Help and advice needed. Water, Diatoms

[klim]

Hi Seniors, need your advice what should I do.

I have started the tank since May 12, Rock has been reusing dead Rock and I have also used tap water to wash the sand since it was in my previous setup untouched for quite sometime. Water is using Salt mixed with DI water.

The tank is without any live stocks. Still cycling.

I have setup a down flow ATS. The purpose was to get green Algae but now after 3 weeks, it seems to be capturing gold brown algae. See picture below.

The rock seems to be also having patches of it.

I am running the ATS about 12hrs and also a skimmer. Currently setting up a refugium.

What should I do?

1. Continue cycling the tank without adding live stocks?

2. I have been dosing bacteria if I don't have poos, the bacteria will also die off. Am I right?

3. Can I start adding live stock and at the same time solving this problem.

I was once told that leaching of silicate and phosphate will happened and it will take someone before it stable down. Hope this do not affect the life of fishes.

Appreciate and thank you bro and sis for any good advice.

[Gouldian]

I have never used ATS before but from what I have read, you need to seed your ATS with algae.

IMHO, if you don't seed the ATS, the ATS will be populated with whatever micro-organisms / alga that is available in your tank. From the looks of it, not only diatoms but cyano bacteria has colonizes your ATS.

I am not sure whether this will be temporary, it has been documented that Cyano and Diatoms are the first to colonize bare rocks in nature.

Just my thoughts, maybe reefer will more experience with ATS can advise.

Source:

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/The%20Natural%20Reef%20Aquarium.html

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/resourcesquality/toxcyanchap2.pdf

http://plankt.oxfordjournals.org/content/19/12/1793.full.pdf

[klim]

Hi Gouldian, thanks for sharing.

I have actually seeded the ATS with green algae from a kind reefer in the initial setup. However as weeks passed, the brown has taken over the green and now it is entirely brown and part of my sump before the skimmer.

Actually I was thinking if I don't have this ATS setup, would my rock be covered with the brown stuff already.

You did told me that my rock/sand will leach and it did.

Can I still go ahead to start keeping fishes? Coral will be later till more settled.

Regards

[Gouldian]

To determine whether your tank is ready for fishes and coral, test your Nitrite and Nitrate.

[RockyBoy]

Your ATS need food, very low colour temperature such as 2700 to 3000K to grow the green algae and higher flowrate.

[klim]

bro Gouldian, my no2 is 0 and no3 is 10ppm.

[klim]

Hi rockyboy, my ATS has 2 lights both 2700k 24w. It's running 12hrs.

[Gouldian]

bro Gouldian, my no2 is 0 and no3 is 10ppm.

Should be safe to start with some hardy fishes. Good luck!