Understanding diatoms

[mbssampley]

My tank is about 6 weeks old. My nitrates are 0, sg is 1.025, pH is about 8.0 - 8.1 and been using a buffer but wonder if I should stop, one fish in my current 29 gal FOWLR. I want coral someday after everything gets established. I have diatoms growing on the glass, sand, and rock. I have had my fish for about 2 weeks now. Is it time to get a clean up crew or will the diatoms hurt them? I have heard both ways. Also, will a water change help the diatoms go away? I didn't perform one this last week because my parameters where great. I use R.O. Water, Red Sea Coral Pro salt, chemi pure elite, floss, and purigen. Also a Tunze 9002 skimmer which is pulling out medium tea colored skimmate. I just don't quite fully understand diatoms and when they will go away.

 

[bribo12]

Diatoms use silicates to build their shells. Once they use up all the available silicates they disappear. They're harmless

 

[mbssampley]

Will a cleanup crew benefit from them or get harmed?

 

[bribo12]

They will eat them. Definitely not get harmed. However you can just wait them out as well.

 

[mbssampley]

Thanks!

 

[PB_Smith]

My hermy's are currently loving them

Added some Fiji mud to my refugium a week ago, the extra minerals sparked a bloom, now just waiting for all the diatomaceous dust to settle, so-to speak.

 

[mbssampley]

Great! I ordered my cleanup crew yesterday. Getting 6 snails ( no turbos), and 3 hermits. Hope I'm not starting too many in there.

 

[PB_Smith]

I have five hermits and they have managed to keep it "cropped close" each day. The hermits sleep all day and the brown uglies return, and the hermits scour the rocks when they wake up. LOL
There are three of them up on the top most rock now, munching away.
By morning the majority of that rock, which fills 75% of the bottom, will be relatively clean. They are also helping keep some cyano in check and not letting it grow beyond a small patch or two.

 

[mbssampley]

Great! I should be fine I think since you have a 30 gal. I can always add a little later if needed. I only have tiny amounts of a pretty bright green algae and diatoms. My PO4 is .02ppm and NO3 is .5ppm so my algae is under control for now. I guess I don't need to do a water change yet unless my NO3 rise since it's a FOWLR right now, right? How many snails do you have? Any?