Diatoms causing phos to bottom??

[Nathd2311]

My tank has been running for 3months now and my phosphates were stable at around 0.08. I finally added my ai prime 16hd 2 weeks ago and my tank has browned over with diatoms. Ever since my phos has been lowering until its hot zero today. My question is do I try and raise them or do I stay the same course and wait till the diatoms burn out and phos returns to usual numbers as I'm assuming it's the diatoms eating the phos. Tia

 

[doubleshot00]

Do you have any corals? IMO dose phosphates to at least maintain some level.

 

[Nathd2311]

Do you have any corals? IMO dose phosphates to at least maintain some level.

I have some zoas which I put in last week, they seem to be doing well. I'm still running gfo which was keeping them at 0.08 but I'm now thinking I should take it out

 

[doubleshot00]

I have some zoas which I put in last week, they seem to be doing well. I'm still running gfo which was keeping them at 0.08 but I'm now thinking I should take it out

Yeah i would take that out ASAP. No need to even run gfo at .08. I bet youve been at zero for a while.

I assume dry rock? If so (or not) the dry/rock was probably leaching phosphates and now your gfo has sucked it all up. Your tank is very new.

 

[GatorGreg]

I thought diatoms fed off silica’s? They could consume phosphates too but I’m not sure. You sure you’re not dealing with Dino’s here?

Post a picture?

 

[Nathd2311]

I thought diatoms fed off silica’s? They could consume phosphates too but I’m not sure. You sure you’re not dealing with Dino’s here?

Post a picture?

Yeah i would take that out ASAP. No need to even run gfo at .08. I bet youve been at zero for a while.

I assume dry rock? If so (or not) the dry/rock was probably leaching phosphates and now your gfo has sucked it all up. Your tank is very new.

Yeah i would take that out ASAP. No need to even run gfo at .08. I bet youve been at zero for a while.

I assume dry rock? If so (or not) the dry/rock was probably leaching phosphates and now your gfo has sucked it all up. Your tank is very new.

Yeah that makes sense, it's dry rock. I'll take gfo out and bring my phos up naturally with frozen and keep an eye on it. Thanks for your help

 

[doubleshot00]

Yeah that makes sense, it's dry rock. I'll take gfo out and bring my phos up naturally with frozen and keep an eye on it. Thanks for your help

Don't rinse the food. Or try some pellet's.

 

[GatorGreg]

I would verify that it is in fact diatom and not Dino. Because if it is Dino. Simply increasing phosphates won’t be enough to win the battle. You’ll have to employ other methods as well.


Good luck

 

[Nathd2311]

I thought diatoms fed off silica’s? They could consume phosphates too but I’m not sure. You sure you’re not dealing with Dino’s here?

Post a picture?

Yeah i would take that out ASAP. No need to even run gfo at .08. I bet youve been at zero for a while.

I assume dry rock? If so (or not) the dry/rock was probably leaching phosphates and now your gfo has sucked it all up. Your tank is very new.

I would verify that it is in fact diatom and not Dino. Because if it is Dino. Simply increasing phosphates won’t be enough to win the battle. You’ll have to employ other methods as well.


Good luck

I would verify that it is in fact diatom and not Dino. Because if it is Dino. Simply increasing phosphates won’t be enough to win the battle. You’ll have to employ other methods as well.


Good luck

I'm pretty sure it's diatoms, when i hit it with a turkey baster it just blows off like dust. It's not stringy or bubbly