Is there always a diatom bloom?

Jordan berry · Jul 29, 2015

Is there always an algae bloom in a new tank. I had 1 rock turn a little brown and 1 a little green and some film on the glass. I checked my phosphate and it was way high between .25 and .5. So I started my phosban reactor and now am at 0. Also since turning it on it appears I am starving my cuc. So my question is. Will some algae start to grow? My chaeto in the fuge isn't growing but it's not looking fragile either. My tank has only been up for 2 weeks. So I'm sure it takes time for a tank to not look sterile but am curious if diatoms will happen for sure.

ndrwater · Jul 29, 2015

Diatoms are a bit different from Macro or Micro Algae. Sounds like you are starving off the micro, and subsequently your clean up crew. Being that the tank is only 2 weeks old, I would let your tank run it's course.
To answer your original question about diatoms, which look more like shiny green slime, usually with bubbles inside, probably. But, that said, part of the process. It will go away on it's own usually with time