Trying to exercise patience with Diatoms... Talk me off the ledge, please!

[esther]

So, we have the new tank uglies (tank has been cycled for about two weeks). I knew they were coming and I know they’ll go away. Can any of you help with tips on how I can help move the process along without adding chemicals? I’m currently using a turkey baster and blasting all of them off the sand and rocks. I’ve been literally cleaning out our filter socks every two hours today to help get rid of them. Anything else I can do to make sure they don’t drive me any more crazy than I already am?

 

[bjc451]

Everyone will tell you the same thing. I know it’s hard but just leave them be. Get your flow in order, dial in the skimmer if running one and make sure you are using rodi with 0tds. I was battling for 2 months only to find out my di was expired. They went away in 3 days with new water

 

[GoVols]

So, we have the new tank uglies (tank has been cycled for about two weeks). I knew they were coming and I know they’ll go away. Can any of you help with tips on how I can help move the process along without adding chemicals? I’m currently using a turkey baster and blasting all of them off the sand and rocks. I’ve been literally cleaning out our filter socks every two hours today to help get rid of them. Anything else I can do to make sure they don’t drive me any more crazy than I already am?

It's most likely silicates. Just sit back and let your diatoms burn off that fuel.

Also, use RO/DI water for all that you do, including top off water.

 

[WV Reefer]

Let it happen.

 

[esther]

Everyone will tell you the same thing. I know it’s hard but just leave them be. Get your flow in order, dial in the skimmer if running one and make sure you are using rodi with 0tds. I was battling for 2 months only to find out my di was expired. They went away in 3 days with new water

TDS = 0 after last stage (we are using 7-Stage RODI system). VERY hard to just let be. lol

 

[esther]

It's most likely silicates. Just sit back and let your diatoms burn off that fuel.

Also, use RO/DI water for all that you do, including top off water.

What do you think could be the cause of the silicates? The rock? Don't think it's our RODI (brand new 7-stage. Shows TDS out of 0).

 

[SeaJay]

What do you think could be the cause of the silicates? The rock? Don't think it's our RODI (brand new 7-stage. Shows TDS out of 0).

Rock if you started with dry, but sand can do it too. I’ve added sand to mine a couple times and every time I do there’s a brief onslaught.

 

[brandon429]

unrinsed sand is a common cause. few people rinse their new sand, too concerned it strips the bacteria.

Im against leaving diatoms, we dont have to have wrecked tanks, cycling is for bacteria and diatoms can be simply cleaned out. if your tank is so big you cannot clean it, then they will go away. if its a 30 gallon nano, you can make them go away right now.

what you are doing is partial cleaning, if this was a nano reef you could 100% clean it, rinse out the sand, reassemble, it wouldnt harm anything, and you'd skip this phase.

 

[esther]

Rock if you started with dry, but sand can do it too. I’ve added sand to mine a couple times and every time I do there’s a brief onslaught.

We started with old live rock. Bleached it for two weeks and cycled it for 2.5 months in brute cans before we put it in our tank.

 

[bjc451]

I rinsed my sand. But was constantly adding silicates. I was scrubbing the rocks and turkey basting then looked at my di. There was no color left just golden amber lol. Once I got got new prefikters. I turned all pumps off. Scrubbed the rocks. Siphoned then entire sand bed. Turned on two mp40 full blast in a 3foot tank. I stuck a water bottle with holes in the bottom and stuffed it with poly fill on the end of a mag5 and got as much out. Like I said 3 days they were gone. I also turned down the green and red spectrum to very low

 

[bjc451]

I also did the bleach and did a lanthanium chloride treatment

 

[GoVols]

We started with old live rock. Bleached it for two weeks and cycled it for 2.5 months in brute cans before we put it in our tank.

A sand bed would sure contain a lot of silicates.

And, we all get them with a new setup. Chemicals may throw other things off.

I'd just ride them out.

 

[esther]

I rinsed my sand. But was constantly adding silicates. I was scrubbing the rocks and turkey basting then looked at my di. There was no color left just golden amber lol. Once I got got new prefikters. I turned all pumps off. Scrubbed the rocks. Siphoned then entire sand bed. Turned on two mp40 full blast in a 3foot tank. I stuck a water bottle with holes in the bottom and stuffed it with poly fill on the end of a mag5 and got as much out. Like I said 3 days they were gone. I also turned down the green and red spectrum to very low

Do you think it would be helpful if we kept the lights off for a couple of days? We only have 1 fish, some shrimp, some stars and some corals in the tank. But our tank is also in a room with a lot of natural sunlight.

 

[esther]

A sand bed would sure contain a lot of silicates.

And, we all get them with a new setup. Chemicals may throw other things off.

I'd just ride them out.

I'm definitely not going to add chemicals. We had a reef tank years ago and used to chase numbers and stuff with chemicals. We're just going to try and do things as naturally as possible.

 

[GoVols]

Do you think it would be helpful if we kept the lights off for a couple of days? We only have 1 fish, some shrimp, some stars and some corals in the tank. But our tank is also in a room with a lot of natural sunlight.

It would help to cut back your photo period, but that would slow down the process of burning out the diatom's fuel.

 

[esther]

It would help to cut back your photo period, but that would slow down the process of burning out the diatom's fuel.

So, don't turn the lights completely off?

PS : Go Canes... lol

 

[GoVols]

So, don't turn the lights completely off?

PS : Go Canes... lol

I don't like doing blackouts, their really just a cover up for the "real issue" within ones water chemistry.

Just be patient, that's the issue right now, but I sure know that it's hard...

Lol
Go Canes too, Gator Hater over here...

 

[brandon429]

ok so lets say you accept the diatoms. where will the line exist what will you not tolerate from the fully publicly required uglies phase? gha> whats the plan

we have to find a point where we are willing to intervene eventually if this isnt purple live rock helping you do the excluding. diatoms are easy walk in park, but that gha

what if it was dinos? Get resolved right now for a battle royale lol. beat them into submission by sheer action when things get rough, do not let your tank lead you on a 25 month excuse fest to all viewers. not at any time in our work threads do we ever test for nitrate and phosphate, and we surely dont use adsorbing media for them. we simply clean out that which is cloudy, and it cannot hurt any reef. cleaning a reef can't hurt it-old, new, middle, all can be deep cleaned if you pattern the works off a deep cleaning thread.

even a full running reef that has no bad things at all can be disassembly cleaned (Jon/120 gallon rip clean thread) just to stay on top of the game. hands on will someday save your tank, have practice in place on the easy stuff

 

[esther]

I don't like doing blackouts, their really just a cover up for the "real issue" within ones water chemistry.

Just be patient, that's the issue right now, but I sure know that it's hard...

Lol
Go Canes too, Gator Hater over here...

Gator Haters unite! Thanks for all the tips.

 

[DraggingTail]

Le

So, we have the new tank uglies (tank has been cycled for about two weeks). I knew they were coming and I know they’ll go away. Can any of you help with tips on how I can help move the process along without adding chemicals? I’m currently using a turkey baster and blasting all of them off the sand and rocks. I’ve been literally cleaning out our filter socks every two hours today to help get rid of them. Anything else I can do to make sure they don’t drive me any more crazy than I already am?

Let them be. Your tank will be ugly off and on for the next couple of years.