn't. This rock was from an old tank that I bought from someone else, and same with half of the sand and the other half was live sand fiji pink. Also I don't have a sump. Could I just buy copepods and add them?

 

[Tamberav]

So why am I getting the diatoms? Is it because of the silicates or the phosphates?

It uses both.

You are getting diatoms because the tank is still young and it is normal and all us dry rock tank people go through this.

it is normallllllllllll :) We can take one look at your rock and know its normal :)

The rock isn't new, and half of the sand isn't. This rock was from an old tank that I bought from someone else, and same with half of the sand and the other half was live sand fiji pink. Also I don't have a sump. Could I just buy copepods and add them?

The rock is very baron, when you say an old tank was it WET? like alive in a tank for a long period? or removed and dried out?

It doesn't look like a rock from a thriving reef, it looks like it was dried out or it is base rock.

Live sand will also still cause diatoms.

You can add bottled copepods.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

So I need to get phosphate tester? Ok

Yes- phosphate and alkalinity since you have coral and want to see your coralline take off. Your rock is going to get so nasty looking before that coralline starts. There is no getting around it. Dark green film and then the purple chicken pox start. Test, be patient, and then test again. One year until
your tank gets a personality of its own.

 

[jabberwock]

This recommendation is for anyone with a new tank that isn’t sure how to work through all the issues they may encounter

You could do all kinds of stuff. I suggest you get a treasure chest from Tampa Bay Saltwater and "SLOW WAY DOWN".

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

so you have money for a hanna tester?? I recommend it for phosphate.