New Guy Needs Help

Houston

brown diatoms - the brown is actually the skeleton of the dead diatom
these diatoms use silicates to construct themselves , once all the available silicates are used up they die off

my experience - in a large set up with mostly base rock they appeared at about week 4 and where gone by week 8 - no action on my part they had used up all the silicates by week 8 and they where gone - when I added new power heads/ wave makers or a new sand bed , I had a brief localised diatom issue , the diatoms appeared on either the new plastic or on the new sand bed . the duration on these occasions was about 1 week

on a 5 gallon nano I recently set up, they arrived and burned out in weeks 2 and 3

if your not using tap water, you will have a similar experience, you dont need to do anything, they come and they go
if you are using tap water and your tap water has silicates in it, then their existance is prolonged



Steve

 

Forgot to mention I do have 10 nessarious snails. Oh mmcdonald its a 35ish gallon Half moon. Cascade 700 filter (canaster). Odessy 30 lights 1 36w actinic or somthing. 1 12000k daylight.

Is that what you were askin

 

Yes, those are the param's I was referring to.

In addition to Ca and Alk, you'll want Magnesium and Phosphate.

Do you have Specific Gravity??

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I am down in Clear Lake. Peredhil is up on your side of town. There is a North Houston Club within 3reef. You should consider looking it up. Those guys close to you can probably help you out.

M

 

Yep. Any fish or corals? Hope you waiting....

Get those param's posted.

The diatoms will go in time. The real focus is getting through the cycle and controlling your water parameters. Sometimes I think reef keeping should really be called water keeping.

M

 

Sure dont. I am lookin into a refractometer thou. I know that dont help now.

I was thinkin of doin the reef club, but I got 3 kids barely enough time for the tank. Let alone cash.;D There all girls

 

Stats am 0 nitrite 0 ph 7.8 nitrate 10-20 Just finished cycleing 2 weeks ago. New set up.
Fish 2 damsels. Waiting on corals. I dont really even have enough live rock yet.

 

I meant joining within 3reef for information and someone local to call. Doesn't cost anything, might save time

M

 

I wouldn't worry about the pH until you get a refractometer. If you can't test your salinity, you don't if you have too much or not enough salt in the water. That would definitely be step #1.

More live rock is a good step #2. That will help in the long run.

The 20 nitrates isn't bad but 0 is better. Make sure you are BARELY feed the damsels. Over feeding is a very common mistake. I found fish need much less than you think. I have to discipline myself to feed what I think is VERY little.

I know this doesn't sound like "fun" advice but the 3reef motto applies here. Go SLOW.

I'd get the refractometer, additional test kits and live rock and just sit for a month. Let the LR get cured. Let the bacteria in the tank catch up. When you are down to zero consistently for a few weeks (3-4), then add to your bioload. Patience now will pay off later.

Just my thought based on MY mistakes.... wish I had done that now. Live and learn, but helps others with your mistakes.

M

 

agreed with post above, it will go away soon. till then you should invest in the basics: SG meter should be bought tomar, and phos, Ca, Mag, test kits need to be bought to go along with your other test kit.
if your tank finished cycling 2 weeks ago and has been up and running for ~6 weeks total a good water change is probably in order. WC is typically done after your cycle is complete and so your maybe overdo for one.
pic of the rest of setup? sump?