What should dry rock look like when it’s done cycling?

[PGJE]

Right now the dry rock in my cycling tank has a bloom of diatoms, as expected. But after all of the nutrients it eats is gone, they should die off, and the cycle should be done or close to done. I was wondering when the diatoms die off, does the rock look any different? I heard some people say it will look grey-Ish like a colonized rock, but I don’t know for sure...

 

[sikoko]

Eventually it will be colonized by your live rock that you put in and it should look similar

 

[twentyleagues]

The brown dusting is actually dead diatoms. When you can see them they are dead. They are usually present if you have enough phosphstes and silicates.

 

[PGJE]

The brown dusting is actually dead diatoms. When you can see them they are dead. They are usually present if you have enough phosphstes and silicates.

hmm, mine look more like slime than dusting, maybe brown algae then?
ill try to post a picture soon

 

[PGJE]

here’s a pic

 

[twentyleagues]

Yeah doesnt look like diatoms. Looks like the start of dinoflagilates.

 

[PGJE]

Yeah doesnt look like diatoms. Looks like the start of dinoflagilates.

Ooh, doesn’t sound good, and I think I know exactly the cause... when the water was murky the only sponge I had for the hob filter was some anti phosphate stuff I had laying around, and that kills off the algae it competes with I guess. How would you go about getting rid of it?

 

[twentyleagues]

Syphon it out. Keep the water clean. Last resort chemiclean.