Diatoms?

[Grimreaperz]

Hello everyone.

Thanks in advance.

Day 37 of my 36g bow front tank.


Saw first sight of Diatoms on Day 33 (first pic). minor nothing to big or anything.

Today they are out of control. (Second and third pic)

I have no live stock yet.. I am waiting for my LFS to get the Snails I want in...Trochus.

I have done a 5g water change 2 days ago.

I have read that these are normal and will pass with time as the feed of silicates in the sand? If this true or is there more I can do to get rid of new tank uglies sooner?

here are my tests as of yesterday.

pH 8.4
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
KH was 60 mg/l (Super low...)
Ammonia 0
Phosphates 0
Calcium 400

 

[ozreef88]

Im experiencing a small amount of Diatom growth in my 35g tank as well. Im 11 days in. Apparently its all part of thr lifecycle of an early tank. Im not too worried at the moment, im just cleaning them off my glass when I can. I have a sand sifting star and a fighting conch in my tank right now and they are doing a good job of keeping my sand clean for the time being.

 

[Grimreaperz]

Im experiencing a small amount of Diatom growth in my 35g tank as well. Im 11 days in. Apparently its all part of thr lifecycle of an early tank. Im not too worried at the moment, im just cleaning them off my glass when I can. I have a sand sifting star and a fighting conch in my tank right now and they are doing a good job of keeping my sand clean for the time being.

Yeah guess i just need to work on getting my CUC.

 

[mcgyvr]

welcome to a new tank..
normal..

 

[billdogg]

Im experiencing a small amount of Diatom growth in my 35g tank as well. Im 11 days in. Apparently its all part of thr lifecycle of an early tank. Im not too worried at the moment, im just cleaning them off my glass when I can. I have a sand sifting star and a fighting conch in my tank right now and they are doing a good job of keeping my sand clean for the time being.

PLEASE return the Starfish! Sandsifting stars are barely suitable for a large (+100g), well established system. Yours is going to starve to death, but in the meantime, it will destroy any and all organisms in your sand bed that you need to have for a healthy system. If your LFS sold that to you knowing the details of your system, find another LFS. Research what you buy BEFORE you buy it.

welcome to a new tank..
normal..

Diatoms are a part of pretty much all systems and are present to some extent all the time. I have found that with my systems that I tend to have in increase in spring and fall and that they will go away on their own in short order,

hth

 

[ozreef88]

PLEASE return the Starfish! Sandsifting stars are barely suitable for a large (+100g), well established system. Yours is going to starve to death, but in the meantime, it will destroy any and all organisms in your sand bed that you need to have for a healthy system. If your LFS sold that to you knowing the details of your system, find another LFS. Research what you buy BEFORE you buy it.

I'll take my chances.

 

[BigEZ77]

i'll take my chances.

-1

 

[sirclintler]

-1

Yeah -2

 

[ozreef88]

I didn't want to derail this thread, sorry. The sand sifting star was given to me by my local LFS. He's heard of the negativity regarding keeping those stars but in his personal experience he's had no issues, either in new or mature tanks of all sizes. Let's get back to OP's diatom problem.

 

[Grimreaperz]

yeah I am waiting for my (not so) LFS about a 1hr drive from my place. to get some more Trochus Snails in...as there are truly what I desire in my tank and am willing to wait instead of throwing a bunch of stuff I don't want in my DT.

I did water tests again today and they are still reading good. Nitrates even went down to 0 again.
Ammonia 0
phos reads 0
nitrites 0

I will just be patient as I have been thus far. Hopefully my LFS gets the snails in soon.
I have crushed coral as my sand bed as the old LFS I went to recommended it....Regretting this (don't go here anymore unless for supplies and def dont listen to their advice). Will probably get sand and just mix it in. Hopefully this will prevent anything from hiding in the pockets....