Diatoms After Cycling

[The Flying Turkey]

My tank just recently finished cycling and well, a diatom bloom has arrived... I'm a little worried about it.

Brown stuff on all the rocks, some on the sand and some on the glass.

Parameters are great.

Temp: 79
PH: 8.2
Salinity: 1.023
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5

Should I start checking for phosphates? I don't have a phosphate test kit yet.

Should I just stay the course and will the diatoms eventually go away?

 

[Nevil]

If I remember correctly diatoms feed off of silica....they should go away on there own.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

If I remember correctly diatoms feed off of silica....they should go away on there own.

You are correct. The diatoms will eventually go away. Do you have any CUC members in the tank? When I saw diatoms, I took that as a sign to add them.

 

[Jonsie]

I understocked my tank when I got my first Diatom bloom and added one more after a few weeks cause i didnt think things were undercontrol by original CUC...
Now you will start to see stuff pop up ! Good and Bad ~ Its exciting!

 

[jrbates08]

My tank (75g) has been up for 21 days and I've had diatoms for about a week now. I have about 5 snails,3 hermit crabs, 5 peppermint shrimp and that's all. It started off slow, then went crazy and my sand, LR and some of the front glass was covered. Then we started getting the green fluffy algae (lol sorry I don't know the proper name) then the brownish stringy algae on the rocks that flow with the current. After about 5 days it started to slowly disappear. I just now got home from school and it looks like alot has been taken care of by my CUC but still have a ways to go. One thing I do have to say tho is....AIPTASIAS G-O-N-E!!! Thanks little CUC

 

[The Flying Turkey]

You are correct. The diatoms will eventually go away. Do you have any CUC members in the tank? When I saw diatoms, I took that as a sign to add them.

All I have so far is 3 Peppermint shrimp to help get rid of a couple of Aiptasia. I'll head over to reefcleaners.com and order up a crew today!

 

[Tahoe61]

All I have so far is 3 Peppermint shrimp to help get rid of a couple of Aiptasia. I'll head over to reefcleaners.com and order up a crew today!

Personally I always wait to add a lot of snail until I have some algae growth going on. Love reefcleaners but you get a ton of snails, they are not going to eat the diatoms, so I would give it awhile. Once you start to see some good film algae growth on the rocks and glass than add some snails, same goes for if you start to see green hair algae.