[tommiegary]

I am new to all this reef tank stuff and I am trying to learn it best and fast as I can. This tank been going about week and half. I had bought cured rock and had my watered test few days ago and the nitraes and nitires ( not sure how to spell these sorry) were high but with tank still setting up was told its ok. now today I noticed a fast growing somthing on my sand and rock. can anyone help me what this is and is it trouble? any help please thanks
I not sure how to add pics I added them as files..... its a gold looking stuff growing on my sand and rock? any help please

[Samper]

This is called a diatom bloom and is 100 percent ok and normal. In time with care it will go away. Search for it here and you will find more reading than you can handle.

[Reefland]

Hi tommiegary,


As Samper mentioned, this is Diatoms and a natural part of a cycling tank. I would suspect you will experience this for 2-3 weeks but will reside as the tank develops.

[tommiegary]

thanks this place is great for people like me scared to death of doing the wrong thing..... I never seen things grow so fast in a tank.... thanks again everyone..... as of now I dont have any fish or snails or crabs or shrimp..... is its time to add anything.... like the clean up crews..... thanks again!

[Reefland]

You should not begin adding any clean-up crews until your ammonia and nitrite levels are undetectable and your nitrate levels stabalize or begin to fall. At that point you can begin adding some, my recommendation for snails is here:
http://www.reefland.com/rho/0305/medprod3.php