What is this pink stuff?

[twisted]

Have you had a diatom bloom yet? Just wondering. Most tanks experience a diatom bloom as part of the initial cycle. It can come three or four weeks after set up or three or four months. It usually lasts a couple of weeks and then goes away on its own.

Diatoms can be controlled by limiting silicates in your water. Diatoms require silica to build their cell walls. Once the excess silica is exhausted, the diatoms seem to disappear. They're not really completely gone, just unnoticeable.

ninong, i learn so much when i read your posts

[tgurn45]

im sure others have posted this.
it is red/pink slime. I just got over it in my tank. Phosphate and nitrates are huge contributers to this algae. if you don't already have on i suggest a phosphate reactor, mine is the kent marine reactor and it works GREAT!

[Ninong]

ninong, i learn so much when i read your posts

Well, that was the short version. The longer version is that diatoms require silicic acid to create biogenic silica for the construction of their cell walls. For most other types of phytoplankton, the necessary nutrient ratio is 106:16:1 (C:N:P). That's 106 atoms of carbon, 16 atoms of nitrogen and 1 atom of phosphorus. That's called the Redfield Ratio because it was discovered by a guy name Redfield in 1934.

However, for diatoms the ratio is like this: 106:15:16:1 (C:Si:N:P) and it's called the Redfield-Brzezinski ratio, apparently after a guy named Brzezinski who figured it out in 1985. Obviously there is abundant carbon available in the saltwater of your aquarium but you can limit diatoms by reducing the available silica. Diatoms need a lot of silica, almost as much silica as nitrate. Once they exhaust the excess silica in the water, their numbers will fall dramatically. Remember to reduce phosphate down to less than 0.03 ppm and you will screw up the ratio not only for diatoms but for Cyanobacteria and a whole lot of other nuisance crap.

Cyanobacteria, by the way, are a little more complicated. I'm not absolutely certain that the Redfield ratio applies but I do know that Cyanobacteria use nitrogen as their primary nutrient source; however, without phosphate, Cyanobacteria can't utilize the nitrate to complete photosynthesis. Without photosynthesis, Cyanobacteria cannot reproduce. All of this applies to seawater environments, not freshwater.

I suspect that the 16:1 (N:P) ratio applies to a lot of marine life. That just happens to be the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus in the ocean and isn't it amazing how living organisms evolve to match their environment.

[7digits]

WOW!!! My mind is now blown away! Ummm, I can't even think of what to do now. Thanks for the wealth of knowledge Ninong. My tank has been going for 3 1/2 months now. I got more flow. I have a Koralia 2 that says it pushes 600 gph. Is that enough for a 29 gallon tank? Should I get a Koralia Nano for the other side? I also went to feeding every other day as I only have 2 fish and a shrimp plus the snails. I'm know they don't eat everything. I have the next 2 days off, so I'll have time to get it siphoned out. I tried the turkey baster, what a pain in the ummm neck. I have a crappy instant ocean master test kit. It came with the setup that petco duped me into buying. More on that when I start a build thread. Let's just say I should have checked Craigs List. I would have gotten a larger tank, and everything to go with it for less. I do not trust most of my test results. I need a better test kit. I need a phosphate test, a calcium test, and a magnesium test. I'm not quite ready for corals, but I'm getting there. About a month and a half ago I started using RO water for my water changes, and this past weekend I got my lights., so I was able to toss the eclipse 3 hood in the trash. I was also without my fuge light for a few days because it got partially knocked in the water. I have been working on getting my salinity up. I've had to do almost everything on a budget because the wife likes to use it against me.(Chasman was a big help) So, I lay in the bed with her till she falls asleep and then I get up and spend time on the aquarium, and then I get on Call of Duty. Saltwater and Modern Warfare 2! Oh, and Reefland. Usually that cuts into my playing time.

[7digits]

Just got home from a long 12 hour night at work, just checked the tank and it looks like the cyano is almost gone. I also found a snail on it's back. Unfortunately I wasn't in time to save the little guy. I've saved them so many times, this is the first one I lost. One astrea down.

[Ninong]

My tank has been going for 3 1/2 months now. I got more flow. I have a Koralia 2 that says it pushes 600 gph. Is that enough for a 29 gallon tank? Should I get a Koralia Nano for the other side?

I think you should get the other one, too. More flow is always better as long as you can manage it without blowing everything over.

I also went to feeding every other day as I only have 2 fish and a shrimp plus the snails.

I don't agree with this idea. In fact, I would suggest feeding twice a day. Just feed smaller amounts. Most fish don't eat every other day in the wild. They feed every day, all day long. Make sure you are feeding the appropriate food for your particular fish.

I have the next 2 days off, so I'll have time to get it siphoned out. I tried the turkey baster, what a pain in the ummm neck.

It's going to go away on its own if you fix the underlying causes. If you don't fix the underlying causes, you will be siphoning it out daily and it will still come back.

I have a crappy instant ocean master test kit. It came with the setup that petco duped me into buying.

You need decent test kits for calcium, alkalinity, nitrate, magnesium and phosphate. Get the calcium, alkalinity and nitrate test kits right away. I used LaMotte test kits for calcium and alkalinity but I suppose Salifert might be adequate. I did use Salifert test kits for most of the other stuff. Decent test kits are not cheap.

More on that when I start a build thread. Let's just say I should have checked Craigs List. I would have gotten a larger tank, and everything to go with it for less.

Yep! You will regret not getting something a little larger to start with. I think a standard 75-gal tank is just about the minimum size for a first reef tank. The tank itself is not the biggest cost item, it's all the other equipment. It would cost almost the same for all the other equipment whether it's a 75-gal tank or a 29-gal tank. Test kits, for example, are the same.

I've had to do almost everything on a budget because the wife likes to use it against me.

Try to wait until your wife goes shopping and then make a quick visit to your LFS for stuff.

Never take your wife to the LFS... for lots of reasons. Such as: she will see just how expensive everything really is. She might be tempted to 'surprise' you with a new fish for your birthday, maybe one whose color matches the drapes.

The LFS employees might greet you by name. It's never a good day when you go to the LFS with your wife and all the employees know your first name.

If your wife notices a new fish in your tank, tell her it was a door prize. If she notices a new coral frag in your tank, tell her it 'grew' from the live rock. Never charge stuff on a credit card that your wife pays every month. Believe it or not, one guy was really that dumb. He charged $3,000 worth of new tank and equipment on their joint credit card and told his wife it was less than $1,000. She freaked out big-time when the bill came.

You don't have to worry about your wife seeing you come home with a bag of test kits. She would never in a hundred years believe they cost as much as they really do. I doubt she would even bother to ask you how much they cost.

So, I lay in the bed with her till she falls asleep and then I get up and spend time on the aquarium...

Whenever your wife complains about how much time you spend on your tank, just tell her that at least she knows where you are. There you are, right there at home. What if you took up bowling and stayed out with the guys until 2 a.m.? Would that be better? Ask her that? LOL

[7digits]

Ninong your wisdom is astounding. Thank you for sharing it. I've just been hoping that a nice coral would get her into it. I guess that's not gonna happen. She has told me that she likes it, but she also likes to use it against me. I wish I had a bigger tank, but we don't have much room right now. She's told me that I can have a bigger one as soon as I buy a house. I guess that's my motivation. As far as the cyano goes, in the mornings it seems to be less. After the lights have been on a while it tends to show up more. Should I alter my light schedule a bit for a while? The light fixture is new. I got it from Chasman who only used it for a day.

[Chasman]

Michael

Ninong's responses are always the best aren't they? I've learned a ton from him.

If you have a K-2 in there I would only add a k-1 or even a nano. I have 2 K-1's and a nano but I only added the nano because I bought it for another reason. I think 2 k-2's would be too much. My clown fish already has issues with the water flow. He just hangs out in the calm spots which there aren't too many.

The new light may have excited the cyno but it will fade in time. Keep sucking it out and get some flow in that area.

As nice as a 75 sounds, let's show these boys that we can do it in 29!!!!

It's all about the husbandry

Chasman

[Ninong]

As far as the cyano goes, in the mornings it seems to be less. After the lights have been on a while it tends to show up more. Should I alter my light schedule a bit for a while?

No, I wouldn't alter the light schedule just because you have a little Cyanobacteria. The reason it's more after the lights have been on for a few hours is because it's photosynthetic. It's growing before your very eyes.