Take a look at this picture

You can but I find that clowns are not really hardy enough to withstand an ammonia spike. I have always had success with one yellow tailed blue damsel. They stay pretty docile and are as tough as nails.

 

I heard Damsels are territorial, will I have to remove the Damsel as I start adding other stuff like corals, inverts, and other fish?

 

And you heard right but I have found that yellow tailed blue damsels are pretty much non-aggressive. I have one in my 180 gallon and even though it was the first fish in the tank, it doesn't hassle my other fish at all. I've cycled many a tank with this kind of fish and never had aggression issues. Now, put a domino or a striped damsel in the tank and you'd definitely have problems because those things are evil.

 

What do you think is causing the silicates in my tank?

 

I'm not so sure you have a silicate "problem". Every new tank has a diatom bloom. There's simply no avoiding it. Once your tank parameters settle down to "normal", the diatoms should go away and the most you'll have to deal with is a slight dusting on your glass that you'll have to wipe off from time to time.

 

Wanted to add that when you add live rock and live sand to a new tank, there usually are trace amounts of silicates that end up in your tank water which the diatoms consume. As long as you do not introduce any other silicates into your tank and as long as your nitrates don't get out of control, these diatoms will quickly consume all of the silicates in the tank and then starve to death. When you see the brown stuff on your sand, rock and glass, what you are actually seeing is a heck of a lot of dead diatom algae skeletons.

 

Amcarrig, I'm not sure if his meter says 20 or 0.02. He should test his unfiltered tap water to see what number his TDS meter shows.

The meter I have shows 3 significant digits with no decimals. So, my tap water reads something like 152 and my RO/DI water reads 000 or 001.

 

Thanks for the update Saw. I hate assuming anything especially when it comes to this hobby

 

I don't think there is any need to be freaking out about Silicates. the tank is 12 days old. What you are experiencing is perfectly normal. reduceing your photo period will not help it will only prolong the pain of the diatom bloom.

I would however skip the fish idea (sorry Amcarrig) and just put a uncooked shimp in a filter bag and hang it in the tank. That should jump start the cycle. that way you do not need to have a fish you other wise wouldn't get.

just my 0.02 cents

J

 

My TDS meter reads without a decimal point, I made a fresh batch of RO\DI water and it tested as 003 or 3 no decimal. Also I will wait this out Like Amcarrig said I wait 2 more weeks and see what happens. I won't reduce my photo period as well, wish me luck and I'll update everyone on my progress, thanks again everyone.