The Uglies Have Started. What Type?

[AKL1950]

My tank is going on three months now. I just turned on the lights two weeks ago.

Salinity 34.6
PH 8.0
Temp 78
NO3 7.9
PO4 0.07
ALK 9.9 (I use IO Reef Crystals)

I assume this is the ugly phase starting since I turned on the lights. Tank currently has 6 fish and a couple of shrimp. True color of the new growth is a redish brown fuzz With little hairs in it. It’s only where the light hits the rock. Am I seeing diatoms or something else? Also, is it time to go pick up some snails to start munching it down or just let it run its course?

Jetson

 

[eqbal9947]

Looks like diatoms

 

[w8lifts]

Good time to add copepods

 

[InvaderJim]

Yep normal diatoms.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Let it ride. Diatoms. They will go away, then you will get a green algae on the rocks, which will also go away. No snails or hermits until a few weeks after fish.

 

[AKL1950]

I‘m mr positive, so I take that as a good thing. Biology is moving along. I’ll get some snails and pods to add to the tank.

photoshopped one pic to take some of the blue out.

 

[eqbal9947]

I‘m mr positive, so I take that as a good thing. Biology is moving along. I’ll get some snails and pods to add to the tank.

photoshopped one pic to take some of the blue out.

Pods helped my Diatom problem which was excessive

 

[AKL1950]

Let it ride. Diatoms. They will go away, then you will get a green algae on the rocks, which will also go away. No snails or hermits until a few weeks after fish.

Fish have been in for two months, so ready for a clean up crew. My one little Tomini Tang is getting quite chubby. It gets everything that’s there growing right now. Three more tangs will go in next week. Just hope they all play nice together.

 

[Jekyl]

Get the package from reefcleaners.org for a 90g tank to get yourself started. Will need to add more in a month or 2 when the algae really gets rolling. I'd also start dosing live phyto. Will feed your pods and consume algae.

 

[AKL1950]

Update. It’s been a little over a week since the diatom bloom started. I got a good group of

 

[AKL1950]

Whoops! Hit the wrong button.

I got a good group of cerith snails and red band trochus snails. Also a bunch of copepods. They seem to be doing a great job of mowing down this stuff on the rocks. Changing out filter socks every other day as well.

The overall appearance of it seems to be subsiding. No more new growth and what is there is getting patchy again. Would it help to move it along if I took a brush and surface clean the rock, or should I just leave it alone and let it eat up its food supply.

Jetson