Diatoms in just 4 days.

tdi64 · Feb 4, 2021

Hello new to forum and wouldnt say new to saltwater tanks but new to a reef bulid. Mostly had triggers etc in the past. I have set up a Fluval evo this past week. Tank setup was rather easy and basic got some catalina water from LFS along with LR and some fiji pink LS. Added a intank media basket with floss, biochem elite, and some marine pure media gems. Also kept the biomedia that came with the tank. Along with dosing tank with fluval cycle. Last I added a fluval cp1 for more flow. Been running lights about 10 -12 hours a day and tank temp was a bit low the first day around 73-75 and has been pretty steady a few days around 78. Ran some tests on the water
am 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Ph 8
My question is why am i already having a diatom bloom on just a single piece of live rock in just 4-5 days? Seems a bit fast? Am i ready for CUC that fast? Thank u

reefwiser · Feb 4, 2021

Most likely if the rocks where in water at the LFS. Then the diatoms came along for the ride. A small tank like this will need a ATO. An it is best to use RO/DI for top of water. As tap water will have silicate in the water.

tdi64 · Feb 4, 2021

reefwiser said:
Most likely if the rocks where in water at the LFS. Then the diatoms came along for the ride. A small tank like this will need a ATO. An it is best to use RO/DI for top of water. As tap water will have silicate in the water.

reefwiser said:

Most likely if the rocks where in water at the LFS. Then the diatoms came along for the ride. A small tank like this will need a ATO. An it is best to use RO/DI for top of water. As tap water will have silicate in the water.

Click to expand...

Like there was a small amount on the rock then bloomed ? Cause the rock was looked like the other one when put in. Also have only had to drop salinity down a bit and used a small amount of distilled water. Tap water has never entered tank. Have not needed a top off.

Rubberfrog · Feb 4, 2021

Lights 10-12 hours a day on a one week old tank. Shut those off.

tdi64 · Feb 4, 2021

Rubberfrog said:
Lights 10-12 hours a day on a one week old tank. Shut those off.

tdi64 · Feb 4, 2021

Rubberfrog said:
Lights 10-12 hours a day on a one week old tank. Shut those off.

Thank u for the advice. Whats the reason for shutting down the lights ?

polyppal · Feb 4, 2021

what is 'catalina water'?

your lighting is fueling algae growth. cut them way down or off for a while. or just run them when your at home checking out the tank

tdi64 · Feb 4, 2021

Sorry should have clarified. Catalina is a small island about 2 hours boat ride from southern cali. My lfs gets there water from there

Rubberfrog · Feb 4, 2021

tdi64 said:
Thank u for the advice. Whats the reason for shutting down the lights ?

Lights grow coral and algae. You don't have coral (yet), and you don't want algae.

tdi64 · Feb 4, 2021

Ok i thought a diatom bloom moving on to a algae bloom were a normal cycle ? Just thought it happened to fast.

Rubberfrog · Feb 4, 2021

tdi64 said:
Ok i thought a diatom bloom moving on to a algae bloom were a normal cycle ? Just thought it happened to fast.

They are normal, but there is no advantage to aiding or accelerating them.

polyppal · Feb 4, 2021

tdi64 said:
Sorry should have clarified. Catalina is a small island about 2 hours boat ride from southern cali. My lfs gets there water from there

Oh I didnt know they collect and sell water like that

tdi64 · Feb 4, 2021

Rubberfrog said:
They are normal, but there is no advantage to aiding or accelerating them.

Noted lights are off lets see how this progresses.

tdi64 · Feb 4, 2021

zbryce said:
Oh I didnt know they collect and sell water like that

Its california nothing is sacred and its all for sale lol

polyppal · Feb 4, 2021

tdi64 said:
Its california nothing is sacred and its all for sale lol

Lol direct from the Catalina Wine Mixer!

tdi64 · Feb 4, 2021

So i guess i am being over zealous wanting to already add so CUC ?

polyppal · Feb 4, 2021

tdi64 said:
So i guess i am being over zealous wanting to already add so CUC ?

I wouldn't just yet, it seems like you might not be cycled-stable yet and those diatoms could've come from silicates in the water/rock/etc...

If they are diatoms they will die off on their own along the way

tdi64 · Feb 4, 2021

zbryce said:
Lol direct from the Catalina Wine Mixer!

Yup. So i guess i am being over zealous thinking i can add some CUC ?

brandon429 · Feb 4, 2021

you have a skip cycle reef, zero wait. the bottle bac added was not needed, post a pic of your rock.

matured reefs (the rock you used) produce diatoms routinely and support them in balance. we only cycle dry rocks added, not live rocks, we paid extra for them to skip cycle.

need pics for a live rock study thread though. when I read your title of the thread I knew it was cycled before opening, because only sources of live import produce diatoms as biocastings within a few days.

dry systems won't do that. ocean water matters too, that's an input source in case the live rock here is actually dry/not live. some element of being cycled is what brings in diatoms.

one picture will shore things up nicely, of the rock in question. live rock has unmistakable colors and textures and dry rock is all boring.

tdi64 · Feb 4, 2021

zbryce said:
I wouldn't just yet, it seems like you might not be cycled-stable yet and those diatoms could've come from silicates in the water/rock/etc...

If they are diatoms they will die off on their own along the way

Thank u sorry for my erratic posting new to forum life and posting and replying in correct areas