The Puffer Forum

Everything I've heard about diatom algae is it will disappear as fast as it comes, when you treat the problem. Phosphates and/or high nitrates. I scraped mine off the glass, so I could see in LOL! But left the rock alone, and it went away completely on it's own.

RO water will take care of the phosphates, but you'll need to dose with minerals etc, calcium, if you are going to try corals. I'm having good luck with tap water, and using a product called PhosGuard in my filter. Many do recommend RO water.

PufferMe! wrote:Everything I've heard about diatom algae is it will disappear as fast as it comes, when you treat the problem. Phosphates and/or high nitrates. I scraped mine off the glass, so I could see in LOL! But left the rock alone, and it went away completely on it's own.

RO water will take care of the phosphates, but you'll need to dose with minerals etc, calcium, if you are going to try corals. I'm having good luck with tap water, and using a product called PhosGuard in my filter. Many do recommend RO water.

Yeah I've read numerous times that diatoms are just part of the process and will fade out once the nutrients are used up that they will thrive on. My glass has only had a couple like dime size patches on it that have disappeared, thanks to the snails I assume. I had seen some on the sand bed but that has also gone for now as well. I'm definitely seeing in on the Macrorocks and some on the live rock. Its just so much harder to tell with the live rock versus the white base rock. Its not bad and I'm sure the CUC is helping but I will clean what I can. Still trying to keep the nitrates lower so I'm sure thats helping the algae along as well lol. I can't wait for the coraline algae to start covering the rocks.

I am using treated tap water at the moment and haven't had problems. I have also tested my water and it is clear of nitrates and such. But I do not know what it may contain along the lines of TDS or anything else. This worries me for when I want to get corals and for nuisance algae outbreaks that could result. I am also worried about what things that could build up over time from the tap water, collecting in the rocks, etc. It just seems safer to used RO/DI for long term success. I've went back and forth on this and have decided the filter will be worth it.

The dosing would still depend on what corals and how many you had. A lot of what they will need will be replenished during water changes through the salt mix. Before I get myself in deep with any corals I will get test kits for calcium, etc to know what may need dosing.

You are doing it all correct. I'm getting corals that are easy to care for, and will probably always stay with those and nothing else. I'm happy with mine, despite they are "easy" I think they are very pretty. Now that I have plenty, I'm just going to let those grow out and cover rock etc. over time. My Frogspawn already have new polyps.

Gwen

PufferMe! wrote:You are doing it all correct. I'm getting corals that are easy to care for, and will probably always stay with those and nothing else. I'm happy with mine, despite they are "easy" I think they are very pretty. Now that I have plenty, I'm just going to let those grow out and cover rock etc. over time. My Frogspawn already have new polyps.

Gwen

Thats my approach with corals as well. I'll be sticking with mushrooms, zoas, and similar. Also, at least a frogspawn as far as LPS is concerned but no SPS/hard corals. I don't plan on getting many either, just a few I like and let them grow out.

A few more pictures.


Full tank shot with lighting on and background up




Diatoms are obvious on this rock...



And my netrite snails seem to pile up together...favoring this corner for a while. One of those snails in my tank is huge, larger than a quarter, maybe two!



Not much else going on with tank lately. Any more additions will be put on hold for a bit until after holidays, after I receive my RO/DI, skimmer, and feel as though I've gotten a fairly stable tank working with water changes/etc. Nitrates are still staying higher than I want but lower than they were. I've been siphoning the top of the sand bed and performing frequent water changes to keep bringing them down. This has proved a little difficult lately with my schedule and my daughter coming up sick. Slowly but surely though. Still feeding just every other day, switching around with foods, and very sparingly since there is only one fish at this point. I also removed the HOB filter. Also happy to say my starry blenny will now eat the algae sheets, don't believe he even touched them at first and was fed brine shrimp at the LFS. He'll now finish off what I put in the tank at a time and is out much more picking at the glass and rock. Can not wait to get more life into this tank! Some corals are next to provide more decor and more broken lines of sight (more so when it grows out down the road). Hoping it will grow along with my future GSP and help control any aggression issues and such.

Your tank is looking great. I love my GSP and once I get any kind of pet, it's my commitment to care for it etc, . . . but if I could do it over again, I'd get a Valentini puffer. I saw one at PetCo, and he was soooo cute!! I think a bit more attractive than the GSP. Just a thought, since you haven't gotten a puffer yet. GSP's do limit you, but so far mine has been "nice", but I do worry as he becomes full grown, as far as my corals and any other fish I may be putting in. Thinking clowns now.

Gwen

Very nice . I've been trying to figure out my rock work as well but its turning out harder then I thought.

Wonderful decor job! Looks like diatoms are starting.

PufferMe! wrote:Your tank is looking great. I love my GSP and once I get any kind of pet, it's my commitment to care for it etc, . . . but if I could do it over again, I'd get a Valentini puffer. I saw one at PetCo, and he was soooo cute!! I think a bit more attractive than the GSP. Just a thought, since you haven't gotten a puffer yet. GSP's do limit you, but so far mine has been "nice", but I do worry as he becomes full grown, as far as my corals and any other fish I may be putting in. Thinking clowns now.

Gwen

Thank you! I feel the same with pets as well. I wouldn't get a dog, cat, etc that I wouldn't keep for it's lifespan and I wouldn't do that for fish either.

You know, funny you mention that, I'm having second thoughts on the puffer. I do like the look of GSPs but with the tank size and wanting additional tankmates (more so the aggression factor there) I've been looking into different marine puffers that would be suitable for the tank. I would like a pair of clowns, (one orange and one black ocellaris), which I've already talked to my LFS and they'd be able to get me both and for a good price.

I also know I want corals now but know thats a gamble with any puffer...

Tim wrote:Very nice . I've been trying to figure out my rock work as well but its turning out harder then I thought.

Thank you!

The rockwork was definitely harder than I expected it to be. Even with what little bit I had (75lbs total live/base) it took me a few hours on two separate days. I'm still not even sure I'm happy with it

I also have ten more pounds of live tock coming, been a delay, that I'll have to place.

Pufferpunk wrote:Wonderful decor job! Looks like diatoms are starting.

Thank you!

Yes, they definitely are! It doesn't seem to be a bad bloom, I've definitely seen worse. Seems to stay on just the rock. I've seen only a spot or two on the glass. I hope it fades quickly.

So I'm pretty excited as I got my skimmer and RO/DI unit yesterday! I also received a gift card for saltwaterfish.com

I have yet to even mess with the RO/DI unit yet. I need to get it figured out and go ahead to get some water ready for top-off and water changes but I also need to find a better container for water changes.

The skimmer is out of the box and my boyfriend put it together but is not up and running yet. Its huge, much bigger than I expected! I'm clueless with skimmers so I'm sure I'll be asking for advice regarding it and making sure I'll have it up and running properly. This is the skimmer I have..

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-octo ... immer.html

Good choice? I read good things about it, it has good reviews, and is rated for larger than the size tank I have.

My issue right now with getting the skimmer running is figuring out how to get it on the tank. I don't believe there is enough space from the back of the tank to the wall and I don't see how I can place it on the side of the tank with the light system. I'd definitely appreciate any suggestions here. I'd hate to have to practically drain the tank but don't know what else I could do.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to using my new toys and getting this tank more properly set up

What lights are you using? Does it have legs? My Backpac is between the legs on the side of the tank.

Pufferpunk wrote:What lights are you using? Does it have legs? My Backpac is between the legs on the side of the tank.

Yes it has legs. I'm hoping I can fit it on the side, it'd certainly be easiest. I haven't exactly tried just yet, haven't had the time, but just looking at it I don't see how it could fit. It very well may though. I can't get a picture from the side or anything at the moment, at work, but I can when I get home. This is a picture I've post previously from a little while back and might give an idea. The lights run the entire length of the tank so I just assumed it wouldn't fit but again I haven't tried. The right side is up against the wall also.



I'm kinda nervous about setting it up and getting it running since I'm completely clueless about skimmers period and the instructions were vague. I'm afraid of it overflowing or something. I'm going to watch some videos first.

I also have something growing on my live rock that I can not id yet even after googling. I took pictures but don't have my camera with me right now and haven't uploaded them to my computer yet. Guess I'll make a thread when I can post them pictures. They're in two or three spots and are like bright green sprouts/stalks, still pretty tiny. My blenny, snails, and hermits all leave it alone, whatever it is.

You'll have to remove the light to fit it on there.

Pufferpunk wrote:You'll have to remove the light to fit it on there.

Yeah, I figured it wouldn't work out on the side. I did not think about that when getting a light. There is space in terms of width but I'm pretty sure I'll have to move the tank out a bit in order for it to fit on back, which will be fun. I'll look into it more when I get home from work tonight and see.

I am pretty sure I just identified what I've seen pop up on my live rock. Its much smaller in my tank at the moment but looks like Neomeris annulata.