0 Nitrate in New Tank w/ Diatoms

[BetterJake]

Tank has been set up for one week, used live sand and rock from LFS and have been dosing MB7 daily since day 1. Tank cycled fairly quickly and I added a couple of clowns late last week. I'm now going through a Diatom bloom in the tank with Nitrates at 0, previously at 2ppm before the bloom. I'm assuming the diatoms are consuming the nitrates?

Here's where I'm confused reading through numerous threads...

1. Do I leave everything as is and just let the Diatoms run their course? If I do that and Nitrates remain at 0 doesn't that pose of risk of a new algae taking over after the diatoms.

2. Attempt to raise my Nitrates by feeding more, turning off ReefMat, or dosing? But if the diatoms feed on Nitrate would that not make them worse?

Not sure what direction to take here? I do have a CUC coming from ReefCleaners later this week as well

 

[Timfish]

I would just leave it and increase frequency and/or amount you're feeding your fish. I'd also rexcommend checking out these links below:

Establishing a Healthy Microbiome in a New Aquarium Using Live Rock

Studying the effects of live rock in a newly established aquarium shows that high-quality live rock promotes the rapid establishment of an effective biological filter and a microbial community similar to those found in mature reef tanks.

www.reef2reef.com

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems


Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes


Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont


BActeria and Sponges


Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)


Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching


Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

 

[BetterJake]

I would just leave it and increase frequency and/or amount you're feeding your fish. I'd also rexcommend checking out these links below:

Establishing a Healthy Microbiome in a New Aquarium Using Live Rock

Studying the effects of live rock in a newly established aquarium shows that high-quality live rock promotes the rapid establishment of an effective biological filter and a microbial community similar to those found in mature reef tanks.

www.reef2reef.com

"Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" This video compliments Rohwer's book of the same title (Paper back is ~$20, Kindle is ~$10), both deal with the conflicting roles of the different types of DOC in reef ecosystems. While there is overlap bewteen his book and the video both have information not covered by the other and together give a broader view of the complex relationships found in reef ecosystems


Changing Seas - Mysterious Microbes


Nitrogen cycling in hte coral holobiont


BActeria and Sponges


Maintenance of Coral Reef Health (refferences at the end)


Optical Feedback Loop in Colorful Coral Bleaching


Richard Ross What's up with phosphate"

Wow. Thanks for taking the time for this response! I'm going to add these videos to my playlist. TY!

 

[Lavey29]

How did you determine your one week tank was cycled prior to adding fish? What was your ammonia source for your cycle? What was your nitrates count before fish?

 

[BetterJake]

How did you determine your one week tank was cycled prior to adding fish? What was your ammonia source for your cycle? What was your nitrates count before fish?

Tank was reading 0ppm ammonia with 2ppm of Nitrates, when I decided to add the fish. I did not introduce an ammonia source. The only thing that has been going into the tank is a daily addition of MB7, per their instructions for a new tank (5ml for every 50 gallons each day for first 14 days).

 

[Lavey29]

Tank was reading 0ppm ammonia with 2ppm of Nitrates, when I decided to add the fish. I did not introduce an ammonia source. The only thing that has been going into the tank is a daily addition of MB7, per their instructions for a new tank (5ml for every 50 gallons each day for first 14 days).

MB7 lowers nitrates during use. You should check ammonia level again. If you have 0 nitrates then you may be going through a mini cycle even though you added live ocean rock.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Fwiw, I just started a tank with all live ocean rock and live sand, I'm almost to week 2 and nothing major at all has happened I'd consider ugly even though lights have been on full and I only added one dose of Nitribiotic and one dose of AF Life Source. No fish yet either. The only thing I did was add some of the water the live rock had been sitting in while I was setting up the tank which I know had some nitrates but I didn't add very much of the water from that tank anyway. Oh and I add a little Phyto every night for the microfauna and once in a while sprinkle a few pellets in since there are starfish in there. Gonna be interesting to see how things play out regarding the "ugly stage".

 

[BetterJake]

MB7 lowers nitrates during use. You should check ammonia level again. If you have 0 nitrates then you may be going through a mini cycle even though you added live ocean rock.

Ammonia still showing 0. I should elaborate that by live rock I mean "live rock" from my LFS. How long the rock was actually sitting in the vat is anybody's guess.