Diatoms in new tank? And cleanup crew recommendations please...

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Where do they come from?

I don't understand the question.

 

[Dan_P]

I don't understand the question.

While Boston is near the ocean, it seemed unlikely to me that diatoms were carried by the wind to an aquarium inside a home. It turns out diatoms can form spores, giving them a greater chance of finding a home by floating in the air.

I would also like to investigate the possibility that bottled bacteria are a source of diatoms in a new aquarium. The other source is just spores carried home from the pet shop.

This might seem like counting the number of angels dancing on the head of a pin

 

[Dan_P]

While Boston is near the ocean, it seemed unlikely to me that diatoms were carried by the wind to an aquarium inside a home. It turns out diatoms can form spores, giving them a greater chance of finding a home by floating in the air.

I would also like to investigate the possibility that bottled bacteria are a source of diatoms in a new aquarium. The other source is just spores carried home from the pet shop.

This might seem like counting the number of angels dancing on the head of a pin

@taricha, did your small aquariums used in the study of the development of nitrification capability ever develop diatoms? I would be interested in the treatments that did not involve introducing any livestock.

 

[Dave-T]

While Boston is near the ocean, it seemed unlikely to me that diatoms were carried by the wind to an aquarium inside a home. It turns out diatoms can form spores, giving them a greater chance of finding a home by floating in the air.

I would also like to investigate the possibility that bottled bacteria are a source of diatoms in a new aquarium. The other source is just spores carried home from the pet shop.

This might seem like counting the number of angels dancing on the head of a pin

 

[Dave-T]

Well, I started with live sand, so they probably came from there. But I do live on the ocean, the water is probably 30 yards from my house. Regarding my windows, yes there are some windows near the tank. I haven’t turn the lights on yet.

 

[Dan_P]

Well, I started with live sand, so they probably came from there. But I do live on the ocean, the water is probably 30 yards from my house. Regarding my windows, yes there are some windows near the tank. I haven’t turn the lights on yet.

I so envy your house location!!

 

[taricha]

@taricha, did your small aquariums used in the study of the development of nitrification capability ever develop diatoms? I would be interested in the treatments that did not involve introducing any livestock.

Those systems never got any light, so they developed no photosynthetic organisms. Nitrate was stable in those systems over days, weeks, months.
Additionally, they were each started with some low quality Petco "live rock" in addition to biospira. So they would have had diatoms introduced initially anyway.
I've always taken the notion of diatom and cyano (and probably Dino) introduction as inevitable eventually with live rock and coral additions. So never really looked into the exact methods for them becoming introduced to the system.

To y'all's point, it might be interesting to see which typical organisms actually do just come in on the air and are unavoidable, versus which ones need actual material brought into the system to gain entry.

 

[Dan_P]

Those systems never got any light, so they developed no photosynthetic organisms. Nitrate was stable in those systems over days, weeks, months.
Additionally, they were each started with some low quality Petco "live rock" in addition to biospira. So they would have had diatoms introduced initially anyway.
I've always taken the notion of diatom and cyano (and probably Dino) introduction as inevitable eventually with live rock and coral additions. So never really looked into the exact methods for them becoming introduced to the system.

To y'all's point, it might be interesting to see which typical organisms actually do just come in on the air and are unavoidable, versus which ones need actual material brought into the system to gain entry.

Thanks for the update.

I am definitely a fan of “the aquarist introduces all the pests”. It seems that introduction of pests by air, splash from another aquarium or carried on the aquarist hands from the pet shop could happen but unlikely to be an important route of inoculation.

 

[taricha]

I am definitely a fan of “the aquarist introduces all the pests”. It seems that introduction of pests by air, splash from another aquarium or carried on the aquarist hands from the pet shop could happen but unlikely to be an important route of inoculation.

I'm kinda a fan of the idea that some form of cyano would just find its way in on the air.
I mean, there's types of photosynthetic bacteria that can harvest "light" from just geothermal heat in the deep ocean. They are like the ultimate demonstration of "Life finds a way".

 

[Dan_P]

I'm kinda a fan of the idea that some form of cyano would just find its way in on the air.
I mean, there's types of photosynthetic bacteria that can harvest "light" from just geothermal heat in the deep ocean. They are like the ultimate demonstration of "Life finds a way".

Sure, the chance inoculation cannot be eliminated. I was thinking about all the contaminated solids added to an aquarium being set up and realized the aquarium hobby is one big pest swap.

 

[Dave-T]

So I have 50 banded Trochus snails coming tomorrow. I got them here. I read somewhere to get 1 snail for every 1-5 gallons. So for a 240 gallon tank, that's probably not even enough. But my LFS advisor thinks it is too much - the thinking is that if they die due to some lingering ammonia in the tank or something, that would be a lot of dead snails rotting in the tank. Thoughts? Should I just add 10-20 of them?

And should I quarantine them? Dip them? Rinse? This will be the first living things I've added to the tank other than cycling bacteria, so I'm nervous about contamination.

 

[Dan_P]

So I have 50 banded Trochus snails coming tomorrow. I got them here. I read somewhere to get 1 snail for every 1-5 gallons. So for a 240 gallon tank, that's probably not even enough. But my LFS advisor thinks it is too much - the thinking is that if they die due to some lingering ammonia in the tank or something, that would be a lot of dead snails rotting in the tank. Thoughts? Should I just add 10-20 of them?

And should I quarantine them? Dip them? Rinse? This will be the first living things I've added to the tank other than cycling bacteria, so I'm nervous about contamination.

Feed them. A new tank has no food.

 

[ABQ_CHRIS]

I was given the advice recently to just temperature acclimate my new snails. It "worked" and all survived, but I don't know if better advice exists.

I think your tank does have food unless things have changed from your original pictures?

Short of throwing in some busted up algae wafers, you CAN turn up your lights to encourage more growth.

50 seems like a lot, but I have always had Nanos. If you had a do over, start small and increase if they can't keep up.

 

[Dave-T]

Feed them. A new tank has no food.

I’ll give them some viddles after they’re done munching on the diatoms.

 

[Dave-T]

I was given the advice recently to just temperature acclimate my new snails. It "worked" and all survived, but I don't know if better advice exists.

I think your tank does have food unless things have changed from your original pictures?

Short of throwing in some busted up algae wafers, you CAN turn up your lights to encourage more growth.

50 seems like a lot, but I have always had Nanos. If you had a do over, start small and increase if they can't keep up.

How small a nano? This is a 240 gallon tank, so that’s 12 20 gallon tanks…. I could also put some in the sump, plenty of diatoms there too.

 

[ABQ_CHRIS]

I had an 8 gallon and a 12 before my current 20. I have a single trochus, 2 nassarius, and 3 ceriths.

 

[ABQ_CHRIS]

Not that I think that my numbers are right. I just wanted to come at it low and adjust up if needed. I think we're all learning and winging it as best we can.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

So I have 50 banded Trochus snails coming tomorrow. I got them here. I read somewhere to get 1 snail for every 1-5 gallons. So for a 240 gallon tank, that's probably not even enough. But my LFS advisor thinks it is too much - the thinking is that if they die due to some lingering ammonia in the tank or something, that would be a lot of dead snails rotting in the tank. Thoughts? Should I just add 10-20 of them?

And should I quarantine them? Dip them? Rinse? This will be the first living things I've added to the tank other than cycling bacteria, so I'm nervous about contamination.

Those are TINY!! I wonder if they grow to "normal" size or if they are a dwarf species? My trochus are almost as big as some of my Mexican turbos.
I think 50, 1/2 inch snails will be fine. You should probably forgo any other methods of removing the algae though until you see how big their appetites are.
As for quarantining, do you know if they come from a fishless system? If so, that *should* eliminate quite a few of the parasites we worry about.

 

[Dan_P]

I’ll give them some viddles after they’re done munching on the diatoms.

Feeding them does not stop them from eating diatoms. They are like dogs, they eat and eat. Keep them healthy and they will return the favor.

 

[Rick Mathew]

I'm kinda a fan of the idea that some form of cyano would just find its way in on the air.
I mean, there's types of photosynthetic bacteria that can harvest "light" from just geothermal heat in the deep ocean. They are like the ultimate demonstration of "Life finds a way".

Here is an interesting article in Science Digest that supports .. the "on the air" thought ...They actually call it the "air bridge" hypothesis

Bacteria may travel thousands of miles through the air globally

Bacteria may travel thousands of miles through the air worldwide instead of hitching rides with people and animals, according to scientists. Their 'air bridge' hypothesis could shed light on how harmful bacteria share antibiotic resistance genes.

www.sciencedaily.com