Brown Diatom/Algae during cycle

[ktipp]

Im currently cycling however I have brown diatom with lilttle bubbles all over the place. Sand has brown as well.

What is the best way to clean this brown during cycle? I have tried the plastic turkey baster but it is not strong enough.

Also, I need a quiet skimmer because this tank is in my bedroom.

Your thoughts?

Thanks
KT

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28g CF-QUAD Nano Cube
26 pounds live rock with sand bed
started 5/20/2012

[allan]

The brown stuff will go away. I'm assuming you knew that since you said "during cycle", yet outside waiting it out I don't really have a suggestion. Is there any particular reason you don't want to just ride it out?

How big is your tank? I've got a skimmer on mine and the only thing that makes noise is the pump, or when the water out of the skimmer is above the water's surface. Never mind, I'm an idiot. Is that a biocube? I didn't think those skimmers made any noise.

[Cammed_02]

Use a gravel siphon hose to clean the sand bed, it's a lot faster than using a turkey baster. All you can do is ride out the algae bloom and get a better clean up crew.

[Big_Pun]

if your not running a good skimmer the diatoms will just keep coming back. usually they go away on their own or as your clean crew stirs them up. get some snails.

[ktipp]

Thanks

[klwheat]

The diatom feed on silicates in the sand/rock you started with. Once the silica is gone (usually a week or 2) the diatom will be gone as well. As long as you don't add sand/tap water/or anything else with silica...you should never see diatoms again. Just wait, and it will disappear - happens in all new tanks. As far as skimmer - I have an aquaeuro nano skimmer in my JBJ 28g cube. It's fairly quiet...but not the best skimmer around either. Once broken it, and adjusted (lots of trial and error) it does okay though.

[BBQHILLBILLY]

Are you using tap water?

[ktipp]

No, using RO.

[klwheat]

just give it a bit. It'll probably get a little worse (brown/orange and NASTY looking) then it'll die off over a few days. No biggie.

[BBQHILLBILLY]

No, using RO.check tds. What reading do you get?

[ktipp]

Tds?

[Zack]

TDS is total dissolved solids and is measured in parts per million. If your RODI unit is doing it's job then you should be at zero ppm meaning you have pure water with no contaminants

[ktipp]

Good question. I buy my premixed salt water and RO for top offs from the LFS. I assumed it was good.

[BBQHILLBILLY]

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Category=207&Sub=149

The portable TDS meters are really nice and inexpensive. The TDS meter in the cup shows how you check your water anywhere.

[KING]

..How much do u pay for saltwater?
i get ro from the wall..but i was charged 1 time wen i was lazy 2.50 at a shop..when its 1.00 at the wall.. just wanted to know

[ktipp]

$0.50 for RO and $1.25 for Premixed salt at Elogant Reef

Where is the wall?

[grouch]

Patience, patience, patience !!! The tank will clear. Get some salt, a 50lb. mix bout $15(Kent at AD). a small power head Maxijet bout $15, 5 5 gal buckets with lids from Lowes or HD bout $15, I will give you my old hydromitor free until you can aford a refractometer and mix your own water you will be saving .75 cents a gallon x 25 gallons(5 5 gal buckets) = $18.75 plus gas for lets trips to LFS. It will pay for itself in no time. Only mix 5 gal at a time though and save the rest for top off and more water changes.

[grouch]

I've never tried but can you get an accurate reading from a TDS meter with RO/DI that is premixed with salt ???
Seems to me you need to test befroe salt is mixed.


check tds. What reading do you get?

[Scutterborn]

I've heard that u will destroy a Tds meter if u test SW with it. That's what I've heard.

[klwheat]

I've never tried but can you get an accurate reading from a TDS meter with RO/DI that is premixed with salt ???
Seems to me you need to test befroe salt is mixed.
No, you have to check it before the salt is mixed (you can check their RO water though). Once the salt mix is in, everything added with the salt shows up as dissolved solids.

[grouch]

That's what I was thinking. Also a home RO/DI unit is advisable. I was getting water hauling buckets befroe I got one, it gets old fast. When my unit arived it had a TDS meter with it. I checked what was left of my LFS water and it read 22 TDS, it went down the drain, now I get 0 to 2 TDS all the time.



No, you have to check it before the salt is mixed (you can check their RO water though). Once the salt mix is in, everything added with the salt shows up as dissolved solids.

[ktipp]

What model RO do you have grouch? Id neex that as well if I mix my own salt water.

I agree, the trips to LFS gets old fast.

KT

[grouch]

Air water Ice home and reef. One of MAAST sponsers, but there are others just as good Buckey Supply another sponser has them too. Will run about $200 depending what model.

[ktipp]

Thanks

[ktipp]

The solution to the diatoms/brown was to wait it out. It took a week.