Cool algae dissapeared

[kdogg85]

I got the last of my rock a week ago. One piece had some areas of orange, sky blue, and sublime green algae on it when i put it in and now all but a 3 inch section of sublime green algae remains. I only have the lights on about 5 hrs a day due to we are not home alot, could that do it. I have 4 mex turbos, 3 ceriths, 1 astrea, 3 nassarious snails and 4 skunk cleaners. No fish yet. Could the cuc have eaten it, it looked like different colored coralline algae. I know the lighting isn't affecting the purple coralline because it is starting to spread across the rockwork and have started seeing small patches on the glass and filter intake.

[cmor1701d]

Ssounds like you are still cycling your tank, or mauy have started a mini-cycle with the addition of new rock.
Have you test your water?
Ammonia?
Nitrite?
Nitrate?
pH?
Temp?
Phosphate? if tested.

Coraline algae grows and dies off depending on tank parameters (Light, Calcium, etc.).

[CaptainAhab]

The "purple coralline starting to spread across the rockwork" is most likely diatoms and cyano not coralline. After your tank is established for a month or so check your calcium and Magnesium. Proper levels and if coralline exist in your tank already then you'll see your coralline take off. One way to check is to scratch at it.. If it comes off or brushes off.. It's not coralline

[kdogg85]

It's not cyano, but I do have diatoms starting(looks like dirt on the sand). The algae spreading is coralline(hard as a rock and doesn't scratch off.) Ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, nitrate is 10 or less, calcium is around the 450 mark, phosphates are 0, temp is 78, ph is 8.3

[kdogg85]

Just curious, let's say the manufacturer of the sand lied about what was in it and it did contain silica. How bad and long should the diatoms last. I'm sure the amount present would dictate the length and severity, but are diatoms very heavy consumers of silica and would exhaust their supply quickly no matter how much is present?

[CaptainAhab]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...03/feature.htm
http://www.saltcorner.com/Articles/S...p?articleID=63

Some reading.. Diatoms are a fact of life, silica sand or not

[kdogg85]

ok after reading the 2 articles and looking at pictures for 2 hours, here's what my situation is. I have nothing on the glass, the stuff is all on the sand and rocks and looks like dirt, kinda mud brown like the silt I had after I washed the sand, maybe it's something my snails and shrimp have stirred up I don't know. See the light brown colored stuff, that's what I'm talking about, I cannot find a pic anywhere to match. And if this is some sort of cyano, I will move everyone, get some holy water and say in a televangelist voice(BE GONE SATAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

[cmor1701d]

Diatoms, part of the new tank process.

[CaptainAhab]

cyano will be there shortly

[Kurt_Nelson]

Originally Posted by cmor1701d

Diatoms, part of the new tank process.

Agree 100%.

[kdogg85]

good to know. I appreciate the help. As far as cyano goes, I'm not on any particular lighting schedule. Some days the lights may be on for 4 hours and some days it may be on only an hour or not at all. I have read that lighting is a key to cyano surviving, but what I have seen is people recommend keeping the lights on 5 hours or less a day, which I do 99% of the time. Anyway will the lights being off most of the time actually starve out cyano if it's present or will the cyano just go into a hibernating state until enough lighting is present?

[cmor1701d]

You need to get some light timers and put the tank on a schedule. Good flow across the sand can also prevent the cyano from getting a foothold there.

[thincat]

What time was your "Service"! Not to worry we all went through it...

[kdogg85]

Thincat, what do you mean?

[thincat]

" And if this is some sort of cyano, I will move everyone, get some holy water and say in a televangelist voice(BE GONE SATAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!)" LOL

[kdogg85]

Oh sorry, I actually thought of that from a skit that belongs to Jeff Dunham. He was doing the act with Walter and Walter was talking about his wife. If you haven't seen it go to youtube and look it up. It's hilarious.