Rusty Stuff:Diatoms?

Hello all---

a rusty color has hit some spots on the Rock----are these the dreaded
"Diatoms"?

Is it time for me to add some little snails and crabs?

Sounds just like diatoms. Soon you'll see some bubbles too around and on
the diatoms. www.geocities.com/bryg30/AquarDiary.html about half way down
you can see my diatom explosion, for your reference.

You don't have to put any animals in there. The nasty brown will last a
while then one day 'poof'! I did happen to have some hermits and they were
fine, however I got my rock locally and, as you can see from the pic, I
didn't start with much rock so my cycle didn't get too severe.

Just test your water once or twice a week. I've been reading your entries,
everything is normal. Sit and have a beer as was suggested.

So when you getting a digital camera?

B


"StringerBell" wrote in message
...
Hello all---

a rusty color has hit some spots on the Rock----are these the dreaded
"Diatoms"?

Is it time for me to add some little snails and crabs?

* StringerBell wrote, On 9/27/2006 3:09 PM:
Hello all---

a rusty color has hit some spots on the Rock----are these the dreaded
"Diatoms"?

Is it time for me to add some little snails and crabs?


You should get a magnetic glass cleaner. The kind that floats if the inside
part falls off. Makes it a lot easier to clean the glass.

Cindy

Hey man,

thanks for your little "new tank diary". I have total envy for "Scott".


"Bryan" wrote in message
...
Sounds just like diatoms. Soon you'll see some bubbles too around and on
the diatoms. www.geocities.com/bryg30/AquarDiary.html about half way down
you can see my diatom explosion, for your reference.

You don't have to put any animals in there. The nasty brown will last a
while then one day 'poof'! I did happen to have some hermits and they
were fine, however I got my rock locally and, as you can see from the pic,
I didn't start with much rock so my cycle didn't get too severe.

Just test your water once or twice a week. I've been reading your
entries, everything is normal. Sit and have a beer as was suggested.

So when you getting a digital camera?

B


"StringerBell" wrote in message
...
Hello all---

a rusty color has hit some spots on the Rock----are these the dreaded
"Diatoms"?

Is it time for me to add some little snails and crabs?

I like the magnetic cleaner too. My hands are in the aquarium all the time
anyway but the magnet makes it nice for quick cleaning spots.

One word of warning though on mag. brush or any sponge, rag, whatever you
use.... be careful around the sand. You'll mix up the sand when you're
down near it. If you get one tiny little piece of rock on that brush, you
will drag it around and scratch your glass. You'll hate yourself.

I don't get near the substrate with the brushes or sponges. I suggest using
one of those scrapers for the very bottom. I start a couple of inches above
the sand and scrape downward into the sand, then shake off any sand specs
before moving on. Just my fix...

B


"Cindy" wrote in message
om...
* StringerBell wrote, On 9/27/2006 3:09 PM:
Hello all---

a rusty color has hit some spots on the Rock----are these the dreaded
"Diatoms"?

Is it time for me to add some little snails and crabs?

You should get a magnetic glass cleaner. The kind that floats if the
inside part falls off. Makes it a lot easier to clean the glass.

Cindy

When you see the bubbles, that's cyanobacteria mixed in.

But yea diatoms are not dreaded. They disappear easily on
their own.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Bryan wrote on 9/27/2006 4:42 PM:
Sounds just like diatoms. Soon you'll see some bubbles too around and on
the diatoms. www.geocities.com/bryg30/AquarDiary.html about half way down
you can see my diatom explosion, for your reference.

You don't have to put any animals in there. The nasty brown will last a
while then one day 'poof'! I did happen to have some hermits and they were
fine, however I got my rock locally and, as you can see from the pic, I
didn't start with much rock so my cycle didn't get too severe.

Just test your water once or twice a week. I've been reading your entries,
everything is normal. Sit and have a beer as was suggested.

So when you getting a digital camera?

B


"StringerBell" wrote in message
...
Hello all---

a rusty color has hit some spots on the Rock----are these the dreaded
"Diatoms"?

Is it time for me to add some little snails and crabs?

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
nk.net...
When you see the bubbles, that's cyanobacteria mixed in.


yeah---its cyanobacteria time in my tank. What role does this stuff play?
What makes it and the Diatms go away?

thanks!

StringerBell wrote:
"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
nk.net...

When you see the bubbles, that's cyanobacteria mixed in.



yeah---its cyanobacteria time in my tank. What role does this stuff play?
What makes it and the Diatms go away?

thanks!


cyanobacteria is normally pretty easy to get rid of, reduce the desolved
nutriants in the water. If you have the constantly in one area of your
tank, you will need to increase the current so the detritus does not
settle out in that area.

But bubbles are not only cyanobacteria they can also mean dinoflagalets.


Kim

Diatoms will disappear easily as the microorganisms become
established. Your glass is a clean slate, so it will get
covered in diatoms easily, and can be easily cleaned off.
Diatoms when looked at with light reflecting off of it
look golden brown, but when looked at it with light
shining through it, look green.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



StringerBell wrote on 10/5/2006 2:06 AM:
"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
nk.net...
When you see the bubbles, that's cyanobacteria mixed in.


yeah---its cyanobacteria time in my tank. What role does this stuff play?
What makes it and the Diatms go away?

thanks!

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
ink.net...
Diatoms will disappear easily as the microorganisms become
established. Your glass is a clean slate, so it will get
covered in diatoms easily, and can be easily cleaned off.
Diatoms when looked at with light reflecting off of it
look golden brown, but when looked at it with light
shining through it, look green.

There is a ton of the rusty alga in there now. Its on the Rocks most exposed
to light, the aquarium sides, and on the sandy floor. How long do they
usually linger in the tamk? Is there a natural solution to clearing it up
sooner (besides waiting?) IE: Some kind of desireable animals that would
like to feed on it?