Diatoms?

BradH · Aug 11, 2016

Hello I'm guessing this is the diatom stage figured these were pretty good pictures of it that's if I'm right about what it is lol. Is there anything else I need to be testing while this is going on? Still haven't seen a spike in ammonia, testing every couple days or so thanks for looking.

ReeferMaddness843 · Aug 11, 2016

Looks like diatoms to me. What have you done to initiate the cycle? How long has it been running?

reeferfoxx · Aug 11, 2016

Looks good! You need some Astrea snails to help eat up the diatoms.

BradH · Aug 11, 2016

ReeferMaddness843 said:
Looks like diatoms to me. What have you done to initiate the cycle? How long has it been running?

All live rock and live sand is the only thing I have done cycle wise I did add backteria some other members on here said it would help out and it's been up only for about two weeks

BradH · Aug 11, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
Looks good! You need some Astrea snails to help eat up the diatoms.

I can put snails in before the cycle is complete?

ReeferMaddness843 · Aug 11, 2016

Just keep eying for the amonia spike then. If want to speed up, you can put a raw table shrimp in a mesh bag for a few days to breakdown and create the spike. Then pull the bag before it gets putrid. After the spike there is a method for dosing raw amonia and checking again in 24 hrs to make sure the bacteria can handle the load. Unsure of the specific dosing amounts so some research may be had for that. Hope this helps.

ReeferMaddness843 · Aug 11, 2016

By speed up I don't mean speed up the cycle. Nothing reefy benefits from speed. It'll just speed the amonia spike.

reeferfoxx · Aug 11, 2016

Well, typically diatoms won't grow until the cycle is over. Have you tested Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrates? I suspect the first two to be at Zero and nitrates might be elevated. You'll just need to perform a water change and do another water test. But I think you are ready for snails.

reeferfoxx · Aug 11, 2016

ReeferMaddness843 said:
Just keep eying for the amonia spike then. If want to speed up, you can put a raw table shrimp in a mesh bag for a few days to breakdown and create the spike. Then pull the bag before it gets putrid. After the spike there is a method for dosing raw amonia and checking again in 24 hrs to make sure the bacteria can handle the load. Unsure of the specific dosing amounts so some research may be had for that. Hope this helps.

He's already added bottled bacteria. Believe it or not, but his cycle is most likely over. he needs snails and maybe a fish if nitrates are low enough.

BradH · Aug 11, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
Well, typically diatoms won't grow until the cycle is over. Have you tested Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrates? I suspect the first two to be at Zero and nitrates might be elevated. You'll just need to perform a water change and do another water test. But I think you are ready for snails.

All tests come back zero haven't done a water change or anything yet I confirmed with my LFS that all test read zero also. So I'm confused lol

reeferfoxx · Aug 11, 2016

BradH said:
All tests come back zero haven't done a water change or anything yet I confirmed with my LFS that all test read zero also. So I'm confused lol

With live rock, live sand and bottle bacteria. Your cycle has been done since the start of your diatom bloom lol... Get some astrea snails and a fish

lol

BradH · Aug 11, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
With live rock, live sand and bottle bacteria. Your cycle has been done since the start of your diatom bloom lol... Get some astrea snails and a fish lol

Well that's good news lol I have a 26 gallon bow front how many snails would be appropriate? And I guess I'll start looking up my first fish

reeferfoxx · Aug 11, 2016

BradH said:
Well that's good news lol I have a 26 gallon bow front how many snails would be appropriate? And I guess I'll start looking up my first fish

Start with 5 astraea. Once most the diatoms are gone then move to a couple nassarius and couple turbo snails.