Brown Diatom and Cycling Tank

[bfazio1030]

Im about 2 weeks into my cycle. Amonia is dropping but Nitrites and Nitrates are sky High! I have developed Lots of Brown Algae (Diatoms) on my rock and sand. My question is should I get rid of it along with a water change? I have been dosing with Prime and Stability to keep the fish safe during the cycle. Will a water change interrupt my cycle? I also have some Green Algae as well. Here are some photos. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[brandon429]

Your tank is cycled already, tests are wrong in most systems. It's already supporting life and a wc won't affect any reef post cycle

 

[bfazio1030]

Your tank is cycled already, tests are wrong in most systems. It's already supporting life and a wc won't affect any reef post cycle

So you think the API ammonia and nitrite readings are incorrect?

 

[brandon429]

yes, for these reasons:

all bottle bac used has already been tested in Dr Reef's bottle bac thread to plate onto surfaces within about 3 days max. you're past that, specifically he proofed his closed cycles by doing a 100% change for new water, then re testing ammonia using a different way than looking for hard zero, which api has trouble reading we can see from many forum posts.

the living fish= cycled and the brown growths happen post cycle

 

[brandon429]

Nitrite doesn't factor in updated cycling science see this post:

How to unstick any seemingly stuck cycle

Updated Cycling Science in Action This is a testless reef tank cycling thread, the only one from any board. If you ever had trouble with reef tank cycling in the past, you won't any longer after working some jobs with us. chances are you are using/about to use a method of reef tank cycling...

www.reef2reef.com

that thread mentions some key terms that apply directly to your reef, cycles are this predictable. you're already doing the proofing part which is adding life that stays alive feeding, acting normal.

if you added those fish to dry surfaces, no bottle bac, dead in 48 hours

any animal we can think of dies in 48 hours without kidney function/nh3 control. they may get a few days longer but wont be feeding, walking about acting normal. it'll be deathbed after first 24 hrs, reefs are the same.

we know your ammonia was fine the whole time even if you started with fish, bottle bac is just that good.

 

[Jmasonreef]

Just add some macro algae and don't waste your good saltwater.

 

[brandon429]

agreed that w work fine

this thread demos the reason we needed updated cycling science

actions are stifled up until a cycle is done, then you're free to act, to clean. that point was about a week ago

 

[bfazio1030]

What is Good to keep Brown algae out of my tank? Any recommended Supplement? Vibrant? Clarity?

 

[brandon429]

It's best to manually clean it until the tank ages and it will stop when coralline takes over and or clean up crews. Using chems and additives is likely to cause dinos, which are worse

Getting hands on is better than hands off in every case

 

[bfazio1030]

It's best to manually clean it until the tank ages and it will stop when coralline takes over and or clean up crews. Using chems and additives is likely to cause dinos, which are worse

Getting hands on is better than hands off in every case

Thank you so much for your input! much appreciated

 

[brandon429]

I find it amazing that typing the same things across posts garners wildly different responses, context is a big thing. In your case you’re willing, not wanting to get trade off invasions from dosing many items and a clean open small reef is no big deal to access and put back clean...literally lift rocks, brush off growths over the sink while pouring saltwater over them, takes algae away down sink, set rocks back


we could spray a mist of peroxide on them next round if this easy rinse doesn’t stop it nicely, a little peroxide post-cycle is harmless and a nice kill.

when mentioning to another reefer about to leave the hobby over having not manually cleaned, and tried the dosing option but it didn’t work and now the tank is challenged, the crowd is acting like I’ve told him the worst information in reefing


algae curing is about willingness first, not ID and not param measures. Since you’re willing to rid the algae, it’ll be done

why can’t it always be this easy

 

[vetteguy53081]

Very much associated with new tanks and will go away. In the mean time, to help, you can reduce white light intensity a little and also add cleaners. . . snails such as : Turbo, astrea, nerith, trochus and a couple of nassarius