Little help with cleanup please

bigggt · 06/25/2006, 02:17 PM

I have a 200 gallon FOWLR tank and have a Porc puffer,Niger trigger,Couple of tangs and a marron clown

The brown stuff that grows on the rocks,front glass, and substrate ,is there a way to control this.I know its probably always going to be there but i thought it eventually dies down(i have had the tank for 2 years).I thought maybe it was because i had no blue legged hemits(for the rocks)but the porc puffer ate them all

this tank was given to me by my mother-in-law and when it was at her house ,she didn't get near as much of this stuff( i know becauseI had to take care of it when she went away)

does this have anything to do with lighting because she gave me the tank with 4 6ft vho's but the ballast were ruined when they had a flud and i am only using 5 4ft flourescent bulbs(no corals)

Anyway here is a pic of the problem

Thanks for any help

gabegmonkey · 06/25/2006, 02:32 PM

It could be several things: too much light(duration), not enough water movement, overfeeding, or use of poor water(tap etc.) and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting/don't know about... HA HA...

Maybe try something to sift the sand too? Don't know what's available that the Puffer won't eat though...

Avi · 06/25/2006, 04:11 PM

That looks like it's "Diatoms." They thrive on silica and lighting and generally disappear on their own. But, after the tank being set up as long as it has been, you'd want to figure out what is the source so you can get rid of it. The first thing to consider is that it could possibly be the particular lighting that you have now that's fostering the growth since it wasn't present to this extent when different lighting was on the tank. It might also be the source water that you used for the tank's setup and, now, the water changes. Some water has higher concentrations of silicates than others so if you're using tap water, it might be that. If you can test for silicates you may be able to tell that way and if your source water is high, you can start using RO/DI water for the water changes and that might help...if it's not the sand in the tank that's supplying the silicates. Anyway, it might be the lighting issue, but it's more likely, IMO, the water source issue. If you find from testing that it is the water source, you could switch to the RO/DI water, like I mentioned. Or, if you just want to address this issue as if it is, in fact, silicates in the water but don't want to use RO/DI water, or if you think it's coming from the sand itself, you could set up a pair of phosphate reactors with a small water pump filling them with a good product like Rowaphos that removes phosphates but also will remove silicates from the water, depriving the Diatoms of what they need to flourish.

I'd also get a couple of Diamond Gobies because they do a really good job of turning the sand over and keeping it white.

bigggt · 06/25/2006, 04:39 PM

Thanks guys for the help

With the fish that i currently have are diamond gobies going to be safe

Avi · 06/25/2006, 04:47 PM

I'd say they would be. Sometimes, they're even offered for sale in fish stores at four-inches

bertoni · 06/25/2006, 04:47 PM

Well, a picture isn't enough to determine whether the film is dinoflagellates, diatoms, or cyanobacteria. I'd guess a mix.
In any case, the pest needs food to grow, so you could try starving it out. The goby fish might do a good job, but some have been known to make a mess throwing sand all over the place. My Yellow Watchman goby pair did keep the sand clean with miminal mess, but I think each fish is a bit of an individual in this regard.

So, for starving the pest, better skimming, less feeding, or growing and harvesting a macroalga are the more common ideas.

06/25/2006, 02:17 PM	#1
bigggt Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 23	Little help with cleanup please I have a 200 gallon FOWLR tank and have a Porc puffer,Niger trigger,Couple of tangs and a marron clown The brown stuff that grows on the rocks,front glass, and substrate ,is there a way to control this.I know its probably always going to be there but i thought it eventually dies down(i have had the tank for 2 years).I thought maybe it was because i had no blue legged hemits(for the rocks)but the porc puffer ate them all this tank was given to me by my mother-in-law and when it was at her house ,she didn't get near as much of this stuff( i know becauseI had to take care of it when she went away) does this have anything to do with lighting because she gave me the tank with 4 6ft vho's but the ballast were ruined when they had a flud and i am only using 5 4ft flourescent bulbs(no corals) Anyway here is a pic of the problem Thanks for any help

06/25/2006, 04:11 PM	#3
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	That looks like it's "Diatoms." They thrive on silica and lighting and generally disappear on their own. But, after the tank being set up as long as it has been, you'd want to figure out what is the source so you can get rid of it. The first thing to consider is that it could possibly be the particular lighting that you have now that's fostering the growth since it wasn't present to this extent when different lighting was on the tank. It might also be the source water that you used for the tank's setup and, now, the water changes. Some water has higher concentrations of silicates than others so if you're using tap water, it might be that. If you can test for silicates you may be able to tell that way and if your source water is high, you can start using RO/DI water for the water changes and that might help...if it's not the sand in the tank that's supplying the silicates. Anyway, it might be the lighting issue, but it's more likely, IMO, the water source issue. If you find from testing that it is the water source, you could switch to the RO/DI water, like I mentioned. Or, if you just want to address this issue as if it is, in fact, silicates in the water but don't want to use RO/DI water, or if you think it's coming from the sand itself, you could set up a pair of phosphate reactors with a small water pump filling them with a good product like Rowaphos that removes phosphates but also will remove silicates from the water, depriving the Diatoms of what they need to flourish. I'd also get a couple of Diamond Gobies because they do a really good job of turning the sand over and keeping it white. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

06/25/2006, 04:47 PM	#5
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	I'd say they would be. Sometimes, they're even offered for sale in fish stores at four-inches __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

06/25/2006, 04:47 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Well, a picture isn't enough to determine whether the film is dinoflagellates, diatoms, or cyanobacteria. I'd guess a mix. In any case, the pest needs food to grow, so you could try starving it out. The goby fish might do a good job, but some have been known to make a mess throwing sand all over the place. My Yellow Watchman goby pair did keep the sand clean with miminal mess, but I think each fish is a bit of an individual in this regard. So, for starving the pest, better skimming, less feeding, or growing and harvesting a macroalga are the more common ideas. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

06/25/2006, 02:32 PM	#2
gabegmonkey Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 413	It could be several things: too much light(duration), not enough water movement, overfeeding, or use of poor water(tap etc.) and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting/don't know about... HA HA... Maybe try something to sift the sand too? Don't know what's available that the Puffer won't eat though...

06/25/2006, 04:39 PM	#4
bigggt Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 23	Thanks guys for the help With the fish that i currently have are diamond gobies going to be safe