Second diatom bloom?

[Whatnow]

Well after my tank cycled I went out and bought some live rock and a few snails & hermit crabs and all was well I thought, this was on Saturday. Everything was great on Sunday I had got my protein skimmer up and running with a few problems (thanks guys!) but with help got them sorted out and ran it all night and today (Monday), But when I got home the tank was ripe with brown almost clay looking algae

I'm guessing I have silicates in my water? I only have the basic test kit - Ammonia 0 ppm, nitrites .5 ppm , ph 8.1, nitrates 10 ppm.
My nitrites went up from 0 ppm to .5 ppm with the addition of the live rock no big deal will be down in a day or 2.
Should I just let it burn out? What other test kit should I purchase? It really went to town with the lights on today about 9 hours of light........Helpppppppppp.

 

[melypr1985]

Sounds like you've made a lot of changes all in one day! Lights, skimmer, new rock and clean up crew right? That's a lot to do in one day. I would ride it out and keep up with water changes like normal. You could get a phosphate test (most seem to like Hanna for this) which may help you out with future algae blooms. For now, I'd wait it out and keep up maintenance. Don't make any more changes for a bit.

 

[Whatnow]

Yeah I kind of lost it at my LFS at least I didn't get any fish.

Don't make any more changes for a bit

Yeah I definitely hear you and I'll look for that phosphate test.

 

[Blue Lip]

Turn your lights off. When you do water change, use a rodi that removes silicate.

 

[Dtackett]

when you added more rock you added more silicates. you have to let it run its course until the diatoms and silicates level out.

 

[Whatnow]

run its course until the diatoms and silicates level out

Gotcha thanks it just seemed to really explode today.

 

[Dtackett]

yeah. not much you can do to speed it up or slow it down just let it run its course.

 

[JimDog2015]

yeah. not much you can do to speed it up or slow it down just let it run its course.

I have that aswell, should I turn off my lights to help it go away, or just let it run its course.... I have no livestock so the lights are not needed at this point.

 

[Whatnow]

Well I figure I'll leave the lights on 8 hours a day so that way it will burn over faster...?

 

[melypr1985]

I have that aswell, should I turn off my lights to help it go away, or just let it run its course.... I have no livestock so the lights are not needed at this point.

Well I figure I'll leave the lights on 8 hours a day so that way it will burn over faster...?

At this point, assuming both of your tanks are cycled, run your tank the way you normally will. You want stability. So if your going to have your lights running for 9 hours a day, then do that. Do your water changes, run your skimmers and let it run it's course and stabilize. Always use RODI water.

 

[Dtackett]

At this point, assuming both of your tanks are cycled, run your tank the way you normally will. You want stability. So if your going to have your lights running for 9 hours a day, then do that. Do your water changes, run your skimmers and let it run it's course and stabilize. Always use RODI water.

That^

 

[JimDog2015]

Should I still be doing water changes without any livestock?

 

[melypr1985]

Should I still be doing water changes without any livestock?

yes. Get used to it. Do them every week or two weeks and keep doing them consistantly as you add livestock. a proper water change will never be a bad thing for your tank.