Diatom Outbreak

Reefboy1 · Jan 12, 2016

that is it more then likely, if you used live rock that was not cured (70%) it is finally starting to build up some bacteria and that is the cause. Like anything let it run its course, get a cleaning crew and it will eventually go away.

rhorn67 · Jan 12, 2016

I have 4 red legged hermit crabs and 3 Trochus snails. The cuc was a bit larger but some have died off. Anything specific for diatom? Tristan recommended cerith snails so I was going to look at adding a few of them.

IdahoNano · Jan 12, 2016

Cerith snails, turbos too, they'll do the trick for sure. I always end up replacing them as the devilish hermits, or shrimp end up dining on them!

Reefboy1 · Jan 12, 2016

I would get a foxface fish too. They will eat just about anything algae, look cool, and are reef safe.

Reefboy1 · Jan 12, 2016

rhorn67 said:
I have 4 red legged hermit crabs and 3 Trochus snails. The cuc was a bit larger but some have died off. Anything specific for diatom? Tristan recommended cerith snails so I was going to look at adding a few of them.

I would get a foxface fish too. They will eat just about anything algae, look cool, and are reef safe.

Reefboy1 · Jan 12, 2016

if the growth gets bigger you can also pick off what ever it is growing on by hand.

Lenny_S · Jan 12, 2016

Diatoms prefer silicates as a food source, but they will take phosphate or nitrate if it's all that is available. I would really recommend the GFO first since its been going on for so long. By the way, what sand did you use? Silicate based sand would definitely be a problem as it will slowly precipitate into the water. Since it's been running 4 months before you had a diatom problem, I don't think it would be the water you're using.
Still, a good CUC is also good to have. It is just not addressing the cause, but dealing with the effect.

rhorn67 · Jan 12, 2016

Lenny_S said:
Diatoms prefer silicates as a food source, but they will take phosphate or nitrate if it's all that is available. I would really recommend the GFO first since its been going on for so long. By the way, what sand did you use? Silicate based sand would definitely be a problem as it will slowly precipitate into the water. Since it's been running 4 months before you had a diatom problem, I don't think it would be the water you're using.
Still, a good CUC is also good to have. It is just not addressing the cause, but dealing with the effect.

I used CaribSea Arag-Alive Special Grade Reef Sand which is supposed to be silicate free. I'm all over the GFO and CUC this weekend.

rhorn67 · Jan 12, 2016

Reefboy1 said:
I would get a foxface fish too. They will eat just about anything algae, look cool, and are reef safe.

Cool looking fish but from what I have read they require 75 gallon or larger. My tank is a JBJ RL30 so no can do.

TUSI · Jan 12, 2016

I wouldn't recommend bringing your phosphates down to fast, if you have sps corals they don't like drastic changes

Lenny_S · Jan 12, 2016

TUSI said:
I wouldn't recommend bringing your phosphates down to fast, if you have sps corals they don't like drastic changes

IME, GFO takes a bit of time and slows down as it goes along. Would probably take 10-14 days to lower the phosphate he has by any substantial amount. Of course, that is as long as you use the recommended amount. If you use a large amount it will lower them much faster.

rhorn67 · Jan 12, 2016

TUSI said:
I wouldn't recommend bringing your phosphates down to fast, if you have sps corals they don't like drastic changes

I work hard to keep params as stable as possible. Lenny_s eluded to potential issues with dropping phophates as well. How would I go about controlling the drop in phosphates using a GFO reactor. I mentioned that I would use a Phosban 150 as my reactor.

Lenny_S · Jan 12, 2016

rhorn67 said:
I work hard to keep params as stable as possible. Lenny_s eluded to potential issues with dropping phophates as well. How would I go about controlling the drop in phosphates using a GFO reactor. I mentioned that I would use a Phosban 150 as my reactor.

GFO is probably about the easiest phosphate export method to control. If you can go a little longer with the diatoms, then just start off with 1/2 the recommend amount from the manufacturer for your water volume and test frequently, daily if that suits you. The manufacturer recommendation is usually for a moderate reduction rate as it is. If it goes down too fast just stop, if it's too slow just add a little more GFO.

rhorn67 · Jan 12, 2016

Lenny_S said:
GFO is probably about the easiest phosphate export method to control. If you can go a little longer with the diatoms, then just start off with 1/2 the recommend amount from the manufacturer for your water volume and test frequently, daily if that suits you. The manufacturer recommendation is usually for a moderate reduction rate as it is. If it goes down too fast just stop, if it's too slow just add a little more GFO.

Makes sense. Well I have a project for the weekend. I will let everyone know how it goes.

Thanks!

seastar · Jan 13, 2016

Reefboy1 said:
that is it more then likely, if you used live rock that was not cured (70%) it is finally starting to build up some bacteria and that is the cause. Like anything let it run its course, get a cleaning crew and it will eventually go away.

Interesting, Im in a very similar situation though I'm at 7 months and the majority of my rock had a slight bit of green algae if anything. This helps me with my frustration at least, Im going on a month of these b@stards. @rhorn67 I feel you pain.

rhorn67 · Jan 13, 2016

seastar said:
Interesting, Im in a very similar situation though I'm at 7 months and the majority of my rock had a slight bit of green algae if anything. This helps me with my frustration at least, Im going on a month of these b@stards. @rhorn67 I feel you pain.

This hobby is so frustrating at times but so enjoyable. I had a reef tank 15 or so years ago and enjoyed it then and am more so this go around.

I do have some hard calcareous green algae of some type on the top of most of my rock. Strange but when LEDs are on you really don't see it but at night when I throw a flashlight on the tank you really see it.

How long has your outbreak been happening?

seastar · Jan 13, 2016

rhorn67 said:
This hobby is so frustrating at times but so enjoyable. I had a reef tank 15 or so years ago and enjoyed it then and am more so this go around.

I do have some hard calcareous green algae of some type on the top of most of my rock. Strange but when LEDs are on you really don't see it but at night when I throw a flashlight on the tank you really see it.

How long has your outbreak been happening?

Im going on a month now, I've dialed my lights way back for the last week, I've added GFO, prior to that I was trying the redsea NO3

O4 - X and I've been siphoning if off my sand bed. My Phosphates (I know this sounds crazy) were .ooo on a Hanna with the NO3

O4 - X and only .004 with 5 days on the GFO ( I stopped the NO3

O4 - X when I went to GFO) . No detectable nitrates, I have a refugium filled with cheato which should be winning the battle at this point, but I dont know.

Here I am, twiddling my fingers trying to ride it out. I'm hoping this theory of the bacteria finally making it's way to the dry base rock pans out.

rhorn67 · Jan 13, 2016

seastar said:
Im going on a month now, I've dialed my lights way back for the last week, I've added GFO, prior to that I was trying the redsea NO3O4 - X and I've been siphoning if off my sand bed. My Phosphates (I know this sounds crazy) were .ooo on a Hanna with the NO3O4 - X and only .004 with 5 days on the GFO ( I stopped the NO3O4 - X when I went to GFO) . No detectable nitrates, I have a refugium filled with cheato which should be winning the battle at this point, but I dont know. Here I am, twiddling my fingers trying to ride it out. I'm hoping this theory of the bacteria finally making it's way to the dry base rock pans out.

With .000/.004 being well under <.03 seems like phosphates is not your issue. How long has your tank been up? Unless I'm mistaken the bacteria theory would apply to a new tank versus one that has been up for a while. I actually meant to reply to reefboy and ask him if that was his thought. I never experienced a diatom during my tank cycle which finished in 4 weeks and I'm now coming up on the 3 month mark.

rhorn67 · Jan 13, 2016

Reefboy1 said:
that is it more then likely, if you used live rock that was not cured (70%) it is finally starting to build up some bacteria and that is the cause. Like anything let it run its course, get a cleaning crew and it will eventually go away.

Were you thinking that its just now after 3 months building bacteria being a new tank?

Reefboy1 · Jan 13, 2016

rhorn67 said:
Were you thinking that its just now after 3 months building bacteria being a new tank?

For the most part yes. This is what I am thinking. Yes you seeded your tank with the 30% live rock which did help it cycle but then by the sounds of it you starved the nitrifying bacteria on the 30% live rock that needs food "phosphates" to grow. You said you kept your phosphates low right? So more then likely you didn't get much growth of nitrifying bacteria on the dry rock during the cycle. So now that you have added livestock to your tank (the one fish) and you are feeding it you finally have more food (fish poo and fish food) for the bacteria to grow on the rock. So yes, more then likely you are getting the bloom now that your adding livestock and your tank is starting to actually come to life. Once you get a significant amount of nitrifying bacteria on the rest of your rock you should be good to go.
I found this: http://www.bioconlabs.com/nitribactfacts.html
this is kinda an old write-up and is not what I would consider completely accurate as there has been advancements in this area since this was written but it still gives you an idea of what I am talking about.
I would like to add I wouldn't change much of what you are doing now. Just get the cleaning crew and give it some time.