Dry Rock Expectations

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Sasquatch

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Im having a hoodoo time and getting frustrated, never tried starting a tank with just dead rock, atm ive got diatoms everywhere after a one time shrimp cocktail, how long should this last? anything I can do to make it go away? (wife getting VERY pissed with me running two tanks again lol)
 
How long has your tank been set up and what are your parameters? Sounds to me like your at the end of a cycle due for a good water change and a big CUC. I did a 125 with 5 lbs of live and 100+ pounds of dry. At the end of the cycle it was ugly, did a good water change and a good CUC from John at reefcleaners.org and never looked back.
 
Im having a hoodoo time anything I can do to make it go away? (wife getting VERY pissed with me running two tanks again lol)


Does your wife realize your trying???
There are some very good consulars out there that could help you figure out why you want her to go away!!! HE HE HE

Seriously, Not sure how long it will last. Test your water and see if your cycle is done. If so change a bunch of wtaer and get yourself some critters to start cleaning up the tank.
 
Hey sas! Check with mojo. He just started up with some dry Marco rocks. Wonder what he is experiencing? I know one thing diatoms love is silicates in the water so maybe check your make up water just to be sure you aren't adding additional fuel in there.

Personally I've never used base rock so can't really comment completely here :)


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Last edited:
How long has your tank been set up and what are your parameters? Sounds to me like your at the end of a cycle due for a good water change and a big CUC. I did a 125 with 5 lbs of live and 100+ pounds of dry. At the end of the cycle it was ugly, did a good water change and a good CUC from John at reefcleaners.org and never looked back.
newb answer... parameters all in ok zones, I think haha, no, cycled one time with tiger prawn, nitrates went WILD woof! then went away, now this brown muck yuck!
 
Does your wife realize your trying???
There are some very good consulars out there that could help you figure out why you want her to go away!!! HE HE HE

Seriously, Not sure how long it will last. Test your water and see if your cycle is done. If so change a bunch of wtaer and get yourself some critters to start cleaning up the tank.
She's a tough customer " sorry no cure!" Ill toss another barbie on the grill and wait for the stink
 
Hey sas! Check with mojo. He just started up with some dry Marco rocks. Wonder what he is experiencing? I know one thing diatoms love is silicates in the water so maybe check your make up water just to be sure you aren't adding additional fuel in there.

Personally I've never used base rock so can't really comment completely here :)


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Krish I suspected it was the glass bead substrate and have swapped it out, hope this is just residue, Ive never done dead rock before so its a new kind of mess for me
 
brown diatom bloom is normal and expected for a new tank...can last from 2-6 weeks....water changes are the only thing you can do to get it under control...
 
yes, let it fly...IME, there is on panacea for this..time and patience will end a result of no diatoms.
 
yes, let it fly...IME, there is on panacea for this..time and patience will end a result of no diatoms.
ok, put your ear protectors on Im telling the Mrs you said this LOL, I agree totally and am more than willing to let the diatoms do their job but Some people just tend to nag
 
Yep I got diatoms big time to Sas. Normal shallow SB, all dead rock and did a easy cycle with bacteria in a bottle. I have two out of the ordinary situation though, I have only one MH over a 8 foot tank and its a good 3 feet above (still waiting on my lights) and I had nothin in the tank to eat the brown crud. I put a couple of tangs in and they have eaten all the long stuff and have a heard of snails on their way.

Look at it like this Sas, if you did a new reef with LR you would be going through the Greens (hair algae, bryopsis and so on) with the dead rock your not going to get any of the normal pesty algaes so that kind of leaves the door open for diatoms. Keep the maintenance going and get some snails and such to pound it down.


Mike
 

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