Diatom baloom??

n4soccer06 · Mar 1, 2019

I'm pretty sure this is my tank's diatom baloom. First, I just want to make sure that I'm right with that. Second, if so, is it time to build my clean up crew? I would prefer to maintain my clean looking rock. Anyone have any suggestions on how to do that?

The tank is 4 months and it's fish only

2 small Clowns
1 small Yellow Tang
1 Coral Beauty Angel

Let me know if you need any other info.

Jason mack · Mar 1, 2019

Yes that's a diatom bloom ...your on your way....
You can add a clean up crew

n4soccer06 · Mar 1, 2019

Awesome, thank you for confirming.
My plan is to add (at some point) a Blue Spotted Puffer, an Mandarin Goby and maybe a Blue Hippo Tang. Anyone have any suggestions on a proper clean up crew?

Fish4udog · Mar 1, 2019

If you're going to add corals to your tank might rethink the fish blue spot puffer and blue tang. My blue tang ate a couple hundred dollars of polyps

Jason mack · Mar 1, 2019

If your going too add a mandarin I would start building up a copepods colony....you will probably get green hair algae next as well ..so turbo snails...nassarus snails...things like that...if you want too keep your rocks bare..maybe adding a small piece of live rock with some corraline algae on it too seed your rocks with ...then you'll have some nice purple and red rocks later..

n4soccer06 · Mar 1, 2019

Fish4udog said:
If you're going to add corals to your tank might rethink the fish blue spot puffer and blue tang. My blue tang ate a couple hundred dollars of polyps

Man, that stinks. Sorry to hear that. I have already made the decision that I don't plan on running coral any time soon.

n4soccer06 · Mar 1, 2019

Jason mack said:
If your going too add a mandarin I would start building up a copepods colony....you will probably get green hair algae next as well ..so turbo snails...nassarus snails...things like that...if you want too keep your rocks bare..maybe adding a small piece of live rock with some corraline algae on it too seed your rocks with ...then you'll have some nice purple and red rocks later..

Yep, every time I hit up my local store I've been buying a bag of copepods. I'll probably continue to keep that up for a few more trips before I even entertaining adding the Mandarin. I've also been addibg them to the refuge in the sump. Awesome, thanks for the info. Turbo snails are definitely on my list. Got yeah, sounds like it might be hard to try to keep it bare rock/white rock. I hadn't really thought about corralline yet.

PDR · Mar 2, 2019

What size tank is it?

n4soccer06 · Mar 2, 2019

Display 60gal
Sump 55gal

PDR · Mar 2, 2019

n4soccer06 said:
Display 60gal
Sump 55gal

I'm not usually one to talk about overstocking, but the yellow tang will eventually outgrow that tank. I would advise against adding a hippo tang. The mandarin may work, but only if you have a large fuge and let both the fuge and tank mature and get a stable pod population over the next 6-12 months.

n4soccer06 · Mar 2, 2019

In my research I thought a yellow tang would be a little big but my LFS said it would be ok. I did get it small so hopefully it will have some time before I have to think about relocating. The hippo was a hope/want. I honestly haven't done any research yet as to whether one would be doable. Sounds like it isn't. The mandarin will be the last fish I get for that reason. Yep, I am trying to build that pod colony now. I purchase a bag of them every time I hit up my LFS. I do really appreciate all the info. Any recommendations on what should be in the refuge?

BeejReef · Mar 14, 2019

u might add some phytoplankton to feed your pods. I've heard they may also help out compete undesirable algae.

n4soccer06 · Mar 15, 2019

William DeCoursey said:
u might add some phytoplankton to feed your pods. I've heard they may also help out compete undesirable algae.

I'm thinking I am going to culture my own colony of pods so that I'm not constantly having to purchase them. In my research, phytoplankton is a must for pods food.

topjimmy · Mar 15, 2019

n4soccer06 said:
Yep, every time I hit up my local store I've been buying a bag of copepods. I'll probably continue to keep that up for a few more trips before I even entertaining adding the Mandarin. I've also been addibg them to the refuge in the sump. Awesome, thanks for the info. Turbo snails are definitely on my list. Got yeah, sounds like it might be hard to try to keep it bare rock/white rock. I hadn't really thought about corralline yet.

If there isn't anything eating them one time add should be fine. You can also culture them really easily in a bucket.