Mature to New

[got bait?]

What exactly makes a tank mature? I transferred a 16 mo. old reef 12 gal Nano to 100 gal reef. Used 100+lbs LR from established tank. I guess my question is, when I add the water from nano, will it help to age my new tank? I hated the diatom blooms (like everybody else) is nano when new, and have enjoyed the last year of a brown algae free tank. I have some Brown algae now in the 100gal. Will adding the more mature water help speed up the process or will the sheer volume of the new tank cancel out the benefits.

What exactly happens in a mature tank to deter brown algae blooms? Is it just a more balanced chemistry or is there a presence of some sort of bacteria or other critter that consumes them before they get out of hand.

 

[steve-s]

What exactly makes a tank mature?

Time for the most part but basically a well established and stable ecosystem. That does not mean just water parameters but a healthy sustainable fauna population as well.

I guess my question is, when I add the water from nano, will it help to age my new tank?

Not even a smidgen. Water itself holds very little if any good bacteria and no amount of aged water will help mature a tank. Only hard surface material transfered from an established system to a new one will help. The 100 lbs of LR is a definate plus though. It still won't mean the system will mature right away but it will go much faster.

What exactly happens in a mature tank to deter brown algae blooms? Is it just a more balanced chemistry or is there a presence of some sort of bacteria or other critter that consumes them before they get out of hand.

Neither actually, it's the content of the water. Diatoms are primarily caused by silicates. In new systems there are many "impure" sources used to cut costs that in all honesty are not bad for the start up but do increase the potential for these algaes. The only way to "speed" that process up so to speak is continual dilution with a pure RO/DI source, removing the silicates chemically or wiser still, allowing it to take it's course. Diatoms cannot survive without silicates so as long as they are not continually introduced, the colony will crash eventually.

Cheers
Steve

 

[got bait?]

Only hard surface material transfered from an established system to a new one will help.

I am also going to add (this weekend) the 20 lbs. LS from the nano as well.

but a healthy sustainable fauna population as well.

Do have plenty of Macros in there as well.

I guess I was just hoping for avoiding the unavoidable. Looks like the it's just a waiting game again. I don't like adding adding chemicals just for convenience sake either. I am losing 2+ gal daily in evaporation, so it wont be long til the water is cleanen up. Using RO from LFS until I get a house and own RO system.

I am also using NSW, could this cause problems with the silicates as well? That's all I used in the Nano and everything went great. just a little more costly with the larger tank.

Thanks

 

[steve-s]

but a healthy sustainable fauna population as well.

Do have plenty of Macros in there as well.

Macro's would be flora so to speak (not true vascular plants), not fauna. Basically meaning bugs, worms and other macro/microscopic organisms.

I am also using NSW, could this cause problems with the silicates as well? That's all I used in the Nano and everything went great. just a little more costly with the larger tank.

If it gave you no issues with the nano, I wouldn't expect any in the larger system.

Cheers
Steve

 

[got bait?]

Macro's would be flora so to speak (not true vascular plants), not fauna. Basically meaning bugs, worms and other macro/microscopic organisms.

Good, tank is full of critters. Almost too many worms of various species and a healthy pod population. LR was in a predator free environment for six mos. and Nano never had predators. All inverts, no fish in Nano.

Thanks Steve