BB tanks and diatoms

[polypboy]

Hi there,
I've recently started a new BB setup with rock from an older BB setup which I re-cooked for about 3 weeks after an initail cooking of about 10 before it went in the original setup. The tanks been up for about a week and I've now got a dusting of brown diatoms over some of the tank. Doesn't bode well.

What's the most likely cause of this? Should I be getting any kind of algae bloom with properly cured rock.

was filled with R/O water showing 0 TDS out of the tap and reef crystals salt. The lighting is on 12 hours a day but is pretty feeble at the moment (just 48W supplements at the side of the halide) as there aren't any corals in yet. The oversized skimmer is skimming pretty wet and I'm feeding every other day. Ammonia and nitrites nil, very low levels of trates. Flow is not very high at the moment, just the return pump putting through about 8x.

Am I panicking about nothing or time to pull the rock and cook some more?
Thanks

 

[dwilly]

When I started my bb tank the diatoms didn't kick in until about the 4th week, then they didn't go away for almost 2 months. I never did figure out why I had them so long, but I've had no issues since then. (I thought it was the rc salt, but I guess not since they went away.) I don't think re-cooking the rock would change anything, just wait it out. It's part of the cycle, but usually only for a week or 2.

 

[ludiNano]

Tell us about your system more, tank/sump/ refuge volume.

You had cooked it?? -- no lights 50-100% WC weekly? or cycling??

Your tap water is RO???
What kind of skimmer??

What are you feeding in the tank??

 

[polypboy]

Thanks dwilly.

Tank is 50g, very small 18g sump, no fuge.

Rock was cooked in total darkness usual temp and SG, dunk n' swoosh and complete water change every 3 odd days for the first couple of weeks and then every week for another 8 odd. Rock looking comnpletely clean at the end of it and minimal scum in the bottom of the bucket.

As above, R/O water showing 0 TDS but membrane is a bit old.

Skimmer is a Deltec MC500

Feeding not a lot at the moment - enriched brine shrimp, formula one pellets, frozen pygmy angel formula.

 

[ludiNano]

Cool lets see some pics.
Sorry i was confused with the " out of the tap part"

What fish do you have that your feeding??

I would suspect that the bloom will go away and is a normal part of the matureing of the tank.

I didn't get any from cycling my base rock in BB50 system but i waited 5 months to add any fish and hence wasnt feeding anying for a while.