I hate diatoms!!

[TinaFoster]

No sooner do I get the pita nano straightened out do the diatoms start in the 90G. I must say I expected it since I added sand, and the nitrates were going up. Been changing water and testing like mad but the diatoms are so ugly!!! Will they really go away on their own? Should I keep sweeping them off the rocks? How do I keep the hair algae from coming next? Got a touch of cyano on one rock now too. Ugh!

 

[_Alex_]

check out garf.org if your dont have much of a clean up crew yet, they have some nice packages for clean up crews that will take care of it.

 

[Dowtish]

They will go away on their own, even with no water changes.

 

[gmoney243]

Astreas will eat diatoms and what kind. Of sand did u use?

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

How much flow do you have in your 90G? I know when Jim and I started, we didn't have nearly enough. We went through a period of diatoms, then cyano bacteria (the dark red stuff). What media are you using in your filter or sump?

 

[TinaFoster]

Using live sand I got in a bag. Can't remember the brand. It has pink flecks in it and I bought it at Fins. CaribSea maybe? Dunno. Anyway it was wet in the bag.
I have 2 koralia evolution 1400's and the two return spray heads for flow.
In my sump I have a skimmer on one side, and on the opposite side a sand bed with live rock rubble and chaeto. in the middle is the return pump and an airstone.

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

Adding a lot of live sand all at once can upset the balance of system. The tank will equalize again. Although I'm sure there are sucessful tanks out there that don't use any chemical media, you can reduce the diatoms w/ the addition of something that removes silicates, phosphate, ect. (which is what the diatoms eat). There are tons of products out there - phosguard, rowaphos, phosban, chemipure, just to name a few. Adding critters that eat the diatoms/cyano/algae will also help. How much of a clean up crew (CUC) do you have?

 

[TinaFoster]

a few hermit crabs, a longspined urchin, 5 turbo snails, some small snails (cerith maybe) but not many, a peppermint shrimp, 5 or so nassarius snails--not much really. A red linckia star. Oh and a bristleworm or 3! If I'm forgetting something I'm sure it won't add up to much more.

 

[gmoney243]

Wait I thought all women love getting diatoms!!

 

[TinaFoster]

In my tank I'd rather get pearls. Black pearls even. Of course, that would mean having oysters.

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

I have a 90G, like you do. My CUC consists of (counting everything in the Display and the refugium):

• 9 large nerite snails
• 6 small Littorinid snails
• 2 Trochus snails
• 4 Margarita snails
• 8 Nassarius snails
• 10 large Florida Cerith snails
• 30 dwarf Cerith snails
• 8 Strombus maculatus snails
• 10 Zig-Zag Perriwinkle snails
• 1 Carribbean longspine urchin
• 1 Holothuria sp. cucumber
• 1 hawaiian black & gold brittle star
• 5 (or more) Carribbean brittle stars
• 4 mini brittle stars
• lots of bristle worms
• 1 Emerald crab
• 20 blue leg hermit crabs
• 5 reg legged hermit crab
• 1 zebra hermit crab

And I think I'm forgetting something. LOL

 

[TinaFoster]

I need more snails n stuff!
And what did I do today? Buy a fish. Hopeless!
But it's too expensive to buy enough CUC in the Critter. Gotta get online order going. I looked at that garf but all those hermits I wasn't sure. I like them but are they good or bad to have a lot of?
You have snails I've never heard of even!

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

What is garf?

 

[TinaFoster]

A site _Alex_ posted that sells CUC. Their prices are good. They only have cerith snails and hermits though, unless that's all they have right now. The snails definitely would be great. Just not sure how many hermits. I love them, but don't want them to eat stuff they shouldn't. Do all of yours behave?
The site is garf.org

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

I don't have any issues with what I have now. But like anything, always be watchful. Took a really large emerald crab to AC today, as it liked to climb on and cling to my leathers.

There are some hermits that are pretty much reef safe and others that definately aren't. Same with snails, crabs, star fish. Its knowing which ones are and which ones aren't. Do you have some good reference books for inverts?

I've ordered from several online places for my CUC and I like ReefCleaners the best (so far). I believe that diversity is the key - but that is just my opinion.

 

[TinaFoster]

I like diversity! If nothing else there's more to look at.
I have no references for inverts at all.
I'll check out reefcleaners. Thanks!

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

I have several really good books you are welcome to borrow - just not sure how to get them to you in Columbia.

 

[TinaFoster]

Well I'm a mobile disc jockey so I work all over the middle Tn and northern Alabama area. If you let me know what town or area you're in I'd know if I was getting out that way any time soon. But then I'd want to see your tank! LOL

 

[TinaFoster]

And thanks for the offer! Even if I don't get to take you up on it it's the thought that counts