What is my tank doing and what next?

hugebass · 01/14/2007, 06:37 PM

9 day old tank. Specs are: (pics below)

- 75g Glass (not predrilled)
- 75lbs Fiji Totoka (Cured)
- 80lbs Carib-Sea LS
- Current Outer Orbit HQI (48") 560 total Watts
- 2 x 900 Maxi-Jets
- 2 x 1200 Maxi Jets
- CPR CS100 (HOB) Overflow
- Undertank Sump with:
- 10lbs Fiji Totoka (Cured)
- 10lbs Miracle Mud (refugium)
- Chaeto Macro Algae (refugium)
- ASM Mini G Skimmer

All I see is diatoms blooming like crazy...

Ammonia: 0
PH: 8.3
Nitrate: < 5
Nitrite: 0
Phosphate: 0

I have 5 small snails that aren't doing jack-squat.

You can see one in my pic. Tank is really cloudy too.

rodd1rj · 01/14/2007, 06:40 PM

Did you use tap water to fill up or for top off, or do you use an RO/DI. Phophates might be present but are being used by the algea as fast as they are being produced so no reading would show.

hugebass · 01/14/2007, 06:47 PM

I did use tap water. I would have used RO, but I was a mis-informed in the beginning by my LFS.

ACBlinky · 01/14/2007, 09:21 PM

Looks perfectly normal to me, you're on your way. If the rock was cured and you used live sand, after nine days you could well be over the initial cycle. If the snails are doing well, you can probably start slowly adding some more of the cleanup crew. I'd stick with snails and maybe a few hermits for now, adding more as food (algae) becomes available. Once you're sure the tank is fully cycled you could begin adding fish one at a time (I suggest quarantining them first), saving the most agressive for last.

drummereef · 01/14/2007, 10:11 PM

The diatoms are normal as the tank cycles. I would however highly recommend getting a quality RO/DI unit. www.thefilterguys.biz have great products and sales support. I'm very pleased with mine. Save yourself a headache for the future and get one - you won't be sorry.

hugebass · 01/15/2007, 08:01 AM

Thank you. Yes I also believe my tank is cycled. The snails are doing great. I think the diatom bloom was worse due to the tap water and extended lighting. I cut back my lighting to 7-8hrs.

I'll do some thread research on best cleanup crew. Thanks again.

hugebass · 01/15/2007, 08:16 AM

One more question,

Should I be 'dusting' off the live rock, and picking off the cyano? -OR- should I just leave it alone for the janitors?

serpentman · 01/15/2007, 08:36 AM

Removing it can be physically challenging as it usually breaks apart. If you can get it out, it wouldn't hurt. IME, many janitors avoid it and go for the more tasty algae. In the end, the best way is to keep up the water quality and it will waste away.

rustybucket145 · 01/15/2007, 08:53 AM

Second the RO/DI, I would blow any cyano off the rocks with a baster, just to keep it from getting out of control.

01/14/2007, 06:37 PM	#1
hugebass Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 5	What is my tank doing and what next? 9 day old tank. Specs are: (pics below) - 75g Glass (not predrilled) - 75lbs Fiji Totoka (Cured) - 80lbs Carib-Sea LS - Current Outer Orbit HQI (48") 560 total Watts - 2 x 900 Maxi-Jets - 2 x 1200 Maxi Jets - CPR CS100 (HOB) Overflow - Undertank Sump with: - 10lbs Fiji Totoka (Cured) - 10lbs Miracle Mud (refugium) - Chaeto Macro Algae (refugium) - ASM Mini G Skimmer All I see is diatoms blooming like crazy... Ammonia: 0 PH: 8.3 Nitrate: < 5 Nitrite: 0 Phosphate: 0 I have 5 small snails that aren't doing jack-squat. You can see one in my pic. Tank is really cloudy too.

01/14/2007, 06:40 PM	#2
rodd1rj Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mt. Pleasant, MI Posts: 224	Did you use tap water to fill up or for top off, or do you use an RO/DI. Phophates might be present but are being used by the algea as fast as they are being produced so no reading would show. __________________ Ryan.... Go wings.... Fire up Chips Current Tank Info: 110 gallon reef, SPS, LPS, and Softies

01/14/2007, 09:21 PM	#4
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	Looks perfectly normal to me, you're on your way. If the rock was cured and you used live sand, after nine days you could well be over the initial cycle. If the snails are doing well, you can probably start slowly adding some more of the cleanup crew. I'd stick with snails and maybe a few hermits for now, adding more as food (algae) becomes available. Once you're sure the tank is fully cycled you could begin adding fish one at a time (I suggest quarantining them first), saving the most agressive for last. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

01/14/2007, 10:11 PM	#5
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	The diatoms are normal as the tank cycles. I would however highly recommend getting a quality RO/DI unit. www.thefilterguys.biz have great products and sales support. I'm very pleased with mine. Save yourself a headache for the future and get one - you won't be sorry. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

01/15/2007, 08:36 AM	#8
serpentman part time superhero Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Deep in the Heart of the Snowbelt (NE OHIO) Posts: 5,698	Removing it can be physically challenging as it usually breaks apart. If you can get it out, it wouldn't hurt. IME, many janitors avoid it and go for the more tasty algae. In the end, the best way is to keep up the water quality and it will waste away. __________________ BS in Marine Bio ('96), First SW tank in 1992. Current Tank(s) 300g SPS with 90g frag tank and 40 anemone tank - decommissioned 46g LPS/Softy Cube 300g FOWLR under construction - decommissioned

01/14/2007, 06:47 PM	#3
hugebass Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 5	I did use tap water. I would have used RO, but I was a mis-informed in the beginning by my LFS.

01/15/2007, 08:01 AM	#6
hugebass Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 5	Thank you. Yes I also believe my tank is cycled. The snails are doing great. I think the diatom bloom was worse due to the tap water and extended lighting. I cut back my lighting to 7-8hrs. I'll do some thread research on best cleanup crew. Thanks again.

01/15/2007, 08:16 AM	#7
hugebass Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 5	One more question, Should I be 'dusting' off the live rock, and picking off the cyano? -OR- should I just leave it alone for the janitors?

01/15/2007, 08:53 AM	#9
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	Second the RO/DI, I would blow any cyano off the rocks with a baster, just to keep it from getting out of control. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals